There have been major advances in children’s rights and protection in Albania through the adaption of the legal framework to international standards and through investment into protection services. Despite these efforts, children and young people still suffer from violence, abuse, exploitation and radicalisation, online and offline. Terre des hommes in Albania works together with institutional actors, civil society organisations, communities, children and youth to build resilient communities that prevent and respond to these risks.
Tdh wants to enable a protective environment for children in Albania and support a systemic response to child protection concerns. We provide training for professionals and support the efforts of local child protection organisations through small grants. Affected children receive access to services, take part in psychosocial activities, get counselling and go to after-school classes where they learn about their rights, while parents attend positive parenting courses. We also support the rehabil¬itation and reintegration of children and mothers who returned from war zones, by ensuring quality psychosocial services and strengthening their resilience.
In the past decades, Albania has experienced massive emigration waves. To prevent unsafe migration and ensure reintegration of families that returned to Albania, we provide support for economic empowerment of families, encourage children to attend school or after-school activities, provide psychosocial counselling and empower young people. We improve the regulatory framework and the services for children on the move, strengthen cross-border cooperation in the Balkans to prevent trafficking and ensure access to protection and reintegration services for victims.
Children in conflict with the law are mainly in difficult socio-economic conditions, lack education opportunities and are affected by social exclusion. To counter this phenomenon, we support the strengthening of the child protection system and build the resilience of young people through a restorative justice approach. We support the authorities to develop or amend and implement legal provisions, policy papers and working protocols. We work to prevent the reoffending of children by developing reintegration programmes and by promoting the necessary knowledge for successful rehabilitation of young people.
As a consequence of Covid-19, the economic insecurity has had negative consequences for many children, with those from low-income or socially marginalised families suffering the most. Increased levels of stress or fear increased the risks of abuse, neglect, domestic violence, criminal exploitation or sexual exploitation of children. Some referral and reporting mechanisms for children broke down. Tdh supported local actors in ensuring access of vulnerable children and families to a protective environment with social protection support, education, psychosocial activities, as well as community awareness raising on prevention measures.
The twin girls Klara and Klea and their brother Erjon live with their parents in a small village in Northern Albania. Tdh facilitated their reintegration after their asylum appeal was turned down in Germany.
Klara, Klea and Erjon, could reintegrate in Albania
