25 September 2015

The Action Plan for Children 2012 – 2015 is a document focused on cooperation between different governmental actors, donors, civil society and communities to make decisions oriented to respect the children’s rights. This plan is focused on five main pillars of children’s rights:
– The right for protection and social inclusion;
– The right of children for protection from violence, abuse and economic exploitation;
– The right for development and education;
– The right for health care;
– The right for legal protection.

RECOMMENDATIONS AND DEBATE FROM MONITORING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF NATIONAL ACTION PLAN FOR CHILDREN 2012 – 2015
According the implementation of the National Action Plan for Children 2012-2015, the Observatory for Children’s Rights has been monitoring the following aspects:
a) The role of local governments in assessing the needs of children in relation to the realization of their rights in poverty alleviation.
b) Situation, analysis and annual reports of the situation of children’s rights designed for local governments.
c) Specific Programmes of Local Administrative Units focused on realizing the rights of children, specifying and relevant achievements.
d) Budgets for the implementation of programs for children’s rights from local governments.
e) policies and specific measures to strengthen the communication and transparency of local children and stakeholders, implemented at regional level.

a. The role of local governments in assessing the needs of children in relation to the realization of their rights in poverty alleviation
One of the most important strategic objectives of the new competences of local government units is related with assessing the needs of children who are in administrative territory.
 In Kukes, Shkodra and Tirana there isn’t information about the reports and assessments of the needs of children in accordance with the degree of realization of their rights, by local government units. For the region of Tirana it is a Strategy for the period 2013-2016, which is not supported by budget and therefore is not implemented. Shkodra has developed a Regional Strategy for Children and Action Plan for the previous period 2011-2013. In Fier Regional Strategy for Children and a Regional Action Plan for the period 2013- 2015 is drafted but has not been published. Consequently this regional action plan is not implemented.
 In Elbasan region, the County Council drafts periodic reports and situational analysis about the needs and issues faced by children. These reports are shared with other local actors in local meetings and conferences, as well as public opinion through the media.
 In Korca, municipality of Korca, in cooperation with UNDP has developed an Action Plan for Roma and Egyptian communities, which will be adopted soon in the Municipal Council.

b. Relations situational analysis and annual reports of the situation of children’s rights designed for local governments.
Observatory for Children’s Rights has drafted situational relations on monitoring the implementation of children’s rights by different sectors, which are distributed by local actors. These have included Relations 2010- 2014 period and information for all local units that were added to the country’s 61 municipalities, according to the territorial reform.
 In Shkodra these situational relations are estimated by the local administrative units as a guide mechanism in policy more favorable for children.
 In Tirana, Kukes and Korca, the reaction of the local unit is connected with gratitude towards this information locally.
 In the district of Elbasan and Fier, sent relations have become part of the reference documentation and analysis of certain units at local government that deal with children.

c. Specific Programmes of local administrative units focused on realizing the rights of children, specifying and relevant achievements.
Local Administrative Unit, in the framework of the territorial reform, have an increased role and their competences, thereby covering a larger territory. This phenomenon should be accompanied by specific programs, which must cover a higher number of needs.
 In Shkodra, Kukes and Fier, there is no information related to specific programs focused on the realization of children’s rights. Actors have evolved different meetings involving children.
 In Elbasan district, there have been several programs at the local administrative units as Elbasan, Librazhd, Cërrik, supported by foreign partners and where local governments have been partners in their implementation
 In Korca they made several activities from Municipality of Korca and Pogradec, for children’s rights.

d. Budgets for the implementation of programs for children’s rights from local governments
Specific programs of local governments focused on the rights of children must be accompanied by the relevant budgets in order to apply.
 In Shkodra there is no budget specified that serves directly for children’s rights programs, but NJMF in local units are based on the handling of cases of children, as inclusion in economic schemes, disability and other services.
 In Tirana, local units can not afford to cover the programs of children’s rights and do not have the budget for children. CPUs are supported with budget and management of cases, they have sought the help of NGOs operating in the territory of the administrative unit. The exception is the municipality of Tirana, which is an example of financial decentralization, providing services in community centers type 4 multidisciplinary in that benefit children. These centers also offer social services besides educational programs for children and in one of them-the middle “Multidisciplinary” operates a day center for preschool children to prepare them for school. In addition the municipality in view of inclusive education has issued easing criteria for placing children in nurseries and kindergartens free. By these criteria benefit children from families with financial assistance, orphans, Roma children, children of women head of households and single mothers as well as those who come from families where the head is disabled. Offering scholarships for students with good results and who come from families that receive social assistance is an opportunity for children from municipalities with low incomes to pursue education. A model of providing scholarships follows Kavaja municipality. In the area of investment for this year Tirana municipality has put priority to reconstruction of a number of nurseries and kindergartens within its territory
 In Kukes and Fier region, municipalities have budget allocated specifically for children, but expenditures that go to children with disabilities or with various problems are planned.
 In Korca region, in its common activities with other local actors, has been accompanying budgets for programs focused on children’s rights. A move by the Municipality of Korca is’ participatory budgeting ” which for the fifth year in a row implemented in every neighborhood of the city.

e. Policies and specific measures to strengthen the communication and transparency of local children and stakeholders, implemented at regional level.
 The Tirana, in borough No.1 community meetings were held this unit- parents and children on issues of education in cooperation with several schools within the territory of the unit. Such meetings in this unit are projected to be in every school year.
 In Kukes during September 2015, MAS has conducted meetings with interest groups to launch an action plan for 2015-2020 education.
 In Elbasan, Elbasan Municipality has been several times in meetings with young people and students of 9-year-sized town where they discussed the issues of education. However, these meetings have been initiated by civil society actors, student’s governments. Discussions are focusing more on the obligations and commitments of the Municipality for schools and students, eg painting and arranging care, setting security cameras for children, etc.
 In Fier, meetings related to the commitments that will be undertaken and educational policies for children were held initiated by Fier Regional Education Directorate, in collaboration with civil society organizations.