Topic: 2024-Unpaid Care and Domestic Work
Country: Albania
Delegate Name: Stella Yakima
In Albania, the amount of women who suffer from domestic violence is well over half of the population, this information is stated by UN Women of Europe and Central Asia. This is encouraged by the culture in Albania as well as the community. Domestic violence is an issue in Albania that has been going on for so long that it is seen as permissible. This is the sad problem that many Albanian women and girls face. Most rural women work in the agriculture industry and are paid less than the average man for the same work. Not only that, but a lot of the work that women do gets no pay at all. Something that prevents women from working better jobs or wishing for better pay is their home life. As previously stated, domestic violence is an overwhelming problem that controls the lives of many women. Women who live in households that face violence typically have less of a say over their own life. This leads to lack of education and being unable to move forward and live a steady life but instead keeps them in an unsafe situation with little hope to get out.
Preceding communism in Albania, typical patriarchal roles for men and women were commonplace. Albania was under communist rule for multiple decades and due to this, culture and customs of men working and women staying home had to be ignored and instead, both women and men had to go to work. This has had both positive and negative effects on the balance between public and private sectors and domestic sectors for women but ultimately it seems women have reverted back to traditional gender norms. The Albanian economy also suffered tremendously due to the switch from democracy to socialism to communism then ultimately back to democracy. Not enough people are working which has negative effects on the economical flow.
Albania has been working with the United Nations along with the governments of other nations in the past in an effort to move forward and away from domestic violence, especially on the basis of gender. Albania has been encouraged to act upon this problem by applying laws that will protect women and girls from violence. This violence can include but is not limited to sexual harassment, abuse, and stalking. Albania has also been working to improve upon delivering and informing women of resources that can potentially help them as well as raise awareness for victim support. Another way Albania has been working to put an end to violence against women is to change the social and cultural norms that surround domestic violence towards women and putting in preventative measures to ensure women are safe in their own homes.
Domestic violence against women is an issue that Albania desperately needs to solve. A way that Albania would like to achieve is by spreading awareness to women via the media. Albania would also like to promote the rights that women have regarding work that is done within one’s house. Women should be paid for work that they do not only for the public or private sectors but also for taking care of their elders or keeping up with maintenance within the house. This way, more women will have jobs and be paid while still residing in the safety of their home. This will stimulate the economy and provide support for women who are struggling to gain economic independence. Continuing to work with other nations to work on laws and programmes that will benefit everyone, both female and male, is something that Albania would look favorably upon moving forward. These programs would focus on prevention and intervention and would contribute to the protection of women and girls in Albania vastly.
Works Cited
Alexander, Lynsey. “10 Facts about Girls’ Education in Albania.” The Borgen Project, 3 Mar. 2020, borgenproject.org/girls-education-in-albania/.
Elez Biberaj, and Peter R Prifti. “Albania | History, Geography, Customs, & Traditions.” Encyclopædia Britannica, 8 Mar. 2019, www.britannica.com/place/Albania.
“Healing and Independence: Albanian Women’s Path out of Domestic Abuse.” UN Women – Europe and Central Asia, 18 Nov. 2024, eca.unwomen.org/en/stories/news/2024/11/healing-and-independence-albanian-womens-path-out-of-domestic-abuse. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
Violence against Women and Girls in Albania.
“WOB al Program – Women on Boards Albania.” Wobal.org, 2024, wobal.org/wob-al-program/. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
