OSCE Presence in Albania contributes to better children rights protection

The OSCE Presence in Albania, in co-operation with the Municipality of Elbasan organized on 11 October 2011 the first of a series of ten training seminars on child protection.

The goal of the seminars is to promote and more effectively protect the rights of children at the local level. Teachers, psychologists, family doctors and police officers participating in these inter-disciplinary training events will familiarize themselves with the provisions of the new law On Protection of the Rights of the Child, and learn about the work of the Child Protection Units established at the local level.

“Child Protection Units being set up all over the country is a cornerstone in the area of child protection. We hope that they become a symbol of smooth co-operation and co-ordination between all these different groups involved in supporting, protecting and guiding children,” said Ambassador Eugen Wollfarth, the Head of the OSCE Presence. “These Units should become visible and strong to serve as a beacon for all children seeking advice, for families in need of support, for all those who concert their efforts to protect the children as one of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged groups of our society.”

The training seminars are part of wider activities of the Presence aimed at increasing the capacities of the Child Protection Units. This project is implemented with the support of the French Government, which has been assisting the implementation of projects in the area of child protection in Albania for many years.