YOUTH LAW SUBMITTED TO THE ALBANIAN PARLIAMENT FOR APPROVAL

Tirana, 16 January 2019 - A dedicated group of MPs’ on youth rights, submitted to the Albanian Parliament, on 11 January 2019, their request for approval of the draft Youth Law in Albania. The legal initiative to draft the law was taken by major civil society organisations and Albanian young people aiming to change and improve the neglected situation of youth rights in the country.

Under the slogan "For youth - with youth - by youth ", the law was drafted by some of the best experts in the field of CRCA Albania, one of the leading organizations in the country for the rights of children and youth in cooperation with the Albanian National Youth Network (ANYN) and the Child &Youth Policy Hub. The draft-law seeks to establish a completely new national and local architecture for the youth work, participation and empowerment. There are at least 700,000 young people in Albania, who make up 25 percent of the population in the country.

The draft law was officially submitted to the Parliament by Mrs. Nora Malaj, a left-MP, and a well-known activist for women’s rights and an Ambassador of CRCA Albania at the 1st Girl’s Summit.

The Law brings a series of changes to the institutional framework and state policies for youth in Albania, such as the establishment of the Youth Ombudsman, of a National Youth Coordinator Office, a youth quota of political representation and decision-making, a higher and dedicated budget for youth, and a new national and local mechanism for youth of Albania.

Since 2015, CRCA and ANYN have been working with youth in 12 regions of Albania to gather and address all the issues and priorities that the new law should consider. The process enjoyed a wide involvement of young people throughout the drafting process.

Albania is one of few countries in the region that still does not have a Youth Law in place. The new Law will determine youth policy, youth work, and regulation for informal education of youth as well as a definition of youth.

CRCA Albania and Albanian National Youth Network (ANYN) invite all MP’s to adopt as soon as possible this necessary draft-Law.