Observatory for Childrens Rights June 2017 About Observatory

Observatory for Children’s Rights June 2017

About Observatory v Observatory for Children’s Rights (Observatory) in Albania is a non-governmental entity established in 2009 as a civil society network with the support and under the attention of UNICEF office in Albania and registered on 30 May 2013 as NGO, operating with 12 regional offices (one office per each region)

Observatory’s commitments Observatory is committed to: • Helping children access their rights. • Using and advocating for evidence-based methods in the formulation of child-rights-centered policies and programs. • Developing and communicating credible information that fuels child-centered advocacy, policy and program development. • Functioning as a credible, collaborative resource to stakeholders nationwide working for children/youth rights. • Partnering with local, national and international stakeholders to advance child rights in Albania. • Monitoring national priorities and actions to drive resultsoriented responses. • To provide a national forum for research, debate, education and knowledge exchange among those working for child rights. • To Identify and advocate for needed changes in policy and practice as well as enable others to do the same.

What Observatory does? (1) • Strengthening of Observatories in the 12 regions, paying particular attention to bridge their activities with CRU-s and CPU-s • Strengthening existing links and collaboration with all actors at local level (local and regional public and non public institutions as well as local and national NGO’s). • Mapping of children rights situation (including child poverty, disabled children, children without parental care, Roma children, children in conflict with the low, budgeting for children; • Involve and empower local actors in the process by informing and motivating them in order to ensure proper implementation of children’s rights by the governmental institutions through these activities: open discussions, round tables, meetings and seminars with regional stakeholders;

What Observatory does? (2) • Support the implementation of the right of the child in regional level by sharing the use of Observatory’s reports and recommendations on research results at municipality/administrative unit level; • Approaching the problems of children and their families in the field by conducting research regarding key child rights issues; This engagement gives a direct contact and message of children themselves, parents and other professionals at community level; • Observatories in close collaboration with Child Rights Units seek to draw the attention of policy –makers about the necessity to involve the rights of children in their policies and regional strategies ensuring and proper budgeting as well. • Observatories offices in regional level are playing a crucial role in identifying the prior needs and developing local strategies, focused in children’s rights and social services. • It is a new and effective tool in evidence based on policy making process, which supports better governance at regional/local level and supports the decentralization reform of social services at local level.

General overview of child protection system in Albania A child protection system is generally agreed to comprise formal and informal structures, functions and capacities assembled to prevent and respond to violence, abuse, neglect and – exploitation of children. Key elements of a national framework: • • • defined and coordinated roles laws and policies in place data collected analyzed protection / response services exist budgets allocated right-holders (children and families) empowered 6

Observatory’s role on child protection system Data collection and analysis v The Observatory’s mission is “To ensure the dignity and well-being of children across Albania through observation, research and analysis, communication and advocacy; by collaborating with other stakeholders/ institutions; and by engaging in public awareness and education campaigns”. v Through its representatives at the subnational (regional) level, one office per each region of the country, the Observatory aims to function as a monitoring structure, based on local level, regarding the implementation and realization of children’s rights, by acting and supporting as part of civil society. 7

Where are Observatory offices network operating? Good governance for children must also address the root causes of the lack of public sector responsiveness to children. The place to examine the quality of good governance from a children’s perspective is in the points of contact between children and the state.

Data collection system – Dev Info

Observatory’s “Digital map”

How this data is being used?

Issues monitored annually (2010 -2016) üDemographic data üChildren’s education üHealth care üSocial Protection üChildren in conflict with the low

Issues monitored ad-hock ü Card Report (2009) ü Social Protection for the Children (2010) ü Child Poverty in Albania (2013) ü Children in street situation (2014) ü Child friendly city (2015, 2016) ü The situation in flooded areas (2015, 2016) ü Safety in public spaces (2016) ü Child and underage marriages (2015, 2016, 2017) ü Conditions and treatment in the institutions of custody, pre-trial detention and prisons (2017) ü Returned migrants situation (2015, 2016, 2017)

Beyond data collection and monitoring ü Community and Police- Safe Life (2013 -2014) ü Assistance in emergent flood situation (2015) ü Every Roma Child in Preschool (2014 -2016) ü Hefor. She (2014 -2016) ü Out of school children (2014 -2017)

Thank you! www. observator. org. al info@observator. org. al