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THE
PROGRAM
STOP
CHILD LABOUR AND TRAFFICKING IN ALBANIA
CRCA - Children's Human Rights
Centre of Albania is one of the leading organisations, that works
against such phenomena, as child labour and trafficking in Albania
since 1999.
Child labour and trafficking have
come to existence in Albania only after the 90's. The change of
the political systems was accompanied by the creation of a favourable
landscape for these negative phenomena to grow in size. Unemployment
and poverty, which was spread in more than 60% of the population,
had an unpredictable impact on children. The lack of an adequate
legislation and not appropriate policies, occurred at the same time
with the fall of the social defence system, the weakening of education
and child caring values. The beginning of the 90's found the children
with an almost destroyed system of economic and social defence.
Therefore, children were transformed into labour force and their
vulnerability, made them obliged to work against their free will,
or forced them to become victims of child trafficking. This grave
situation made CRCA become more sensitive in the war against such
negative phenomena of the Albanian society.
Main forms of Child Labour in
Albania
CRCA believes that more than 50
thousand children are forced to work in Albania. In this work, are
included, both part time (seasonal) and full time employment. The
main forms of child labour that we can mention are: service industry
(selling in the streets and stores), begging, tourist industry (waitress,
cleaner), construction industry, textile industry, fishing industry,
in agriculture and family work (babysitting younger children, cleaning
and cooking), and also the worst forms of child labour.
The worst forms of Child Labour
One of the most flagrant violations
of children's rights in Albania is also, their involvement in the
worst forms of child labour. This work, which is directly linked
to the sexual exploitation of children, is one of the most destructing
and harmful forms of these children's future. The main forms that
we can mention are: sexual tourism, pornography, prostitution, and
also child trafficking used for the purpose of economic and sexual
exploitation.
What has CRCA done in the war
against Child Labour and Trafficking in Albania?
Since 2001, CRCA has created a
special program dedicated to all the children involved in Child
Labour and its worst forms. The program "STOP CHILD LABOUR
AND TRAFFICKING IN ALBANIA" is financed by some important donors
like ILO - IPEC, OPIC, DCI and ECPAT Netherlands. This program's
main aim is:
" To offer successful service
models for rehabilitation and reintegration of children (and children's
families), that work, or are in danger of working in the five Children's
Clubs. Children's Clubs are psychosocial centres that offer services
for those children that work, are in danger of working and their
families. During the whole year, the children are assisted through
informal education and educative and cultural activities, in order
to make possible their return in school during the next year. For
this reason, we are working really close with the local authorities
like the City Halls, Educational Authority, and Social Service Administration
in order to make possible the children's rehabilitation and reintegration
in the formal system of education. Children's Clubs are found in
Tirana (2 clubs), Korçë, Shkodër dhe Kuçovë.
" The amelioration of policies
and legislation in the field of Child Labour and Trafficking. CRCA
has been one of the main fosters and contributors in the preparation
of the National Strategy for Children (2000-2005 and 2005-2015),
where it has insisted upon the improvement of the policies in the
services offered to the children victimized by the economic and
sexual exploitation. Because of this, we are working in partnership
with the Parliament, Prime Ministry, Ministry of Labour and Social
Affairs, and also the civil society in Albania.
" "Stop Children Labour
in Albania" Campaign's main objective is to make aware the
Government and its institutions, the parents of the children that
work, the public opinion and the civil society, to take measures
against the Child Labour in Albania. Every year, CRCA organizes
awareness campaigns in whole of Albania through awareness debates,
meetings with the local authorities, and poster and leaflet distribution.
The children are active actors in these campaigns and play an important
role in the awareness of the adults about their problems.
" The strengthening of Institutional
and Professional Capacities of the high representatives of the government,
on the central and local level, and also NPO that work with/for
children. In its program CRCA has organised workshops, awareness
seminars and trainings about Child Labour with representatives of
the central and local levels and NPO's that work for children in
Albania.
CRCA's work against Child Trafficking
Children's Human Rights Centre in
Albania - CRCA has always considered the issue of Child Trafficking
in Albania, as one of its main concerns. Among the different initiatives
that CRCA has encouraged or taken part in we can mention:
" Summarizing Report on Child
Trafficking in Albania: "Child Trafficking in Albania"
" Amelioration of state policies against human beings' trafficking
and especially child labour in Albania. In order to achieve this,
CRCA, has taken part in an active manner, in the composing of the
National Strategy against Human Beings' Trafficking in Albania and
National Strategy against Child Trafficking in Albania.
" The strengthening of the Institutional Capacities through
the organisation of training courses for high representatives of
central and local Government, and also for NPO's that work for those
children victimized by trafficking.
" The organization during 2005, of the European Workshop (East
- West) with the collaboration of DCI - ECPAT Netherlands, about
the issue of Child Trafficking for sexual exploitation purposes
in Europe.
Global Awareness Campaigns
CRCA is a member of the "Education
for All" Global Campaign. Every year, CRCA, organizes a number
of awareness activities on the importance of education in Albania.
This year the campaign was organised under the motto: " Educate,
in order to end poverty ". World Vision, Albanian Children's
Alliance and CISP, in partnership with each other, organized awareness
activities in whole Albania. During the campaign, a number of activities
were organized like: "Send your friend to school". Another
important activity was when, every child present sent a letter to
the President, Prime Minister and to the members of the parliament,
to put much more effort on the issue of sending children to schools.
These messages were presented to the President of Albania, in a
meeting between him and a group of children from Children's Clubs
of CRCA, on 1 June 2005.
Girls Education
Children's Human Rights Centre in
Albania - CRCA has always considered the issue of Girls Education
as a very sensitive problem and of a special importance. During
2004, CRCA organized a National Workshop for Girls Education, where
high representatives of the Government, civil society, local authorities,
the Parliament and among them Ms. Valentina Leskaj, chairwoman of
the Parliamentary Commission for Social Affairs, took place.
CRCA in collaboration with the Information
and Search Centre for Children's Rights in Albania - CRCA, organized
during 2004 the Global Campaign "Say yes to Girls' Education".
This campaign was organized in some Albanian cities like: Shkoder,
Kuçove, Korçe and Tirane
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