JUSTICE FOR SEXUAL CRIMES AGAINST GIRLS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN ALBANIA!

FACTS

• 120 women and girls killed in Albania in recent years;
• Albania ranks among the top countries in Europe for the killings of girls and women;
• 88.8% of women and girls in Albania are victims of violence;
• 64.6% of them have experienced domestic or partner violence;
• About 8,000 women and girls report incidents of violence in a year;
• 90 percent of all sexual crimes against children are committed against girls;
• In the last 3 years, 365 children have been gone missing, 258 of them girls;
• 70% of child girls are persecuted by hate speech online.

Chronicles of murders and violence against women and girls have become almost daily news in Albania. Just a few days back, two women were brutally killed by their husbands. Just 3 weeks ago a father, in of his children raped and killed his wife. Just a week ago, 3 other women were raped by their husbands in Kuçove, Tirana, and in the village of Gurr i Vogel.

Data from the National Institute of Statistics (INSTAT) show that in 2018, 2.3 victims were recorded for every 100,000 inhabitants of the country, marking an increase of 15 percent compared to the previous year.

Albania ranks among the 1^st countries in Europe for the violence

and killings of girls and women.

According to UNODC Global Study on Gender-Related Homicide for Women and Girls Report, Albania ranks among the countries with the highest homicide rate, with 0.7 homicides per 100,000 women, compared to European Union countries.

It is now over three weeks that media are continuously reporting on sexual abuse and exploitation of underage girls by their teachers in public schools! Sexual violence against girls is gender-based violence, but the Government of Albania has chosen to remain silent! This is a gross violation of children's rights.

The CRCA/ECPAT Albania study "Sexual abuse against Children and Women in Albania" published in late 2019, showed that only 42% of sexual crimes are convicted by justice system in Albania, one of the lowest rates in Europe!

CRIMES AGAINST GIRLS CAN'T GO UNPUNISHED! THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY!

Together with our partner organizations, we will continue to protest to demand justice for all girls’ victims of sexual violence and exploitation in all government settings! Violence in a state setting constitutes institutional violence, punishable by the international law! When that happens, the primary responsibility falls on the Government and the public officials!

This 6 March 2020, CRCA/ECPAT Albania organized the following 4th Peaceful Protest March, under the motto:

WE ASK JUSTICE FOR GIRLS VICTIMS OF SEXUAL CRIMES

IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS!

The participation of civil society demonstrated our strength and determination to achieve the protection of the rights of women and girls in Albania, of those who suffer but have no power to speak, of those who are raped but do not have the courage to tell, those who are killed, but they cannot protect themselves!

Silence kills!