#Youth4AirQuality in Albania 2023
Key achievements from the implementation of #Youth4AirQuality in Albania: 2023
Mobilization and Advocacy
UNICEF in Albania through its partnership with EDEN Centre created a youth network in nine municipalities across Albania: “Youth WatchDog” network for monitoring and implementation of environmental and air quality policies in local level. In the first phase of the programme 254 young people (61% girls and 39% boys) from five municipalities (Tirana, Shkodra, Berat, Elbasan, and Pogradec) were educated and engaged in the development of local position papers for improved air quality that were shared with the local municipal authorities.
The local position papers developed by youth were the building blocks of the development of a national position paper, so called The Youth Manifesto. The Youth Manifesto outlines the key demands from youth for different areas affecting air quality and climate change, such as deforestation, transport, energy efficiency, air quality monitoring etc. The Youth Manifesto was presented to the Ministry of Tourism and Environment in February 2023 and in May 2023, a representative group of nearly 30 youth engaged in a dialogue again with the Deputy Minister of Tourism and Environment to further push their demands from the youth manifesto.
Capacity building initiatives
The capacity building and mobilization of youth continued during May- June 2023 where 180 young people were educated and engaged from four more municipalities (Kurbin, Durres, Fier and Korçë).
Accountability and awareness raising
In the recent local elections in Albania (May 2023) youth targeted the candidate Mayors in their municipalities and used different digital channels to share youth demands with them by creating a good base for a continued collaboration with the elected Mayor during the project. This year, the project is targeting the following municipalities: Kurbin, Tirana, Durrës, Fier and Korçë.
Youth Act: UPSHIFT4Air Quality
In June 2023, UNICEF Albania directly engaged 50 young people to work on innovative solutions for air quality and environmental protection, out of which four innovative ideas were supported with seed-funding and mentorship for the implementation. All solutions contribute directly in engaging youth for air quality and design of products which contribute in creating more opportunities for clean air.
The four awarded ideas are from the following municipalities:
- Moss the Boss!,- Tirana Municipality;
- Green Aid Kids- Tirana Municipality;
- Air changemakers- Berat Municipality;
- Botanica- Shkodra, Korca and Tirana.
Air Quality curricula in the pre university education system
A project was initiated with ASCAP and the Ministry of Education and Sports focusing on:
- Adapting and enriching the curricula for Clean Air and Environment (CLEEN) for the upper primary education system with more specific focus on air quality and environmental aspects for a more adult group of young children (11- 14 years old); The joint work between UNICEF and the Agency for Assurance for Quality in Pre-University Education (ASCAP) has started for the design the curricula framework.
- Capacity building of teachers to use and implement the CLEEN methodology in the schools.
Key plans for the upcoming months: September- December 2023
- U-Report poll findings to be used to digital awareness raising on what youth want regarding air quality: https://westernbalkans.ureport.in/opinion/3543/
- Capacity building activity on Air Quality with nearly 70 youth from Tirana municipality.
- Start of the adaption of the Clean Air and Environment (CLEEN) curricula for upper primary school in partnership with ASCAP.
- Air Quality Advocacy Hub (November 3-5th) with youth representatives from 5 municipalities and Flash Mob to raise awareness on air quality.
- Design of local policy papers from youth addressing key issues affecting air quality in 5 municipalities.
- Design of youth action plans to act and advocate for implementation of legislation regarding air quality in municipal level.
