Gender Responsive Governance

End Violence Against Women and Children

Albania strengthened its response to VAW and Violence Against Children (VAC) in 2025, advancing legal reforms, expanding survivor services and reinforcing prevention and accountability mechanisms, though persistent underreporting and access gaps remain, particularly for marginalized groups. In this context, the UN JP Ending Violence Against Women Phase II (EVAW II), implemented jointly by UN Women, UNDP and UNFPA, continued to support progress towards achieving SDG 5.2 in Albania, strengthening the prevention, response and policy environment around VAW and contributing to key normative reforms.Legal and policy frameworks were advanced, with proposed amendments to the Criminal Code and the recently approved Law on the Prevention and Protection from Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence (January 2026) and approval of the Law on Family-Based Alternative Care, aligning national responses with EU and international standards.

Empowering newly elected municipal councilors in Shkodër and Malësi e Madhe, as UN Women provides training to strengthen their leadership and promote gender equality in local governance.

At the same time, implementation of ILO Convention 190 on violence and harassment in the workplace expanded to eight municipalities, promoting safer and more equitable working environments. Survivor-centred services were expanded nationwide. A total of 810 women survivors, including 198 rural women, 74 women with disabilities and 36 R&E women, received legal, psychological and socio-economic support. Access to specialized sexual violence services was strengthened through the establishment of the Lilium Centre in Vlora, the second such centre in Albania.

Ambassador of Sweden in Albania Niklas Ström and United Nations Resident Coordinator in Albania Ingrid Macdonald signing extension of EVAW Joint Programme

Institutional capacity and accountability were reinforced, with more than 520 professionals trained across Coordinated Referral Mechanisms (CRMs), health, police and social services. Perpetrator rehabilitation
was strengthened through counselling for 324 offenders across seven municipalities, capacity building of 166 professionals and awareness raising reaching more than 88,000 people.

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Addressing Gender Stereotypes and Harmful Norms and Practices

Despite its legal prohibition, child marriage remains a concern in Albania, particularly among R&E communities and in remote rural areas, driven by gender inequality, poverty and social exclusion. The year saw
continued efforts to challenge and transform harmful gender norms and discriminatory practices in the country.

‘No to early marriages’ a message though a youth-led theatrical performance created through collaboration between UNFPA Albania and the Youth Voice Network of Organizations, using art to raise awareness on violence, power and social change.

Legal and policy frameworks were strengthened through coordinated UN engagement and joint advocacy, crucial for approval of the Gender Equality Law in November 2025. Public consultations on the new Criminal Code draft reinforced provisions against child and forced marriage, sexual violence against children, gender-motivated hate crimes, and trafficking and exploitation of children.

Albanian artists and influencers joined the #Bodyright campaign, supporting UNFPA’s call for equal protection of our bodies and images in the digital space, just as in real life.

Community-led prevention and norm change were scaled up nationwide. Four regional forums engaged 150 institutional representatives from 15 municipalities, strengthening men’s and boys’ engagement on positive masculinities and gender equality. The Say No to Early Marriage campaign launched a year-long, multi-stakeholder effort and reached more than 100 community members and empowered 400 community changemakers using cultural advocacy, including a national theatre production Grua për Shpi, to shift social norms.

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Youth, schools and media were mobilized as drivers of change. The school-based programme Fatherhood Reinvented: Empowering Modern Dads engaged students in gender stereotypes together with digital safety
activities to increase awareness of technology-facilitated violence.

Self-defence and resilience programmes reached 667 students, while 46 teachers were trained and certified. The programme was accredited by Agjencia e Sigurimit të Cilësisë së Arsimit Parauniversitar (Agency of Quality Assurance for Pre-university Education) for national scale-up. During the 16 Days of Activism, school and community initiatives reached 300 students and more than 600 parents, teachers and community members, strengthening awareness on digital violence.

Media and digital advocacy amplified the impact and regional cooperation around gender stereotyping. A regional initiative engaged 100 media, academia and youth representatives, while 47 young journalists received hands-on training in ethical, AI-informed and gender-sensitive reporting. National digital campaigns on online violence reached more than 300,000 people, supported by influencers, creative content and 1,300 in-person participants, reinforcing zero tolerance for violence in digital spaces.

UN Albania increased awareness for women living in rural areas with targeted campaigns on property rights and violence prevention. In commemoration of the International Day of Rural Women, the UN and partners led targeted awareness-raising activities, including a dedicated video and a Rural Women’s Declaration advocating for stronger gender- responsive rural policies and increased access to property rights in rural areas, reaching approximately 116,500 people through social media.

Together, these efforts advanced the prevention of child marriage, dismantled harmful gender norms and strengthened youth and community leadership, laying the foundation for sustained progress towards gender
equality and social cohesion.

Gender-responsive Planning and Budgeting

Government institutions at central and local levels significantly strengthened their capacities to plan, budget, monitor, track expenditures and mobilize resources for gender equality and women’s empowerment, representing a substantial increase from the baseline of ten entities in 2022.

GRB remains a cornerstone of Albania’s public financial management reforms, with progress achieved in embedding gender considerations into fiscal planning and decision-making processes.
GRB is now integrated across national budgeting processes. For 2026, 11 line ministries and 31 central institutions applied GRB in at least one budget programme. Of 131 national budget programmes, 85 now incorporate gender objectives, indicators and outputs, contributing to an increase in the national budget allocation for gender equality to 9.9%.

Institutionalization of GRB was secured at the policy level, with gender dimensions formally integrated into the Public Finance Management Strategy, approved by the Council of Ministers, ensuring long-term sustainability within national governance systems.

More than 200 public officials from 11 ministries strengthened their capacities in gender analysis and integration within the Medium-Term Budget Programme, improving the use of gender-sensitive key performance indicators and coordination between the Ministry of Finance and line ministries. Targeted training further enhanced capacities of the MoF and MoHSW to apply Gender Impact Assessments in policy and budgeting.

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Leadership and Participation

Albania continued to make strong progress in promoting gender equality in 2025, consolidating achievements in GRB and strengthened legal and policy frameworks. The legal and policy framework was further aligned with EU acquis and international standards. The new Gender Equality Law promotes equal opportunities for all in work, education, health and public life. This milestone reform lays the foundation for substantive equality for women and girls across the country, strengthening the family, communities and society at large.

Albania’s PR to the UN, Ms Suela Janina, presenting Albania’s progress in gender equality and women empowerment.

Institutional capacities for gender mainstreaming were strengthened at the central level, with 49 central government officials (43 women) enhancing their skills in gender-responsive policy design across key sectors, including agriculture and rural development, ICT and digitalization, and DRR and climate change, improving the systematic application and monitoring of gender equality commitments.

Participants at Women’s Empowerment EXPO 2025 in Tirana.

Local gender-responsive governance advanced significantly, with 13 Local Gender Action Plans developed, costed and approved, while signatories to the European Charter for Equality between Women and Men
in Local Life increased from 18 to 25. Meanwhile, 272 local officials (199 women) strengthened capacities in gender-responsive planning and budgeting.

AT A GLANCE

$2,920,155

Resources Executed

810

WOMEN SURVIVORS were supported

600+

CHANGEMAKERS were empowered to lead local prevention initiatives

937

STUDENTS were reached through self-defense & resilience programmes

85 OF 131