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The Ministry of Defense presented on Tuesday a package of specific policies and procedures against sexual harassment and harassment in its administration and in the Armed Forces. The package is one of the few approved in Albanian institutions. Defense Minister Olta Xhaçka acknowledged at the meeting that while the number of girls and women in the Armed Forces' civilian and military personnel had increased, it has been present the "ugly" phenomenon, as she called the sexual harassment.
The package was presented in the presence of the Swedish Ambassador to Albania, Elsa Hastad, UNDP Representative in Tirana, Limya Eltayeb, as well as the Armed Forces team and some representatives of women's rights organizations on March 3. Practices against sexual harassment in the workplace have been developed by the Ministry of Defense and UNDP.
"Policies and procedures against sexual harassment and harassment in the workplace in the public administration contribute to a safe work environment," defense Minister Olta Xhaçkaka said in her speech, adding that the ugly phenomenon of sexual harassment is also present in the workplace ranks of the Armed Forces of the most developed and emancipated states, beyond Albania. The procedure is also drafted and supported by the UN in Albania and the Swedish Embassy in Tirana.
Concerns related to harassment or sexual harassment in the workplace have been identified in various studies conducted in public administration settings. The majority of girls and women interviewed in a 2018 Idra Research & Consulting survey in Albania said they were sexually and verbally harassed.
“Today, 18.2% of the civilian and military personnel in the Armed Forces are women and girls. This package is a must today,” the Minister of Defense added, saying it is a fundamental part of the institution's effort to create a force where women and girls can feel really good.
In order to make these facilities safer, the above-mentioned procedures will be implemented in close cooperation with UNDP, UN Women, and UNFPA organizations in Albania.
The Swedish ambassador said that "such procedures send a clear and powerful message to girls and boys who aspire to a future in the Armed Forces."
On the other hand, UNDP Permanent Representative for Albania, Eltayeb, commended the initiative as an important step in promoting gender equality and improving the working environment for women and girls who are often prone to various abuses.
“This event is organized as part of International Women's Day, a moment to reflect on the progress made, to celebrate the courageous acts undertaken by ordinary women who have played an extraordinary role in Albania's history and beyond, and to call for the advancement of gender equality and the empowerment of women," Eltayeb said during the conference.