This fact sheet provides a snapshot of Albania's economy, covering key economic indicators, trade, poverty, and the labor market. In addition, it presents a development diamond that maps poverty, labor market segmentation, trade, and wage rate trends over a 10-year period.

This manual outlines the specifics of an Albanian law to help victims of domestic violence -- introduced into Parliament by a citizen's petition in January 2006 -- and outlines the law's interconnection with existing law. As well, the manual presents detailed information about implementing the law effectively and provides specific forms and detailed procedures. This outline of law and procedure is intended to give judges a useful tool for implementing the law.

In 2006, independent consultant Dianne Post assisted Albanian policy makers in their efforts to implement Albania's new law against domestic violence. In this report, Ms. Post summarizes her activities and provides recommendations for further action by Albanian authorities.

This document describes the specific procedures for health care providers outlined in the Albanian "On Measures Against Violence in Family Relations" law. It summarizes the results of a study that found that improved health services for domestic violence victims and better education of health care providers was needed. The document then lists the essential elements of a proper domestic violence screening and provides the text of applicable Albanian laws, covering reporting and confidentiality requirements, criminal reports from medical personnel, and expert witness testimony.

This document describes the specific procedures for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) outlined in the Albanian "On Measures Against Violence in Family Relations" law. It covers the role of NGOs in protecting the domestic violence victim and in implementing a protection order. In addition, it suggests questions to assist NGO staff in getting necessary information and provides a list of the relevant laws that deal with reporting a crime and serving as an expert witness.

This document describes the specific procedures for police outlined in the Albanian "On Measures Against Violence in Family Relations" law. It covers communications procedures for emergency call operators; procedures for police officers responding to and investigating domestic violence cases, assisting with protection orders, and writing incident reports; and special considerations for police officers in their roles as protectors of victims and enforcers of protection orders. The document also lists the articles of the criminal code and the criminal procedure code that police should consider in domestic violence cases.

This document describes the specific procedures for social service providers outlined in the Albanian "On Measures Against Violence in Family Relations" law. It covers the obligations of the local government social services units and the role that social service providers play in protecting victims and implementing protection orders. After summarizing the results of a study that found that improved health services for domestic violence victims and better education of health care providers was needed, the document lists the essential elements of a proper domestic violence screening. Lastly, it provides the text of applicable Albanian laws, covering professional confidentiality and expert testimony.

This report outlines four best practices recommended by the Women’s Legal Rights Initiative (WLR) legal specialists for the design and implementation of a women’s legal rights initiative. The recommended practices are illustrated with examples from organizations in the WLR focus countries and regions: Guatemala, Albania and Southern Africa. Using a variety of methods, each of these organizations has successfully implemented an element of one of the four best practices presented.

This annual report of the Women's Legal Rights Initiative (WLR) discusses best practices and reviews lessons learned, approaches, and activities that offer ideas about what works best in a given situation -- or how not to do something. This third annual report takes a broader perspective on best practices and lessons learned than previous reports did. It still focuses on WLR country program activities but considers the process used for developing the activity within each of the project's intermediate results, the need for and benefit of sound monitoring and evaluation plans, including indicators and data collection, and strategies for project management.

The Women's Legal Rights Initiative produced and published this manual in furtherance of its mission to develop and conduct educational programs for members of the Albanian judiciary. The manual is designed to assist the Albanian judiciary in the implementation of new legislation on trafficking in persons. It includes commentaries on the law, community resources available to victims and witnesses, checklists and forms for case management, and a discussion of special issues related to trial proceedings, evidence admission, and testimony of experts.

This evaluation, requested by USAID/Albania to help it develop its multi-year country strategy on anti-trafficking, focuses on two anti-trafficking projects that commenced in 2003 and closed in 2006: (1) The Albanian Initiative - Coordinated Action Against Human Trafficking and (2) Transnational Action against Child Trafficking. The evaluation found that the programs' main impacts were (i) the infusion of funds and attention to anti-trafficking efforts, (ii) the focus on government involvement in anti-trafficking work at the national and local level, (iii) strengthened civil society on anti-trafficking and associated issues, and (iv) a highlighted importance of monitoring and evaluation on program work.

USAID commissioned an assessment of trafficking in persons prevention activities in the Europe and Eurasia region in order to develop a framework for trafficking prevention programs in the future. This report analyzes information gleaned from a review of existing documentation -- project reports, evaluations, research, and the like -- as well as information gathered during brief assessment missions to three countries of the region: Romania, Russia, and Ukraine. Although the study was limited by the information and time available, it found significant changes as a result of several years of counter-trafficking prevention programming in parts of Europe and Eurasia.

This manual is intended as a resource for law enforcement, the prosecution, health care and social service providers, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the judiciary to begin the process of improving Albania’s response to victims of domestic violence. A blueprint for coordinated action and the outline for necessary secondary legislation, the manual includes the protocols for the law enforcement, prosecution, health, social service, and NGO sectors, as well as draft law.

This draft of the "On Measures Against Violence in Family Relations" law was introduced to the Albanian Parliament in January 2006. Annotations and suggested changes were written by consultant Dianne Post in July 2006. The purpose of this law is: 1. To prevent and reduce domestic violence in all its forms by appropriate legal means, 2. To guarantee legal protection to members of the family who are subjects of domestic violence, paying particular attention to needs of children, the elderly, and the disabled.

This final report details the "Public Awareness Raising Campaign on the Existence and the Importance of Using [the] CEDAW Convention in Albania" project, the main goal of which was to disseminate information on CEDAW (the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women) and the extent to which the country had met its obligation under the convention. The report describes the project's goals and objectives, how project activities were implemented, how implementation problems were addressed, and what results were achieved.

This document describes the specific procedures for prosecutors outlined in the Albanian "On Measures Against Violence in Family Relations" law. It describes the special role prosecutors play in protecting victims and enforcing protection orders and provides information on special issues that prosecutors should consider when working on domestic violence cases. In addition, the document lists the articles of the criminal code and the criminal procedure code that prosecutors should consider in domestic violence cases.

This is the final report of the Women's Legal Rights Initiative (WLR). The WLR worked to advance the legal, civil, property, and human rights of women in 10 developing countries:  Albania, Benin, Guatemala, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, and Swaziland.  It was implemented from 2002 to 2007 by Chemonics International in partnership with the Centre for Development and Population Activities (CEDPA), MetaMetrics, Inc., and Partners of the Americas.

To begin the process of designing activities for USAID/Albania to implement with the Women's Legal Rights Initiative (WLR), a two-week assessment and analysis trip to Albania was conducted from June 29 to July 11, 2003. The WLR team found that while there have been recent improvements in the legal framework to support women’s legal rights, deficiencies remain, including the lack of a domestic violence law, lack of compliance with international norms for women’s rights, and weak judicial enforcement of laws. The WLR team identified a number of emerging areas for cooperation and assistance that included anti-trafficking, domestic violence, and family law issues.