Project

“Act now for issuing human dignity, – Strengthening the local actors’ role and responsibility on preventing and curing domestic violation, which could result on early child marriage and/or prostitution”

Donor: Canada Fund for Local Initiatives

Duration: 1 January 2015- 15 March 2015

Observatory for Children’s Rights have implemented the project “Act now for issuing human dignity, – Strengthening the local actors’ role and responsibility on preventing and curing domestic violation, which could result on early child marriage and/or prostitution” over the period 1 January 2015- 15 March 2015, an initiative supported by the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives.

The Project goal was to develop a comprehensive and sustainable approach to implement the human and child’s rights for preventing domestic violence, early child ‘marriage’ and human trafficking, by ensure family and community sensitisation on the child and human rights protection with primary target Roma community.

 

Objectives:

  1. To make public awareness and information dissemination among Roma communities, about the damages and risks that face children in their early marriage engagements, violation behavior within their house, which could result tragically on human trafficking net.
  2. To identify and monitor the phenomena of domestic violence, early child marriage and human trafficking in areas of project implementation.
  3. To follow up this initiative with other needed actions and to build up a model of intervention that could replied in other settlements when Roma communities leave.

Some of the major activities that were realized:

  • Meetings and open forums are organized with Roma community leaders, mothers and young girls. These meetings and forums aimed in sharing knowledge and practices of adequate behavior and communication in respect of child and human rights.
  • Field observations that the Observatory for the Children’s Rights has done in the 3 pilot areas (Shkoza, Tufina and Liqeni areas) and which have Roma Community living in it.
  • Awareness raising information took kids are produce. Roma families and community members are informed and aware for the causes affected by phenomena of domestic violence, early child marriage and human trafficking.
  • A consultative meeting was conducted within the fulfillment of the purpose of the initiative, which is to strengthen the role and accountability of local actors in the prevention and treatment of domestic violence which may result in the development of the phenomenon of early ‘marriages’ and prostitution.
  • A study was designed and developed for identifying and analyzing early forced child marriage cases. This study brought in light many interested new findings and recommendations, issues that are shared already with Ministry of Social Welfare and Youth (MSWY) and Ministry of Education and Science (MES). Findings of this study by the beginning of March (2015), are shared also with EU and CoE delegation coming for monitoring progress of Albania regarding Roma issue in the country.

Aspects to be addressed / Recommendations

  • The need for clear specification of the Albanian legislation that child ‘marriage’ is punishable. Marriages of members of the Roma community at an early age is not accidental, is a cultural phenomenon.
  • Need to have a special focus on reducing the phenomenon of child ‘marriages’, from different state and non-state actors.
  • The need for awareness campaigns in the Roma community on the impact and effects of early ‘marriages’.
  • The need for information to Roma on family planning methods.
  • Establishment and functioning of the system of referral to early ‘marriages’. Child protection plan should reflect aspects of early ‘marriages’. The referral system is very important to address and find a solution.
  • Intensification of cooperation with the police.
  • Schools should reflect the recreation on the subjects.
  • Intensification of the awareness raising work with parents.
  • Improving social policies in defense of vulnerable groups.
  • Increased costs in terms of health promotion.
  • Inclusion of early ‘marriage’ at the Standards of Child Protection as a working technique with multidisciplinary teams to the local level.