UPR Sexual Rights Database

National Report:
Para 41) Law "On legal aid", which entered into force on 1 June 2018, provide access to justice for individuals with economic difficulties including disadvantaged groups. The law defines conditions, procedures and rules on administration of legal aid guaranteed by the state, equal access to the justice system, professional legal aid, and state institutions responsible for administering legal aid. This law provides as beneficiaries of stateguaranteed legal aid regardless of their income and property, expressly victims of domestic violence, sexually abused victims and victims of trafficking in human beings, to other categories such as child victims and juveniles in conflict with the law, persons in social care, persons without legal capacity to act and victims of discriminatory behavior.
Para 42) Law No.22 / 2018 "On Social Housing", with regard of social housing programs provides for priority in terms of securing social housing victims of domestic violence, victims of trafficking and potential victims of trafficking.
Para 44) National Referral Mechanism (NRM) for cases of violence in family relations was established at the local level in 60 municipalities (out of the then total of 61 municipalities), as well employees for gender equality, with the role of local coordinators against domestic violence. Since 2016 are adopted standards of services for victims of domestic violence. There is need for a multidisciplinary, rapid and effective approach, for national and local government units' awareness on budgeting of gender priorities, applying for funding to provide social services for victims of domestic violence.
Para 45) The State Police has established a telephone service number 129 or 11 for all emergencies which operates 24 hours in 7 days. Since 2017, the Free Counselling Line 116- 117, is offering free of charge primary service of psycho-emotional support, counselling and assistance for the referral of violence, in a secure and confidential environment. National service counselling standards for victims of domestic violence were adopted.
Para 49) There are 6 non-public centers providing residential services (2 in Tirana, 1 in Berat, 1 in Korca, 1 in Elbasan, 1 in Vlora). In December 2018, was opened a Crisis Management Center for Victims of Sexual Violence “Lilium Center”, at the premises of the Tirana University Hospital Center "Mother Theresa". This Center provides 24/7 integrated services to victims of sexual violence by a multidisciplinary team. Standards of this Center were approved by Instruction of the Minister of Health and Social Protection in November 2018.
Para 78) The provision of services to victims of domestic violence has been strengthened. The number of children accommodated annually is relatively consistent, from 38–59 cases per year. A tailored integration service plan is developed for each child that includes their enrolment and monitoring of school attendance. Various awareness-raising and entertainment activities are carried out aiming to develop their social and cognitive skills. Specialist social workers and psychologists at the centre support the mothers to become part of the employment and housing schemes offered by the local government or non-profit organisations, in order to improve their financial situation. Other services available to victims, provided by public and private centres include, housing and psycho-social support, referral for medical care, legal aid, professional training courses, and employment mediation.

UN Compilation:
Para 30) … CEDAW was concerned about the prevalence of gender-based violence, the low rate of reporting of cases of gender-based violence against women, the insufficient implementation of the national referral mechanism, the insufficient number of shelters for victims of gender-based violence and the restrictive criteria for admission to those shelters, and the frequent failure to enforce protection orders and emergency protection orders. The country team made similar observations and highlighted that women from disadvantaged groups faced additional barriers to accessing services.

Stakeholder Summary:
Para 27) … Both, JS5 and JS2 reported that the Law “On Free Legal Aid provided by the State” 111/2017, which provided the right for victims of domestic violence to obtain legal assistance, had not been fully implemented.
Para 29) According to JS5, victims of sexual violence received little protection and few services as the country did not have rape crisis centers or sexual violence referral centers. Victims also faced problems accessing short-term housing with the number of shelters in the country and their capacity being insufficient.

National Report:
Para 25) The United Nations country team noted that, according to national analytical studies and surveys, sex-selective abortions were still being performed in both private and public clinics without any serious legal or procedural barriers.