12 April 2016. Italy is helping to combat gender-based violence in Albania. The new initiative is called “Gemal – Gender Mainstreaming in Albania: together with women against exploitation,” and is being promoted by the NGO CIES (The Centre for Development Information and Education), and co-financed by Cooperazione italiana (Italy’s development agency), to the tune of 800,000 euro. The initiative was inaugurated in the past days in Tirana, in the presence of the Albanian minister for Welfare and Youth, Blendi Klosi, and the Italian Ambassador in Tirana, Alberto Cutillo. The programme will directly benefit 1,648 individuals (of whom 1,490 women), identified with the help of social services, municipal social workers, labour authorities, the anti-violence and anti-trafficking units of the national police, and judicial organizations. The objective is to improve prevention services, and support for women victims of discrimination and abuse in Scutari, Elbasan and Valona. The means for this includes both supporting local institutions focused on gender policy development, as well as supporting local associations in their gender empowerment initiatives. (PO / Red)
