Child Protection and Justice

By 2031, the child protection and justice system is strengthened, with decision-makers and frontline professionals equipped to strengthen the policy and legal framework and provide integrated, child-friendly services that effectively protect children from violence and other protection risks.  

UNICEF will drive systemic reform of Albania’s child protection system through coordinated technical assistance, high-level advocacy, and strategic partnerships. We will strengthen and harmonize the legal and regulatory framework in line with international standards and implement cross-sectoral case management across health, education, social protection, interior, and justice sectors to ensure timely identification and response for children at risk. With institutional care still prevalent, transitioning to family-based alternatives represents a crucial reform priority for Albania's childcare and protection system. 

UNICEF will design and institutionalize a National Parenting Program and, in partnership with municipalities and the private sector, implement a nationwide Social and Behavior Change strategy to promote positive discipline, foster care, and uptake of the new alternative care legal framework.

UNICEF will support systemic reform of Albania’s child justice system to address fragmented legislation, weak coordination, and limited child-sensitive practice. Through strategic advocacy and technical support for the Ministry of Justice, line ministries, justice governance bodies, and Parliament, UNICEF will promote legal reforms aligned with the Convention on the Rights of the Child, CEDAW, and EU commitments, thereby strengthening children’s protection and access to justice. We will expand one-stop services and support the adoption and financing of services for children in conflict with the law. UNICEF will also strengthen evidence-based implementation by improving child-disaggregated data, enhancing interoperability of the Justice for Children (J4C) system, and institutionalizing best-interest-of-the-child guidelines nationwide.

A shared commitment is needed to:

1. Strengthen social care and child protection services in Albania: Despite the anticipated gradual increase in budgets by the central and local governments, UNICEF's technical support will focus on the large-scale application of models developed in selected municipalities. These models will be expanded to include a new typology of services and to strengthen the workforce. Given EU integration requirements and benchmarks, implementing the EU Child Guarantee will be a priority for the country. This will require financial support from the Government and the EU, as well as UNICEF mobilizing additional funds.
2. Strengthening the municipal capacity to apply for and implement EU-funded projects related to children's rights and their protection will require further development to reach competitive levels with municipalities in EU countries. While UNICEF will continue to support through the EU4SC Programme, we can further support this journey once funds are successfully mobilized.
3. Strengthening systems to respond to violence, trafficking, abuse, and exploitation of children will be an important component of Chapters 23 and 24 of EU integration and is projected to be reflected in urgent recommendations by the CRC. UNICEF advocacy and technical assistance will be most effective only when coupled with financial assistance.
4. Justice System Reform, a key condition for EU integration.

The right to justice, which enables every other right of the child, will require further investment to be meaningfully ensured by the Albanian justice system. The time for support is now!