In search of shelter Leaving Social care in Albania

The right to adequate housing is a right guaranteed in international law, a right recognized as being “of central importance for the enjoyment of all economic, social and cultural rights”. The denial of this right strikes particularly hard the most vulnerable members of society. Adults who have spent their childhood in institutional care in Albania are one such group.

This report is part of Amnesty International’s Demand Dignity campaign, which aims to end the human rights violations that drive and deepen global poverty.

Poverty is one of the main reasons for the placement of children in institutional care in Albania, and the state does little to help them escape poverty. The state’s failure to adequately protect their rights, and in particular to give young people leaving social care the support they need to make the transition to independent life has consequences that are all too predictable. Many achieve poor grades or drop out of school without acquiring the skills and qualifications that would enable them to live independently. As adults, they are likely to be homeless and to be at risk of extreme poverty and social exclusion.