OSCE Presence encourages approval of Albanian draft law on gender equality
TIRANA, 7 March 2008 - The Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania, Ambassador Robert Bosch, said today he was hopeful that the draft law on Gender Equality in Society, recently submitted to the Albanian Assembly for review, will be approved shortly.
"This draft law contains many innovative features such as the appointment of Gender Equality Focal Points at all levels of the administration, as well as the introduction of quotas in decision-making bodies," he said. The statement was made on the occasion of the International Women's Day, marked on 8 March.
"I am also particularly pleased to be able to say that these new changes are the result of over two years of close co-operation between the Directorate of Equal Opportunities of the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, UNDP, UNFPA, UNIFEM and the OSCE Presence."
Ambassador Bosch said that during the current electoral reform process, it was important to raise awareness among decision-makers over the need for special measures to be introduced that would promote and protect women's participation in elections.
Recalling that the Presence, together with UNIFEM and the Council of Europe, recently supported project activities to assist women's participation in election processes, he encouraged all parliamentarians to do their best to provide women with the sufficient safeguards to enable their long-term participation in politics and public life.
The OSCE Presence stands ready, jointly with its national and international partners, to provide further technical assistance in the drafting of secondary legislation to allow for the full implementation of the law on Gender Equality in Society.