Tirana, 12 August 2021 – On the International Youth Day, CRCA / ECPAT Albania addresses with this open call, the Government, MPs and all parliamentary political parties: Return our Young people back to Albania!
This request comes at a time when young people for years have lost hope in their country and want to leave for a better paid job, for a more stable economy, for recognised qualifications, for applicable laws, for non-corruption in services, for skills-based assessment.
In all reports analyzing the situation of young people in Albania, the main finding for years has been and remains the high percentage of young people seeking to leave the country. Just a year ago, the UN made public the fact that between 1990-2020, almost 1.2 million people had left the country, the largest percentage being young people. If these departures continue at the current rate by 2100 Albania will experience a population contraction of 52%.
The survey of the Centre for Economic and Social Studies about 6 months ago, brought the fact that 79% of Albanian students want to leave the country and 59% of graduates are planning to leave Albania. On the other hand, about 95% of young people who leave for studies outside Albania, do not want to return back to their country.
According to data collected by young people themselves from the “National Youth Contract 2021” – prepared by the Albanian National Youth Network (ANYN) and CRCA / ECPAT Albania, over 90% of young people have thought to leave Albania for a better life, education or better employment opportunities. While a few weeks ago EUROSTAT reported that 78% of asylum seekers abroad are young people under the age of 34 from Albania.
These figures are not just numbers, but they clearly show the hopeless situation that has been confronting young people in Albania for years.
They are a reflection of an economy that does not employ young people with dignity; of public policies that do not generate any opportunities and prospects for young people in the country; the longest political crisis in a democratic country, for 30 years; employment with a friend or against corruption; of unworthy salaries; of the lack of vision of politicians and public officials to understand that no one should wait to enjoy the rights that belong to you!
On the International Youth Day, faced with such a situation for years, CRCA / ECPAT Albania addresses the next Prime Minister, the Assembly and the deputies, the leaders of the largest political parties in the country, with the request: Focus your attention on the youth! Announce that 2022 will be the Year of the Return of Young people back to Albania!
Tirana during 2022 will be the capital of European youth!
We think this is a unique chance for all national and local institutions to turn their eyes away from the forgotten Youth. This would require not only an ambitious national and local plan that puts young people at the centre, but also empower young people in each institution to change the approach that all governance has had to young people during the past 30 years! It would require more guaranteed spaces for youth participation in policy-making and decision-making, a complete change of national and local youth policies; creation of Youth structures in each municipality and above all a budget dedicated for Youth Centres, for Youth organizations and activities, and for the empowerment of young people in every Albanian city.
Now is the time for action to put young people all over Albania at the forefront of the future.
For more info, contact:
CRCA / ECPAT Albania
Tel: 04 2265741
E-mail: crca@crca.al