Legal protection for transgender and bisexual persons

PINK: Silence and non-reaction of Albanian lawmakers violates the rights of LGBTI people!

Tirana, March 31, 2021 - International Day of Transgender Visibility, brings to attention once again the necessary need for legal changes to be made to improve the situation of LGBTI persons. Albania has long signed and ratified a series of International Conventions, which deal with the protection and respect of human rights in general, but also the rights of LGBTI persons. Also, our country has drafted its national legislation in line with these Conventions, but despite the efforts of our country, unfortunately the reality shows that International Conventions or National Legislation are not always implemented.

Although the National Action Plan for LGBTI People in Albania 2016-2020, as a document drafted by the Albanian Government under the coordination of the Ministry of Health and Social Protection. provided that all laws for their protection had already been adopted, again this did not happen. Meanwhile, no minister or MP has taken legislative initiatives to propose them to the Assembly. Also, the legal proposals that the PINK Embassy has addressed to these institutions have never been accepted.

Exactly in the framework of the International Day of Transgender Visibility, the Embassy PINK Albania has decided to hold a consultation roundtable, regarding the legal changes to improve the situation of LGBTI persons. The existing draft Law on Recognition of Gender Identity needs professional review, and this requires extensive cooperation of all its actors. In this context, the experts of the legal office have worked on the review of this draft.

The PINK Embassy requested that through this consultation roundtable a working group be established, which will focus on several areas for the improvement of the draft law. These areas will be:

1. Improving the legislation for intersex persons in Albania

2. Drafting legal changes for the recognition of marriage and civil cohabitation in the same sex;

3. Preparation of a map of laws that need intervention because they do not comply with or contradict the law on protection against discrimination and the principle of protection against discrimination.

The legal changes working group will create a working platform and will be a strong voice for every LGBTI person in Albania in the realization of all legal changes for equality and living with their dignity.

The LGBTI community in Albania needs a wider cooperation with civil society organizations focusing on human rights, international organizations, Embassies, Development Agencies, representatives of the Council of Europe, etc., to support the steps for legal changes in the country.