In an effort to prevent the alarming trend of violence against women in Albania, the Ombudsman and the United Nations have inaugurated a research center today, focusing on the murder of women.
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| Conference on violence against women in Albania |
Over the past 13 years, 159 Albanian women and girls have fallen victim to familial and partner violence, equating to an average of one gender-based murder every month. The ongoing violence against women and girls in Albania is raising concerns, with reports of abuse escalating despite strengthened laws.
The representative of the United Nations in Albania, Mikele Ribotta of UN Women, emphasizes that the figures of women killed by their spouses and partners are horrifying, echoing the situation in other countries. He asserts that these statistics serve as a glaring alarm, indicating that society is at risk, as it represents the most extreme form of violence against women. The loss of their lives constitutes a severe violation of their rights, safety, and integrity, VOA reports.
"When we gather more information, study the details of each murder source, as well as the legal proceedings for each case, and analyze the profiles of participants in these events, we can strengthen preventive mechanisms. This includes involving healthcare professionals, schools, police, prosecutors, and local authorities, using a comprehensive database of information on the risks of each case," says Mr. Ribotta.
The Ombudsman and the United Nations have established a collaborative program to put an end to violence against women in Albania.
"Based on the scientific findings of studies, the Observatory for Femicide at the Ombudsman's office will recommend preventive policies and the strengthening of legal mechanisms against gender-based violence," states Erinda Ballanca, the Ombudsman's lawyer.
Participants in today's United Nations forum with the Ombudsman and the government deemed it an urgent need to establish a national coalition against violence against women and girls.
Experts and law enforcement authorities believe that an in-depth study of data and the reasons behind these murders has become a necessity. The findings should be simultaneously and effectively used to enhance the prevention of these violent incidents.
In addition to the 12 women murdered last year, the Minister of Internal Affairs, Taulant Balla, notes that there were numerous other reports of family violence last year. These cases represent only a small part of the true extent of this phenomenon in society, emphasizing the need for new methods, as the protection of Albanian women is never sufficient.
He urged women and girls to trust the police and consider the day of reporting family violence as the day of their freedom.
"In January and February of this year alone, the police registered 629 girls and women who reported violence. The total number of reports of domestic violence is 890. So, the ratio is 3 to 1 of cases against women compared to the rest. A distressing panorama is also evident with protection orders. There are 465 injured individuals who have received protection orders, of which 350 are girls and women. Undoubtedly, the most affected are girls and women. Sexual crimes are 125 cases, of which 103 are against women and girls. But never forget that these figures are only the tip of the iceberg, and there are many other cases that have yet to be reported," Mr. Balla emphasized.
The Observatory for Femicide will gather and analyze data on gender-based violence, different forms of violence against women and girls leading to their loss of life, aiming to avoid these criminal acts as much as possible by understanding them more deeply.