Tirana, 8 March 2010 - United Nations Agencies in Albania are working to advance gender equality and the rights of women. This is featured throughout interventions undertaken by the UN and is also the focus of a UN Joint Programme on Gender Equality, all supporting Albania’s aspirations to achieve MDG3 of the Millennium Development Goals.

According to a national sample survey on gender based violence produced by the National Statistics Agency, with UN support, of 2590 families surveyed, it was found that: 50.6 percent of women have suffered emotional abuse; 39.1 percent of women have suffered psychological abuse; 31.2 percent of women have suffered physical abuse and 12.7 percent of women have suffered sexual abuse.

Participating agencies in the UN Joint Programme on Gender Equality are bringing their skills to support the Government of Albania to combat the phenomenon of domestic violence, allocating approximately 2,000,000 USD since 2008.

In 2006, the Albanian legislature passed the Law “On Measures Against Violence in Family Relations”; and in 2007, adopted the first comprehensive strategy to respond to the phenomenon of domestic violence. Both the Law and the strategy stress the need for an improved coordinated response; to support, protect and provide rehabilitation and employment opportunities to victims of domestic violence; to empower the judiciary in taking protection measures against domestic violence; and to provide quick, affordable, and accessible social services.

The UN provided training for over 500 State Police on the handling of domestic violence cases. Over 80 judges and magistrates were also trained on the domestic violence law and the courts role in its enforcement. The effects of these training are visible, with police sources and courts confirming a significant increase in cases presented to them and a good number of follow up actions taken; including the use of protection orders where necessary.

Elida Rrapti, Shelter Manager and Councilor at the Shelter for Abused Women and Girls in Tirana, noted that police officers are demonstrating an increasingly clear understanding of their procedural responsibilities under the domestic violence law and a good level of sensibility when dealing with the issue, commenting: “the improved capacities of police officers have been witnessed not only by victims coming forward for assistance but through the well defined structure of good cooperation that now exists with shelter services”. The UN also supports the establishment of the first government shelter for victims of domestic violence, scheduled to start operations by mid year.

The National Health Service has benefited from the support of the UN in the training of healthcare workers. Dr Ervim Kallfa, who conducted healthcare trainings at the Tirana Maternity Hospital, commented: “the training has provided a space for interactive debate on the methods of diagnoses in cases of domestic violence. The trainees, both doctors and midwives completed the training with a clear understanding of the law and their role amongst the network of national partners.”

The UN has also conducted trainings on domestic violence detection which aims to equip school councilors with the expertise to identify children who are victims of domestic violence and initiate referrals where necessary.

The UN has conducted an in-country analysis of strategies and actions carried out by national and international NGOs in establishing referral services for women and child victims of domestic violence; which incorporates the police service, judiciary, health, education and social services.

Following the development of a draft model for community response to domestic violence based on these findings, the UN has begun piloting the model in the Municipalities of Korça, Durres, Kamza and Kukes. The overall goal is to develop a model for community response to domestic violence, through a participatory process, which will be formally adopted by the Government and extended to nine municipalities across Albania.

The One UN Joint Programme on Gender Equality partners the UN agencies UNIFEM, UNDP, UNICEF and UNFPA and supports the coordinated implementation of Albania’s National Strategy for Gender Equality and Domestic Violence (NSGE-DV) as part of the Government of Albania’s National Strategy for Development and Integration (NSDI). UNDP and UNICEF are leading the work on Domestic Violence at the local level with UNFPA providing assistance in this area to health care officials.

Photo: Workshop on domestic violence for social service provides from the Municipality of Durres, December 2009.