Many women in Albania face sexual harassment and requests for sexual favors in return for getting or keeping a job, activists say.
TIRANA, Aug. 20 – Following the revelation this week that a political activist was seeking sexual favors from a mother and her 14-year-old daughter in return for helping the mother find a job, women’s rights activists say that many female workers face sexual harassment and request for sexual favors in return for getting or keeping a job.
Agron Cane, a political activist and a volunteer worker for Socialist Member of Parliament Ko诠Kokedhima, was fired and arrested following the publication of hidden camera footage by investigative journalists that showed Cane, 60, seeking to have sex with a minor in return for finding a job for the mother, with whom he also appears to have had a sexual relationship.
The video has caused a lot of anger in Albania, but civil society activists and legal experts say that the disturbing revelation Saranda is part of a larger trend of women being asked for sexual favors by those vested with power in the work place. They also say the laws in the books are complete and appropriate but not enough is being done to properly enforce them.
“Asking for sex in exchange for a job Šis a recurring theme. And it is shameful,” says Mirela Arqimandriti, who heads a local NGO in Saranda, the Gender Alliance for Development. She added, speaking the VoA’a Albanian service that the event is not an isolated case.
On the other hand, lawyers say laws against sexual harassment are complete, but not enforced.
Besa Sara詬 a lawyer at the Center for Legal and Civic Initiatives, says what happened in Saranda is covered by the Law for Protection against Discrimination and the Criminal Code, which provides for imprisonment from 1 to 5 years.
Extreme poverty, say representatives of civil society in Albania who spoke to VoA pushes people to accept difficult jobs and low wages.
People who communicate with the public must be more chosen carefully, so they do not prey on the weakest parts of society, as was the case in Saranda.
“Those who are in extreme poverty, as in the case of this lady, because she lived in extreme poverty, and had to give up her three children to a to an orphanages should not have to deal with political party volunteers to find jobs but must resolve their plight in state offices, says Arqimandriti.
Recent legal changes in the Criminal Code against sexual harassment were made in May 2013, and the legislation is seen as meeting international standards.
Center for Legal and Civic Initiatives has defended several dozen women and girls abused and discriminated violence in society and has a great experience.
Sara詠who is part of a public service legal team that deals with victims of domestic violence and trafficking, says they have to increasingly turn to make sure law enforcement takes place for the protection from discrimination in the workplace “to help girls and women who are in a vulnerable positions” and need perpetrators to face criminal action.
Arqimandriti says she hopes the government will take measures to improve the situation. She said there needs to be stricter background checks in on the people put in positions of power because those who allow other to seek sexual favors bear moral responsibility.
