More job opportunities for marginalized women

TIRANA, Jan. 11 – Women in need, especially those coming from marginalized groups such as the Roma community, trafficking victims, disabled ones and teenage mothers have been given more employment opportunities. A government decision taken this week foresees companies hiring these women will be granted financial assistance by being covered for social security and health insurance and even several monthly wages.
The decision envisages social security and health insurance coverage and the payment of four monthly wages for people hired under one-year contracts.
Labour Ministry data show women successfully run 30,000 small businesses, or one-third of the total small businesses. However, the number of medium-sized and big businesses run by women remains at low levels.
Women also constitute the major 73 percent of the total employees in the manufacturing sector.
According to the Labour and Social Affairs Ministry, women in Albania are mostly employed in the public health and education sectors and less in private sectors of tourism, manufacturing and trade.
Better access to education and vocational training courses are two of the ministry’s goals to increase women’s participation in the labour market and make them financial contributors in their households.
The Labour Ministry says the economic empowerment of women will directly influence on reducing domestic violence cases, trafficking and other social problems.
Tirana Mayor Lulzim Basha has also promised new small and medium-sized enterprises operating in Tirana employing more than 50 jobless people from Tirana’s unemployment lines will no longer have to pay local government taxes. Meanwhile, construction companies hiring more than 75 jobless people will have their infrastructural impact tax, as the key tax these companies pay to Tirana Municipality, cut by 30 percent.
Basha has also announced the possibility of partial or full removal of local government taxes for big enterprises, a proposal which will be discussed with the central government.
“We believe the economic development creates more opportunities for businesses and more chances for employment,” said Basha.
Another project the municipality is planning targets reducing high unemployment rates among youth by offering internships for more than 6,000 university students each year and establishing a database on job opportunities.