Tirana, June 1, 2021 – CRCA / ECPAT Albania, on International Children’s Day, as in previous years, the main organization advocating for children’s rights in Albania, presented from Skëndërbeg Square the “Manifest for Children’s Rights”, a document with 12 main demands addressed to the future Government, Parliament, and all political parties in the country.
At the Open Day for Children’s Rights, from Skanderbeg Square in the capital Tirana, the largest and oldest organization in Albania for the protection of children’s rights, demanded:
• Zero poverty and housing for every child and the elimination of child labor;
• Quality and comprehensive education, in schools, kindergartens and kindergartens free of charge and accessible to all children;
• Secure Internet and protection against discrimination and hate speech;
• Social, legal, rehabilitation and integration services;
• Exercise programs and healthy eating;
The Director of CRCA / ECPAT Albania, Altin Hazizaj, emphasized that – “Today we say STOP to the prolonged and unjustified poverty of children! It is unacceptable for a country that has spent billions of euros to build roads, to let children die from a lack of food! We urge the next Government, the new Parliament, all parliamentary political parties and society, that the next four years will be the end of the suffering of children in Albania! ”
As part of June 1, CRCA / ECPAT Albania, in cooperation with the Human Rights House (HRH), the National Child Counseling Line ALO 116-111, BARNAHUS Albania, the Albanian Coalition for Education (ACE), the Albanian National for Youth Network(ANYN) and the Youth Resource Center in Albania (YRCA), invited children, young people, parents and citizens of Tirana to write their messages, requests, concerns, reality and solutions. problems in a large fountain located in the main square of the capital.
Citizens also had the opportunity to stop at the information stand set up in Skanderbeg Square by CRCA / ECPAT Albania, to receive valuable information and advice on children’s rights, protection from sexual violence, internet security, reporting mechanisms, where Child and adolescent-friendly services, ways to protect against sexual harassment and abuse, exploitation at work, minors in conflict with the law, as well as legal and social services provided by CRCA / ECPAT Albania and our partner organizations for protection that can be accessed by children and young people across the country.
Children in situations of violence
61% of victims of sex crimes in Albania are children;
Over 83% of victims of sex crimes in Albania are girls under the age of 18;
12% of children in Albania are victims of harassment and sexual abuse (Balkan Study on Violence Against Children-BECAN);
Over 60% of children report insecure internet (Centre for Safe Internet in Albania and Platform www.ISIGURT.al);
44% of children have access to adult pornography every day online;
77% of children in Albania have experienced at least one form of domestic violence;
41% of children aged 0-17 have been exposed to domestic violence in the last 12 months (based on the National Survey INSTAT Violence in Albania against Women and Girls 2018);
COVID-19, an increase by 100-fold of child pornography sites;
47 percent of them have been contacted by an unknown person while they are online (Report on the safety of children online in Albania);
Threats, harassment and online blackmail against children and young people in Albania increased six – fold compared to previous years;
41% of children are victims of some form of violence in schools (Report of the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights 2018).