Albania Child protection coalition is growing stronger and ready to take on challenges in 2009

15 Dec 2008 |

Tirana, Albania: “BKTF coalition has played a crucial role in the elaboration of the 2008-2010 National Strategy against Child Trafficking. This has been a major achievement of the organization in 2008”, said Rajmonda Bozo President of BKTF for last two years and Executive Director of TLAS (Tirana Free Legal Aid) in the occasion of the General Assembly meeting of BKTF, held on 16 December in Tirana. (…)

The publication of the “Situational Analysis on Child Trafficking” report is another highlight of BKTF’s work this past year. The report is an assessment of the current child trafficking situation in Albania and of the implementation of the National Strategy for the Fight against Child Trafficking and its Action Plan. “The presence of the Prime Minister of Albania, Mr. Sali Berisha, in the conference launching the report and his acknowledgment of the discrepancies between official figures of children victims of trafficking and those estimated by the civil society has been another success of our joint advocacy work” said Thierry Agagliate, Delegate of Terre des hommes in Albania. “The strength of BKTF lies on the work approach and depends on sharing of resources and working together without distinction, in a collective process, creating good synergies” emphasized Thierry Agagliate.

BKTF, the Albanian coalition “All Together against Child Trafficking”, is now made of 21 local and international NGOs fighting child trafficking, assisting and protecting vulnerable children. In the annual General Assembly, member organizations and the Advisory Board of BKTF discussed on the progress made by the coalition during 2008, drawback and possible field of improvements, as well as the operational plan for next year.

Main aim of BKTF for 2009 will be to continue monitoring and advocating for the implementation of the National Strategy against Child Trafficking. This strategy is an instrument for strengthening child protection mechanisms as it envisions strengthening child protection at local services, child protection at school and at family and community level and coordination of relevant stakeholders. The coalition will be strongly involved in drafting the alternative report to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), in Albania due to be examined by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in 2009.

The coalition continues to grow, with organizations such as Caritas Albania and Common Actions Against Poverty (CAAP – see the last news about CAAP here) joining in. These organizations’ activities will further strengthen the voice of BKTF.

The General Assembly elected a new president and new executive board. Enkeleda Lopari, Program director of ‘World Vision Albania’, is now the new President of the coalition. Mirela Dautaj, from the Albanian NGO ‘SHKEJ’ and Liliana Dango from the ‘National Center for Community Services’ were elected as the organization’s Secretary and Treasury respectively, and compose the Executive Board of the coalition. [VT]