Why Albania

Albania is one of the poorest countries in Europe. Since 1990, the country has been struggling to make the difficult transition from 47 years of communist rule to a multi-party democratic system and a more open-market economy.

Though it is working hard to rebuild democratic institutions and improve conditions, Albania's political infrastructure is weak. Some state institutions are inefficient, corrupt and regarded with suspicion, and violence in party politics continues to obstruct the process. The general public remains suspicious of governing bodies because of their repressive history and a lack of awareness of citizenship rights and responsibilities. Civil society is relatively new and inexperienced and has to mature into a fully functioning role.

During communist rule, women's representation in politics was around 40%, but this fell almost overnight during the transition to democracy, so that in 1992, the number of women in Parliament was just 11 out of 150. This fell even further in subsequent years.

Key issues preventing women from participating fully in politics include:

Prevailing gender stereotypes and discriminatory attitudes
Failure to establish and/or respect quota systems
Sidelining of women's issues
Negative portrayal of women in the media
Lack of sufficient support for women in politics
Lack of opportunity for women to enhance their leadership and negotiation skills
The burden of domestic responsibilities on women

Fact file

Nearly half of Albania's population live in extreme poverty, on less than $1 a day
Since the fall of communism, a fifth of Albanians have migrated abroad and send money back to family members left behind. This money plays a significant role in the alleviation of poverty and is the main source of foreign currency income for the country
Just over 24% of administrative offices in the second level of government are held by women
A survey of 11 Albanian districts, conducted in 1996, uncovered that almost 40% of women claimed to experience physical violence regularly, and that women and girls in rural areas are twice as likely to be abused as those in cities

Since the end of Communism, women's rights, once guaranteed in the public sector, have considerably diminished. Legislation is inadequate, especially in family matters, and women have been particularly affected by the surge in crime, corruption and trafficking. With falling levels of women's participation in public life and a return of discriminatory attitudes, the majority of women are increasingly confined to a private, family, role. And they do not have access to formal systems of welfare provision. This is especially apparent in rural areas and in the north of the country.

A report conducted jointly with WOMANKIND confirmed high unemployment amongst women, lack of vocational training, pervasive domestic violence and a declining proportion of women in decision-making institutions.

Structural and cultural barriers prevent women's full and equal participation in decision-making. Men are considered more capable leaders than women, despite women's equal or higher education levels. Electoral systems add a structural dimension to discrimination as quotas in party lists are not adhered to, and a 'first past the post' system predominates.

Interviews with politicians and media professionals showed further exclusion for women due to corruption, lack of ethics, male conservatism and a sense that women could not deal with the violence sometimes involved. The press are a significant obstacle to women?s candidacy during elections, either lacking interest in or being openly hostile to women?s issues. Though a media code of ethics exists, it is not widely observed and no mechanisms exist to monitor and regulate standards.