Albania: BKTF coalition sends open letter to Prime Minister

Source: United for Child Care and Protection (BKTF) – Albania

To: Mr. Edi Rama, Prime Minister of Albania

Honorable Mr. Prime Minister,

The BKTF Coalition praises the work and efforts made by the Albanian government in the last four years to improve the rights and protection of children in Albania. By this letter, the BKTF Coalition wants to bring to your attention and to the government the need to continue the efforts made to further improve the situation of children’s rights and their protection.

In the current conditions in which social care, children and youth issues do not have a dedicated ministry, the work of civil society organizations in our country will be translated into fragmented cooperation with several ministries. This makes unclear the interaction with line ministries to advance the policies launched in the field of child protection in Albania.

We need to clarify to what extent, with the reorganization of the governmental cabinet, the government is going to give priority to issues related to children’s rights and services to them, especially to children most in need.

Despite the  recently made institutional changes, we consider it’s very important to advance the achievements so far in building and strengthening the child protection system, in implementing and supplementing the legal framework, in particular the law on the “Rights and Protection of the Child “, adopted on February 23 this year.

In this context, BKTF Coalition considers it necessary to preserve and strengthen the role of the State Agency for the Rights and Protection of Children, as well as other structures that have the mission to cover child issues, in fulfilling all duties and responsibilities given to them in the aforementioned law. The BKTF Coalition will continue to support government’s plans to strengthen the child protection system, hoping that all changes made will have a positive impact and that children will continue to be a priority of the government’s program even in the four upcoming years.

The BKTF Coalition “All Together for Holistic Care of Children”, founded in 2003, consists of 20 non-profit organizations, national and international, and has its mission to protect Albanian children from all forms of violence, neglect, exploitation and abuse.

Hoping for a response from you and your institution, we thank you and we wish you and the government you will lead good luck on your challenges and commitments!

The organizations members of the BKTF Coalition “All Together for Holistic Care of Children”:

1. Save the Children Albania
2. Terre Des Hommes Albania
3. Paqe nëpërmjet Drejtësisë
4. Fëmijët e Botës dhe Shqipërisë – Të drejtat e Njeriut
5. CRCA Qëndra për mbrojtjen e të Drejtave të Fëmijëve në Shqipëri
6. Qendra Psikosociale “Vatra”
7. Shërbimet Shqipëtare për Refugjatë dhe Emigrantë RMSA
8. Qëndra e Shërbimeve dhe Praktikave Ligjore të Integruara
9. Ndihmë për fëmijët
10. Shërbimi Ligor Falas Tiranë, TLAS
11. ARSIS, Organizatë Shoqërore e Përkrahjes së të Rinjve.
12. Shoqata Kombëtare Edukim për jetën SHKEJ
13. World Vision Albania and Kosovo
14. Partnerë për Fëmijët
15. ADRA Albania
16. Caritas
17. Amarodrom
18. Roma Active Albania
19. SOS Fshatrat e Fëmijëve Shqipëri
20. Qendra “Fëmijët Sot”