Albania

Poverty Reduction

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The Human Security and Local Development Cluster is the focal point within the Office for issues of local governance and decentralization, regional and local development policy and practice, institutional building and policy advice on European Union (EU) regional development policies and related IPA management, agriculture and rural development, as well as disaster risk reduction and management and human security related to the effect of mines, unexploded ordnance and ammunition disposal in general.

In this programmatic framework, the Cluster portfolio currently comprises the following key projects: Integrated Support to Decentralization (ISD), ArtGold 2 and Kukës Region Tourism and Environment Promotion (KRTEP), which fall within the domain of policy and systems construction for regional and local development and improved local governance, Support to the Livestock Sector in Albania, corresponding to issues of agriculture and rural development, and Albanian Mine Action and Ammunition Disposal, related to human security.

The ISD project, co-funded by the EU, provides assistance to the government of Albania in the design of a modern regional development policy and preparation for full use of eligible allocations of the EU Instrument of Pre-Accession (IPA) Assistance. The project comprises various institutional and capacity building activities, supports the development and functioning of a domestic regional development policy and extends assistance in four counties (qarks) - Berat, Elbasan Dibër and Kukës - with detailed support in strategic planning and infrastructure.

Through ArtGold 2 (funded by the Italian government), UNDP is promoting a territorial approach to development through the application of regional strategic planning and liaison and partnership with international decentralized cooperation stakeholders for support, know-how transfer and partnership building. The project operates in the counties of Vlorë and Shkodër in close consultation with relevant line ministries and national policies.

KRTEP (co-funded by the EU) has been devised with the aim of promoting sustainable local development and enhancing the attractiveness of the region by focusing on ways to build upon regional tourism and environmental resources and their potential as agents of economic and socio-cultural development. KRTEP activities are developed around the directions of improved local capacities in programming and managing regional cultural and eco-tourism development, enhanced awareness of regional assets, targeting internal and external audiences and markets, and contributions to improving and developing regional tourism- and environment-related infrastructure. Within this framework, a series of aspects of tourism and environmental infrastructure has been identified as contributors to the enhancement of the region's tourism sector.

The Livestock Sector Support project (co-funded by the EU and the Italian government) aims at improving production practices and the sale of quality and safe animal origin products in the regions of Sarandë and Delvinë. This aim is pursued through promoting the establishment and management consolidation of the Ionian Lambs Association of local livestock breeders, training of livestock operators along the food chain, providing support for improved standards in this sector, from animal feed and welfare to processing, dealership and outlets. The project also contributes to the traceability and labelling of marketed lamb in accordance with, and through providing support for, developing national animal registration standards.

The Albanian Mine Action and Ammunition Disposal project (funded solely by UNDP at present) responds to the government's current priority of the clearance of ammunition hotspots and derives from the experience and national capacities built over almost a decade of implementation of the Albanian Mine Action Programme. The project focus is focused on promotion of compliance of ammunition disposal and clearance standards to the approach of international humanitarianism - i.e. through introducing the humanitarian dimension elements of civil community safety and awareness - along with introduction of a high quality system and standards of land clearance and disposal.

UNDP promotes the social inclusion agenda in Albania. As such, UNDP works focuses on assisting the most marginalized Roma and Egyptian communities and contribute to their social integration while valuing their diversity. It supports the participation of vulnerable communities in local decision-making - through identification of priorities and preparation of Community Development Plans and implementation of development works. UNDP helps the targeted communities to access their rights, particularly access to public services– through civil registration; community policing; establishing and strengthening network of Roma mediators in areas of health, education, and child protection as well facilitating vocational training and employment. The programme promotes policies and institutional strengthening for social inclusion of vulnerable communities – through – capacity building and assistance to local and central government institutions; capacity building and partnership strengthening for Roma and Egyptian NGOs.

In the area of disability rights, UNDP helps assess the needs and the existing legal and policy framework in relation to the Convention on Rights of Persons with Disability(CRPD) and identify measures that need to be addressed prior to the ratification of the Convention. UNDP’ supports the Inter-Ministerial Working Group for drafting a disability Act and establishing an Action Plan for the CRPD implementation with cost provisions. Our assistance goes towards strengthening capacities of relevant staff on CRPD implementation and monitoring, promoting the use by the construction industry of high standard accessibility guidelines, improving physical accessibility of a limited number of public buildings, and raising awareness of the general public and relevant stakeholders on disability rights as enshrined in the CRPD.

While UNDP mainstreams gender equality in all its programs and projects, UNDP also supports Albania’s gender equality commitments through specific projects targeting gender equality and violence against women issue. UNDP assists the Government of Albania in developing and improving the legislative and policy framework on gender equality and gender-based violence, to comply with CEDAW (UN Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women) requirements, to harmonise with EU acquis standards and to respond to the reality of Albanian women and men on the ground. UNDP assists authorities and professionals in better grasping gender equality and non-discrimination concepts, fighting stereotypes and properly applying legislative provisions and policy actions in force, with a view to change the de facto status of women and men in Albania. UNDP supports Albanian authorities in building and improving the services available to survivors of gender-based and domestic violence as well as promotes women’s increased participation in decision-making, both as a constituency and as candidates for national and local elections.