Children's rights, Monitoring and Implementation
The number of children whose rights are not respected is growing although documentation of cases remains difficult to obtain. Children’s rights policies and practices and the responsibility for caring for them are not in line with United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). In Albania, there is a lack of information on children’s rights and the level of awareness is still low.
A data collection system for children’s rights is absent. There is a lack of information about the UNCRC among children, parents and also professionals who work for and with children. Mechanisms for promoting child participation in the decision making process doesn’t exist. These issues lead to a situation where children’s rights implementation becomes very challenging at all levels of society.
In order to achieve the greatest and broadest impact, SCiA works to make a difference at all levels ranging from the state structure-the Inter-Ministerial Committee on the Rights of the Child (IMCCR), the Independent Institution-Subsection for Children’s Rights (SCR) within OPA, the Civil Society network - Albanian Children Alliance (ACA) and the Child Led Groups all to ensure a greater voice for children.
Supporting the child rights institutions we intend to make children more visible and their rights protected in legislation, policies and practices. We are working to strengthen and help these formal bodies be more active to safeguard the children’s rights and to better respond to the infringement of children’s rights on the national level.
Our work with partners
Inter-Ministerial Committee on the Rights of the Child
In spite of the very late re-establishment of the IMCCR and lack of capacity of this structure, constant support has been given by SCiA to the IMCCR. Round tables and training sessions on monitoring children rights have been supported by SCiA in close collaboration with UNICEF.
As a result, a higher profile of IMCCR was established in terms of coordinating all the state structures and civil society as well as the initial steps for building basis of children’s rights implementation monitoring system in Albania. A National Conference on “Monitoring the Implementation of the National Strategy for Children 2006 – 2010” was held in May 2006 and organized by Ministry of labour and Social Affairs. This conference brought together key ministers and was seen as a start in establishing mechanisms for monitoring the implementation of children’s rights.
People’s Advocate
Through the Subsection for Children’s Rights at the office of People’s Advocate, SCiA has established and ensured a formal system of advocating for and monitoring the implementation of children’s rights at the national level.
Building the capacity of the People’s Advocate and in particular the SCR has been one of the major areas of our work.
Main activities
Training on children’s rights and effective use of the media were carried out.
With our support two regional SCR offices have been established in two main cities Shkodra (North) and Korca (South). These offices will open more opportunities for Albanian children to address their issues and be protected. About 200 of cases have been treated and resolved in the best interest of the child by the SCR from 2005-currently.
OPA/SCR played a significant role in improving and changing laws that protect children’s rights. They have been successful in influencing various government institutions and members of civil society as well as embassies which resulted in positive outcomes of cooperation and improved conditions for specific groups of children.
As a result of OPA’s advocacy work, there have been changes in the budget allocated to pay social workers and lawyers for children in police custody. Suggestions have been made for changes in the Civil Status Code to avoid non-registration of newborn children and changes in the electoral code to avoid the use of children’s images for electoral campaigns.
The SCR lobbied for action to address areas of violations of children’s rights on the level of the individual child and more widely through advocacy for policy and legislative change and actual legislative implementation.
In addition, the SCR has introduced the concept of child participation as part of their work. There have been group consultations with children to discover their concerns and gather suggestions on how to improve their situation.
In the frame work of OPA/SCR project, and in cooperation with Albanian Media Institute, members of media have been trained on children’s rights and the code of ethics of Albanian journalists and how best to promote children’s rights.
A comparative research/analysis on the compliance with the UN CRC in relation to Albanian law and its implementation has been completed. The results of this research will be used for promoting change where necessary and the OPA will take suggestions to parliament for adapting legislation.
Albanian Children Alliance
Our ongoing support for the Albanian Children Alliance (ACA) aims to empower a more sustainable national network of child rights civil society advocating with and for children for compliance with the UNCRC, CRC Guidelines, and National Strategy for Children and national legislation. ACA is an alliance of more then 150 local child rights NGOs and individuals which have committed to be mobilized and speak out for children’s rights.
In terms of practical work for children, ACA targets all children, including even the most disadvantaged ones in 9 regions of Albania where the network is extended.
The ACA works as an advocate for children rights and mobilizes all the structures at both the local and central governmental level as well as civil society for fulfilling children’s rights. Also it carries out the monitoring of the CRC and National Strategy for Children accomplishments and contributes to the Alternative CRC Report to be submitted in Geneva in 2009.
The Child Led Group (CLG)
There are three CLGs established in three regions of Albania, namely the northern–eastern, central-western and in central parts of the country. There are 20 children and youngsters per group. They endeavour to increase the other children’s understanding of their rights through activities and projects designed and implemented by them.
With our support, CLGs work also for changing the policies and practices through advocacy campaigns that are in the light of UNCRC recommendations.
More than one thousands children have been directly involved in child’s rights activities organised by CLGs. Thousands of other children benefit indirectly from the work for interventions, improvement in policies, practices and legislations and through recommendations which have a positive affect on their lives.
As a result of the advocacy work, one of the CLGs has been consulted by the community on the budget issues. The project proposal developed by the community and presented to the Municipality includes Children’s suggestion on the need for more investment in schools.