Shqip
English
Tirana, August 8, 2018 - In the framework of the International Youth Day, CRCA Albania and the Albanian National Youth Network (ANYN) made public the National Youth Index in Albania, a rating that civil society organizations have given for the work of the Government and Municipalities for the implementation of National Youth Action Plan in Albania.
The Index is part of the National Report "Youth in Albania", which will be made public on 12 August 2018, within the framework of the International Youth Day. The report, which was drafted over a two-year period with the participation of over 15 civil society organizations, raises the concern that the National Youth Action Plan (2015-2020) has remained almost completely unimplemented and that youth do not constitute a priority neither for the Government nor for the Municipalities in Albania.
According to the Report, one of the major challenges for young people in our country remains unemployment.About 81% of youth organizations reportedly did not have Government support for the promotion and empowerment of youth promotion programs. The latest data from the International Labour Organization (ILO) show that Albania is ranked number one in Europe for youth unemployment.
Data from several international organizations' reports show that around 70% of young people in Albania seek to emigrate to an EU country!Young people face a lack of opportunities, social and economic policies and participation in the decision-making institutions, issues which affect their lives.
Young people's participation in decision-making processes remains very low. Based on the CRCA and ANYN Report, about 73% of young people in Albania said that the Government's did not support their participation and representation in decision-making processes at national and local structures. Referring to the report “young people are being used only as a political background, while there is no effective participation in policy-making and decision-making at all levels, while there is a significant lack of support from the Government”.
By the end of 2017, the Government had not spent any funds to implement the National Youth Action Plan.Although the Albanian National Youth Network has raised its concerns over this fundamental issue, the Albanian Parliament and the Government in 2017 allocated only 0.01% of the national budget for young people or to about 35% of the population in Albania. Except for Tirana, other municipalities in the country have no specific budget for youth.
Over 80% of youth organisations claim that there is a significant lack of friendly and quality services for young people.Free counselling and psycho-social assistance for high school and university students is not being provided in any city of Albania, and neither the government nor the municipalities established any Community or Youth Centres to provide services to young people.
One of the most sought-after services of young people is the Youth Card.In June 2018, the National Network for Youth in Albania protested in front of the Ministry of Youth for this issue. Although Youth Card is sanctioned in both, National Youth Action Plan and the law on Higher Education, it remains not realised.
On International Youth Day, CRCA and ANYN, recommend to the Albanian Parliament, the Government and the Municipalities to take the following measures:
- The Albanian Parliament must adopt the Youth Resolution and establish a Parliamentary Sub-Committee on Youth Affairs, to increase its oversite on the Government and municipalities lack of actions to implement the youth policy.
- The Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth, should seek immediately to establish a National Youth Directorate as a responsible body for the implementation and monitoring of the National Youth Action Plan in Albania.
- The Albanian Government shall introduce a new budget like for Youth in the budget of the Ministry of Education. Such budget line should assign 10% of the funds of the entire ministry for youth;
- Every municipality in Albania shall establish Youth Sections/Offices, while Municipal Councils should adopt a specific budget to fund youth programs and initiatives;
For the last two years, CRCA and ANYN have been working and advocating on drafting a Youth Law in Albania that could address and regulate key issues and priorities for young people in Albania. Albania is one of the few countries in the region that does not yet have a Youth Law.
