Gender
Albania has been actively working towards gender equality including a balanced participation of women and men in decision-making processes and a reduction in discrimination and gender-based violence, among many issues.
The current State Cabinet in 2021 has a majority of women, with females as 12 of 17 cabinet ministers and Albania ranks first according to the United Nations’ general classification for the number of women in the government, up from 5th with the previous government. Women represent over 50 percent of the Albanian government and 30 percent of Parliament. Also, 50 percent of senior management positions in public administration are held by women.
The UN Women’s Global SDG Database78 gives Albania a score of 90.9 percent for overall legislative frameworks on Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women (GEEW); 91.7 percent for overall legislative frameworks on Gender-Based Violence (GBV); 70 percent for overall legislative frameworks on Employment and Economic empowerment; and 90.9 percent for overall legislative frameworks on Marriage and Families. All the while, violence against women / gender- based violence remains widespread and the U.N. reports that this is an issue for more than 50 percent of women in Albania.
Albania has ratified Protocol Nr. 12 to the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, and was a signatory to the 2007 UN Declaration on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity.
In 2008 Albania passed Law Nr. 9970/2008 on “Gender Equality in Albania” and Law Nr. 10221/2010 “For the Protection from Discrimination” in 2010. By order of the Council of Ministers Nr. 537/2011, Albania adopted its first “National Strategy for Gender Equality, Reduction of Gender-Based Violence and Domestic Violence, 2011-2015”.
The Council of Europe “Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence” (Istanbul Convention) was ratified by Albanian Law Nr. 104/2012, entering into force in 2014.
In their 2012 report, German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) stated that of the 1300 Albanians employed as artisans, 78% of those were women.
In June 2016, the government passed the National Action Plan for LGBTI that would address bullying and LGBT discrimination in primary and secondary education with lectures and other activities. This was implemented and received some pushback from parents and teachers.
Women represent about 66% of total enrolment in post-secondary cultural fields of study in 2020, while the majority of employed workers in cultural fields are men, constituting nearly 57% in 202079.
A National Strategy “On the establishment and functioning of the inter-institutional working group for drafting the gender equality strategic document for 2016-2020”80 was prepared by The Inter-institutional Working Group by the Order of the Prime Minister Nr. 15/2016. Direct preparation of the strategy included a representative of the Ministry of Culture as well as the Ministry being included in consultations during the drafting of the strategy.
Comments are closed.