Water Supply and Environmental Lake Protection Shkodra - CH

Swiss Cooperation Office Albania
Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)
SUPPORT TO ROMA SOCIAL INCLUSION IN ALBANIA
Domain
Democratisation and Decentralisation
Subdomain
Social Inclusion
Duration
26 August 2012 – 31 August 2016
Budget
CHF 3’000’000.-
Location
Nation-wide
Partners
• UNICEF
• Ministry of Labor, Finance and Interior
• State Social Services
• Roma NGOs and other civil society rep
• Regional and local government
Beneficiaries
• Roma community
• Government of Albania
Donors
• Switzerland
Contacts
• Detlef Palm, dpalm@unicef.org
Representative UNICEF Albania
www.swiss-cooperation.admin.ch/albania
1. Context
• Albania is still in its transition period and its social
safety net has still to be strengthened so as
to address conditions perpetuating poverty and
vulnerability among marginalized communities.
The current social protection policy has only focused
on provision of economic aid and has not
yet included social care and other services designed
for more vulnerable groups such as Roma
and Egyptian communities. There has been
very little delivery of social care services and no
involvement of social workers in special services
such as those for disabled people, Roma, elderly,
children and women in need of special care
and protection.
• As recent migration patterns in Switzerland and
the EU indicate, there is a high risk for poverty
and exclusion regarding the Roma people, well
known as a special group in need. Without a
functional social protection system able to address
key causes of poverty, chances are that
inequity (and its related migration) will likely continue
to increase. Roma integration in Albania
has recently gained importance as one of the 12
priorities set by the EU before the country received
candidate status. In addition, the social
reform context in Albania is conducive for positive
change.
• For the social care system in Albania to become
effective there has to be an integration of laws,
regulations, policies, procedures, and institutions.
Whereas the legislation and national
strategy is in place there is a lack of reform implementation.
Switzerland is well-positioned and
very interested in supporting the social care reform
as part of its wider efforts in assisting Albania’s
integration agenda. Therefore, in partnership
with UNICEF, the Swiss Cooperation in
Albania has undertaken to support the Government
of Albania’ reform of the social services
system in order to increase the pace of the Roma
community’s social inclusion.
Swiss Cooperation Office
Rruga Ibrahim Rugova 3/1 Phone +355 42 240 102 www.swiss-cooperation.admin.ch
1019 Tirana, Albania Fax +355 42 234 889 tirana@eda.admin.ch

Swiss Cooperation Office Albania
Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)
2. Impact and Outcomes
• The main impact of this project will be a
functional and sustainable social services
system that benefits socially disadvantaged
populations including Roma.
It will build on the work and experience
made in the social sector by
UNICEF, where models for child protection
services and coordination at the local
level have been developed and
tested. The project will also build and
promote the expertise of and coordination
with other Swiss-funded interventions
that include Terre des hommes,
HEKS, the Roma Education Fund and
the Albanian NGO “Ndihmë për
Fëmijët”.
• The two main outcomes of the project
will be as follows:
• A national policy framework that is
used by local government units and
service providers to effectively fulfil
the social and economic rights of
the most marginalized populations.
• Situations of extreme marginalisation
in impoverished and minority
(Roma and Egyptian) communities
are effectively addressed by local
duty-bearers, bringing immediate
practical improvements in people’s
lives.
• Key outputs for this project include:
• Provision of building blocks of the
overall policy development for the
integrated social care service reform
(e.g. data supply, institutional
strengthening/training, public funding,
and monitoring/supervision
schemes).
3. Strategy and Activities
• All activities foreseen under this program will
target (but not exclusively) the Roma community
as most marginalized in Albania. Other
vulnerable groups and the whole population
will benefit from this systemic improvement
of social service provision. The existing
network of 1’300 Albanian State Social Services’
administrators will be an important
component of the future outreach system,
equipped with skills in social work and thus
enabled to better serve the population. A
Steering Committee will guide the project with
participation from the Swiss Cooperation,
UNICEF, the Ministry of Labour, Finance, Interior,
Education and other stakeholders.
• Priorities include:
• Residential care services are to be transferred
to local government units and
gradually switched to more effective and
efficient community based services
• An increase in the involvement of local
government and civil society in the planning
and delivery of social services
• The clarification of the accountability for
ensuring availability of services, especially
for the most disadvantaged and vulnerable
population groups
• The drafting, implementation, monitoring,
and improving of the standards of services
for all groups in need
• A focus on the social inclusion of Roma
populations, especially children in need.
• Conversion of these provisions and
norms into practical and need
based arrangements by regional
and municipal governing bodies.
Swiss Cooperation Office
Rruga Ibrahim Rugova 3/1 Phone +355 42 240 102 www.swiss-cooperation.admin.ch
1019 Tirana, Albania Fax +355 42 234 889 tirana@eda.admin.ch