In Albania, the "GjejZa" application is becoming an increasingly powerful tool in efforts to curb violence against women and girls.
The three Albanian high school students, members of the D3Coders group, and creators of the application are constantly improving it, to send it as easily as possible to as many women and girls in the villages and in the cities.
The "FindZa" application was created 20 months ago to help women denounce gender-based violence.
Violence against women and girls is one of the biggest problems of Albanian society.
The number of reports of violence is constantly increasing also thanks to the convenience of digital technology.
Jonada Shukarasi says that the 3 friends from the beginning were "very clear that their skills in technology should be used to help the community in one of the biggest difficulties they face every day, and immediately chose the topic of violence against women."
The girls quickly realized that the need of the community for this application was very great, that it was possible through the facilities of technology in order to help a very large number of women and girls who have been raped in it the whole territory of Albania.
Dea Rozhani says that in addition to a large number of downloads from the Internet, the application also provides invisible assistance many times greater, which can be seen in calls to the police and civil authorities of the country as well as to social protection centers.".
The team with three girls from Albania won first place in the competition of the organization "Technovation Challenge" in San Francisco, California in August 2019 for helping the community through technology.
It was the first time that a team from Albania reached so high, to go to the finals and take first place.
While behind the application of three talented girls began to seek solutions and raise their voices hundreds of raped women and girls.
"Many women and girls were not aware that they were under the pressure of violence, so they had to be brought out of coexistence with violence, they had to be talked about human rights and a dignified life while denouncing phone calls is the last act of a long awareness process." - says Arla Hoxha, another member of the D3Coders group.
The GjejZa app has a series of numbers that they can call when they are raped as well as tips to get out of difficult situations.
"Findza" creative high school students are supported in their activity by the American Corner in Tirana, a platform of the American Embassy, with branches in the capital, Vlora and Kukës, where groups of young people are being supported to create applications to help the community " - says Matilda Vangjeli, an employee of the US Embassy in Albania.
Sociologists say the true extent of violence against women is not yet known because many of them have a part in life and for years hide it for fear of either protecting children or avoiding divorce, but this escalates the violence.