New law to protect rights of children in Albania

TIRANA, Nov. 9 – A new law ‘For the Protection of the Rights of the Child’, recently approved by the Albanian Parliament, is applauded by child-focused organizations like World Vision who have long advocated for the fulfillment of children’s rights in Albania.
Even though Albania ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in 1992, abuse in all of its forms towards children is widespread in most Albanian communities.
According to UNICEF, one in two Albanian children experience physical violence at home and one in three at school. UNICEF also reports that 13.3% of children attending school experience sexual abuse. Physical and psychological violence continue to be a disciplinary tool for children in Albania.
BKTF coalition (Together Against Child Trafficking), where World Vision is actively involved and is part of leading committee, has actively participated in the drafting process of the Law ‘For the Protection of the Rights of the Child’ by providing a set of recommendations and comments in order to ensure its future applicability in accordance with advanced child protection models and the various initiatives undertaken by local authorities at both the commune and municipality levels. Moreover, BKTF has advocated the approval of this law from Albanian Parliament
‘The Law provides all the necessary measures for guaranteeing the survival, life and the development of the child through a coordinated approach amongst various child rights and child protection stakeholders’ said Daniela Shkalla, BKTF Coordinator.