Tirana, 23 October 2018 – CRCA Albania, a leading advocacy organisation for the rights of children and youth in the country, opened this morning the national campaign “VOTO 16!”. Through an open Public Petition, CRCA is asking the Parliament and all parliamentary political parties to work together to lower the age for voting from 18 that is currently to 16 years old.
CRCA Albania since January this year started consultations with adolescents and young people all over the country on how we could improve the lives and the respect for children and youth rights. In the context of supporting the empowerment of children and youth participation in decision-making, one of the most frequent requests that has been expressed during the consultations was to reduce the age of voting to 16. According to the youth themselves, this would empower not only the political participation and representation of adolescents and young people, but also their decision-making in all the processes where adults decide for them.
Albania has a positive experience to guaranteeing the right to vote. Albania was among the first countries in Europe to recognize the suffrage for women as of 1920. The right to vote at the age of 16 exists in many other countries of the world, such as Austria, Germany, USA, Scotland, Norway, Brazil, Argentina, New Zealand, etc. At European level, for many years, many youth movements are advocating for the voting age to be set for 16 years old.
On behalf of CRCA, Altin Hazizaj-CRCA Director, in making the petition public, said: “We invite all young people throughout Albania, parents, teachers and activists to support the Petition Vote 16, by signing the Petition at the address www.crca.al/en/vote-16
The European Parliament, the Council of Europe, as well politicians are advocating for the involvement of young people in decision-making, including the right to vote at a lower age. Countries’ developments, access to education, technology, experience in decision-making in the communities and in schools have exposed and learned to young people their rights and responsibilities, where they need to decide for themselves in a democratic manner.
For more information, please contact:
CRCA Albania
E-mail: info@crca.al