Tirana, February 5th 2019 – Albania, on the International Safer Internet Day, despite all the measures it has taken to protect children, it is still one of the countries with the least safe internet in Europe!
The 1st National Report on the Internet Safety in Albania, that will be made public on 7th February, will show that children and young people are unsafe and vulnerable on the Internet while the authorities because of lack of legislation most of the time are not able to protect them.
Sexual predators do not wait! They are looking for their next victim!
Over the last two years, more than 200 cases have been reported to the National Internet Hotline www.ISIGURT.al, a number that shows that children and youth are falling victims to bullying, identity theft, harassment and violence sex on the internet, pornography at a higher rate every year.
The analyses of the reported cases to the Internet Hotline www.ISIGURT.AL , tells us that children are fully exposed to these dangers due to the shortcomings of the Criminal Code. The Criminal Code does not regulate most of the online hazards posed to children. CRCA Albania proposed, in 2016, 12 new amendments to the Criminal Code, yet they have not been approved. These legal loopholes give to the sex predators and paedophiles the opportunity to abuse and exploit children sexually while online.
However, efforts to protect children and adolescents on the internet have not been completely absent! Albania, thanks to the excellent cooperation of the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Social Protection and the Ministry of Education, with support of CRCA Albania, has now an Action Plan for Internet Safety of Children (2018-2020). Meanwhile, as of October 2018, following an intensive two-year effort by CRCA Albania, the opening of the National Center for Safer Internet was made possible, with its mission making the internet safe for everyone, especially for children and adolescents. Finally, Face book and CRCA Albania have agreed to work together to protect children on the social network and Instagram.
Through this statement, CRCA Albania asks publicly the following:
The Albanian Parliament shall adopt in an accelerated procedure all the amendments proposed by CRCA Albania and the Albanian National Child Rights Network to the Criminal Code that will enable a better protection of children and young people from online sexual violence, harassment, pornography and exploitation;
Increase the National Budget for Education to at least 5% of GDP. Increasing investment in education would enable better training and empowerment of teachers, psycho-social workers, parents and children, as well as the establishment of programs for their protection and awareness;
We highly recommended to the National Police Authority to establish a new Cyber Crimes Directorate for the protection of children and young people online, with presence in all 12 regions of Albania;
The Government of Albania shall approve of the newly drafted Council of Ministers Decision on Child Safety in Internet.
The International Safer Internet Day also serves as a moment to make the public aware of the consequences of unsafe Internet.
Our main call for children, teachers and parents is REPORT! The National Hotline www.ISIGURT.al
Is there to help you! You can also call free the National Child Helpline 116-111 to report such cases of the number 112 for the National Police.