Albania participated in the High-level event of 11 – 12 December 2023, which marked the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights remains relevant, still pointing the way forward after 75 years.
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Pledge submitted by Albania to the Human Rights 75 Secretariat
December 2023
Type of pledge: Single (by one state/actor)
PLEDGE NUMBER 1: Improving crime policies and better respect of Human Rights in the
Criminal Justice System
Albania commits to:
• Adapt the new Criminal Code in line with EU directives and others international
standards.
• Amend the Criminal Procedure Code aiming to guarantee the procedural legal rights
for persons accused or suspected in a criminal process and to deliver justice in full
alignment with EU acquis and the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human
Rights.
• Increasing free legal aid access through the opening new services centres and
improving the quality of the service.
• Enhance the respect of the fundamental rights for the detainees and convicted persons
in the penitentiary institutions.
Pledging entity: Ministry of Justice/Directorate of Codification and Harmonization of
Legislation/ Directorate of the free legal aid / General Directorate of Prisons of Albania
Expected deadline within which pledge will be realised: Dec 31, 2026
PLEDGE NUMBER 2: Enhance protection of the rights of persons with Disabilities.
Albania commits to:
• Ratify the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention “On the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities” aiming to recognize the competence of the Committee on the Rights of
Persons with Disabilities to receive and consider communications from or on behalf of
individuals or groups of individuals who claim to be victims of a violation of the
provisions of the Convention.
Pledging entity: Ministry of Health and Social Protection
Expected deadline within which pledge will be realised: Dec 31, 2027
PLEDGE NUMBER 3: Fight against corruption
The prevention and punishment of corruption is our priority. Albania commits to:
• Approve of the Cross Cutting Anticorruption Strategy (2024-2030)
• Ensure further alignment with the EU acquis and EU Standards on Anticorruption, by
amending/adopting: Law on Conflict of Interests; Law on lobbying; Law on political
party financing; ratification of the Convention on Combatting Bribe of Foreign Public
Officials in International Business Transactions; The Law on whistleblowing and whistle
blowers protection.
• Adopt sectoral risk assessment and risk mitigation plan of integrity and corruption in
sectors vulnerable to corruption.
• Sustain the Progress in Implementing GRECO Recommendations.
• Establish a solid track record of anticorruption.
Pledging entity: Ministry of Justice
Expected deadline within which pledge will be realised: Dec 31, 2027
PLEDGE NUMBER 4: Strengthening the Friendly Juvenile Justice System and Justice for Victims
Albania commits to:
• Fully-implement the Crosscutting Juvenile Justice Strategy 2022-2026 aiming to
strengthen access to the Friendly Juvenile Justice System for each child; improve
restorative justice programs; enhance monitoring mechanisms and institutional
structures guaranteeing friendly treatment, rehabilitation, and reintegration of
children in contact/in conflict with the law and promoting the use of alternative
sanctions.
• Adopt the Intersectoral Strategy for the Protection for Victims of Crime and the Action
Plan 2024-2030.
• Ensuring support, protection and a safe environment, in order for victims to report the
crimes.
• Improve access to justice, establish a compensation scheme and facilitate victims’
access to compensation, guarantee fair and appropriate compensation to them.
Pledging entity: Ministry of Justice/Directorate of Free Legal Aid/ Directorate of Codification
and Harmonization of Legislation/ Directorate of Policies and Strategies in the Field of Justice
Expected deadline within which pledge will be realised: Dec 31, 2030
PLEDGE NUMBER 5: Enhancing the participations of woman in the labour market and ensuring decent work for everyone.
Enhancing gender equality, empowerment of women and girls and ensuring decent work for
everyone are our key objectives. Albania commits to:
• Promote policies for training, flexible employment, and self-employment, as well as
proving assistance to increase women’s participation in the labour market.
• Build mechanisms to identify the needs of inactive women aiming to provide
training, employment opportunities as well as assessing the possibility of fiscal
incentives in specific economic sectors.
• Develop programs that increase women’s participation in the rural/ agricultural
labour market and provide information/ support for access to development funds.
• Review the Labour Code to better ensure the right of association, working
conditions, protection system for the unemployed and to improve the minimum
wage policy.
• Guarantee fair working conditions, safety, and health in the workplace by
strengthening the regular labour monitoring/inspections and promoting the
prevention policies.
Pledging entity: Ministry of Finance and Economy / State Labour and Social Services
Inspectorate / National Agency on Employment and Skills
Expected deadline within which pledge will be realised: Dec 31, 2030
