Free Legal Aid Oficce, in cooperation with ALO 116, and supported by UNDP, introduced for the first time in Albania the concept of the Free Legal Aid Helpline for children and young people in Albania. Children and young people, children with special needs, Roma children, exploited children, children victims of abuse and violence and some of their most vulenrable groups will have the opportunity to benefit from legal professional assistance.
The General Director of CRCA, Altin Hazizaj, higlight the main principles of the Helpline’ work as below:
- Free of charge service for all childrens’ calls, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week;
- Conselling and informmation for any legal issues that children and young people report;
- Refering the cases to the public or private child protection services;
- Working to ensure the highest and professional standards of providing services to children and young people;
- Beliving that every child and young people, regardless of age and ability, are guaranteed all the rights.
- Working forchild participation.
Since 2001, more than 150 issues have been followed by CRCA and over 2000 children and young people have benefited from its services throughout Albania. During 2018 more than 112 cases were benefited free legal aid, social and health assistance in Albania. These children and young people who have asked for their assistance have been refered by the ALO 116, by Roma community organizations and its activists, as well as by the Pink Embassy.
The concept of providing legal aid through the phone is still unknown in Albania, therefore UNDP and CRCA were focused on preparing this concept idea and discussing it with gonverment institutions, civil society and legal experts.
According to the Annual Statistical Report on Human Rights issues for 2016, 1919 children were reported according to the offense committed for serious crimes, organized crime, open crimes and crimes of road safety. Compared to 2015 that counted 1163 children cases, in 2016 there was an increase in the number of children reported according to the type of offense.
The representative of UNDP Albania, Ms. Edlira Papavangjeli, as well as the representative of Albanian Parliament, Ms.Vasilika Hysi, were highlighted the difficulties that they have encountered so far, and also sought support from judicial institutions and state institutions, They proposed other steps to pursuit the initiative.
The Office for the Legal Protection of Children and Youth in Albania is the first legal office set up by an organization to protect children and young people from defenselessness. She was raised by CRCA Albania and is a model of helping the most vulnerable groups of society. Since 2010 we have been cooperating with ALO 116 Albania and the PINK Embassy to provide integrated legal services for all vulnerable and in need of protection groups.
The protection of children and young people was considered a challenge in Albania. CRCA, for 20 years, works to protect the children rights and young people in Albania and to guarantee the legal protection’ right for them.
Free Legal Aid Office for children and young people in Albania is the first legal office established by an organization to protect vulenrable children and young people. It was raised by CRCA Albania and is a postive model of helping the most vulnerable groups of society. Since 2010 we have been cooperating with ALO 116 Albania and the PINK Embassy to provide integrated legal services for all vulnerable groups.