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 Poverty, discrimination, violence, isolation, equality of education are some of the problems with which children face in Albanian today, are some of the main issues included in the CRC Alternative Report prepared with the contribution of more than 14,000 children across Albania. The preparation of the report was supported from CRCA/DCI Albania, ALO 116, Save the Children, World Vision and the SOS Village.
The CRC Alternative Report is based on information collected from conversations, interviews, questionnaires, workshops, trainings and meetings with children and adults in Albania. The main conclusions of the report are:
- The poverty is a serious problem which brings discrimination, family violence, social exclusion and exploitation of children; - Roma and gypsy children suffer the consequences of difficult living conditions accompanied by many forms of discrimination from the society. - Children are victims of discrimination and abuse in the family environment and the schools. The family in many occasions is the reason why children emigrate, work or are excluded from important decisions that affect their lives. - Children that suffer from lack of parental care find it difficult to be integrated into the society and suffer consequences of social exclusion, poverty and abandonment. - Often, children in Albanian live isolated, without opportunities to be taught and educated, to be associated with their peers or be provided with access to health services and medicines. - Children in Albania often are not taught by professionals who in turn are corrupted; they abuse children and not respect their rights. Many schools lack lab equipment and opportunities to integrate children with disabilities; - Many children due to mentality do not follow Secondary education, especially girls. In remote areas young girls are often forced the leave the School and get married under the old habits and customs. - Many teachers and parents are not informed on children’s rights thus they do not respect them as individual human beings with rights and responsibilities; - The Government never has publicised the budget it spends for children.
Based on the above children have these recommendations:
- Increase the socio-economic assistance for poor families; - Establish a Children’s Ombudsman office; - Inform the parents and teachers on the consequences of violence against children; - Teachers and violate and discriminate children shall be penalized - Teaching conditions in schools shall be improved; - Strengthen Children’s Governments in schools; - High school education shall be made obligatory; - The Governmentnt shall implement all the measures in support of children with disability; - Support the education of Roma and Egyptian communities; - Orphan children especially youth ones shall be supported to ensure their welfare and further education; Government and its institutions shall respect and implement the Convention on the Rights of the Child and guarantee the transparency of budgets and money spent for children, locally and nationally |
