Albania

The GALE Right to Education Monitor still has to be done in Albania.
Interested to become a reporter? Contact info @ lgbt-education.info.

Country page on ILGA website

Score on the GALE Checklist

Item	No policy	Encouraged	Supported	No data	Comment
1. Full access to schools?		x			There is no clear data from educational institutions or other independent bodies on this matter, especially regarding DESPOGI students. There is some data offered by the ANCH-ALO 116, Albanian National Child Helpline, and there is also a study in progress initiated by the Commissioner for Protection from Discrimination in Albania, who is looking at all forms of discrimination in elementary and high schools nation wide, including the DESPOGI students. Moreover, there are also the LGBT organisations in the country that maintain a record of situations in which there is clear problems with DESPOGI students, however the testimonials are sporadic and difficult to collect, because often students are not encouraged to talk about them.
2. Freedom of self expression?	x				no comments
3. Protection against bullying?		x			Again, the Albanain government has said to be a promoter of LGBT rights, but he measures is taking are very slow, and sometimes lacking. There is little access in the secondary education to asses what is the school doing for DESPOGI students and what can be done better. In the tertiary education there is no official help from the Universities in order to protects DESPOGI student from bullying/discrimination.
4. No drop-out?	x				From the data PINK Embassy/LGBT Pro Albania- an LGBT human rights organisation in the country, form the visitors at PINK Events it has been observed that DESPOGI student have a higher rate of drop outs that non-DESPOGI students. From what we know DESPOGI students do not have support from their families and no support from their institutions.
5. Equal performance?	x				On this matter there is really a lack of evidence because there is little discussion on the academic performance of DESPOGI students. Moreover, there is no study or project. The statistics of the state on excellency student usually offer only the gender and belonging to rural or urban area, no other characteristic of the student.
6. Is there public information?		x			As, i have stated before, it is encouraged to have public information about LGBT issues, such as campaigns and lectures at universities and so on. But there is no policy about. There have been initiatives from the state to have included 8. Is there supportive and relevant attention for DESPOGI students in general school resources? for example about personality development, relationships, safer sex, expression you identity and opinions?
7. Attention in school resources?	x				Even in sexual education, which from what we have got form our volunteers is very basics, sexual desire, orientation and a lot of intimation about human sexuality is lacking. What is more common is education about sexually transmitted diseases.
8. Resources for LGBT students?				x	There is a school psychologist accommodated in high schools, but they have no formal training or resources to deal with LGBT youth. One of the LGBT organisations is thinking or doing training with psychologist, however there are various difficulties to enter in this system.
9. Support services open to LGBT?				x	no comments
10. Peer-learning opportunities?				x	no comments
11. Is staff supportive?	x				no comments
12. Is staff competent to teach?	x				no comments
13. Is staff competent to support?	x				no comments
14. Supportive school environment?	x				no comments
15. Employment protection for staff?			x		The law against discrimination and the action plan of the Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities.

The score is 0% forbidden (denying), 67% discouraged or no policy (ambiguous), 33% encouraged or supportive (supportive). We score this country therefore as ambiguous.
This report is based on one respondent, who based the results on the Albania report on education 2012.

Relevant Conventions

Convention against Discrimination in Education	not signed	signed	ratified	succession
Convention on Technical and Vocational Education	not signed	signed	ratified	succession
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights	not signed	signed	ratified	succession
Convention on the Rights of the Child	not signed	signed	ratified	succession
Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women	not signed	signed	ratified	succession

Links to interesting articles

Unbiased voices of reason in Albania have no outlet, says US Ambassador (Interview with Mr. Alexander Arvizu, the Ambassador of USA in Albania. He answers questions of historia-ime.com regarding LGBT rights, women rights, childrens rights, freedom of media. March 2013)
Meeting about SOGI in Tirana (August 2011)

Members

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This page was last updated on 8 March 2013.