Workshop on Law for Protection from Discrimination and Plan of Measures 2015-2020 is held with success

23 April 2015 – PINK Embassy / LGBT Pro Albania, Commissioner for Protection from Discrimination and the Ministry of Social Welfare and Youth co-hosted the workshop “5 years law for protection from discrimination and plan of measures 2015-2017”.

Organized with the support of the Canadian Fund for Local Initiatives in the framework of the initiative “Improving the performance of public administration in protecting LGBTI rights” the event was attended by representatives of the organizing institutions, officials, specialists and experts from the Ministry of Education and Sport, Health, Justice, General Directorate of the Police, Directorate of the Police, Tirana District, Public Health Institute, Regional Health Authority Tirana, People’s Advocate, Commissioner for the Right of Information, UNICEF, UNFPA, European Union Delegation, Embassies of the USA, Netherlands and France, Council of Europe, CRCA, ACCE, Tirana Observatory etc.

The workshop was organized into two parts: In the first one the law for protection from discrimination was assessed. The Commissioner for Protection from Discrimination, Mrs. Irma Baraku, in her speech evaluated that breaking the mentality on the law itself was the first obstacle. The second challenge was making people understand the importance and value of this law. This was relevant not only for the general public but even officials, politicians and people of the law. Mrs. Baraku said that most cases recorded in these 5 years were those of discriminatory and hate speech from people with high influence in politics and public opinions and who often have used LGBT issues as a tool to empower their own agendas. She also put emphasis on the low number of cases reported by the LGBTI community and thanked LGBTI organizations for working on this cause, raising awareness and bringing in many complaints.

The first part continued with two presentations from the office of the CPD. Mrs. Eneida Shyti, legal expert presented two case studies from the LGBT community to the CPD. Mrs. Amarda Coku also expert at the CPD, presented awareness raising activities on the LPD. These two presentations served to better understand the cases of discrimination and hate speech and evidenced the mission of the LPD to eliminate hate speech and incitement to hatred towards LGBTI people, as well as promote a refraining from degrading declarations or comments against LGBTI people.

The second part was organized together with the Ministry of Social Welfare and Youth to collect recommendations and suggestions of experts from different Ministries and institutions in drafting a realistic plan which will have positive results in the fights against discrimination. In her speech Mrs. Ilda Bozo, Director of Social Inclusion at the MSWY said that: “the fight against discrimination and designing policies that improve access to services can be achieved only if all institutions can join forces”. Also she said that “this meeting is the first which will pave the way for a process that will last six months and will be finalised with a CMD. Compared to the previous plan (2012-2014) this will be a more consolidated one”.

After experts from different ministries, directorates and institutions gave recommendations on key issues related to LGBTI people: legislation, security and protection from violence, social services and employment, education and health.

This workshop will be followed on April 29^th by a training/workshop organized by PINK Embassy with the participation of activists and human rights experts from different organizations and groups, who will be able to give their inputs and recommendations on the above fields.

In the end PINK Embassy will produce a document with recommendation and outcomes of these trainings and which will be handed to the MSWY in the framework of its preparatory work.

PINK Embassy wishes to thank all officials, experts and activists who have followed these events and it is also thanks to them that we will produce a solid and realistic document of recommendations for the upcoming plan of measures.