Narrative Report

«Albania without trafficking»

Awareness Campaign Week against human trafficking

The “Useful to Albanian Women” Association, “Albanian Rehabilitation Centre for Trauma and Torture Victims” and other local partners of ARIADNE Network organized an awareness campaign against human trafficking during the week of 21 – 25 September 2009, as it was planned before. Through the close cooperation between two centers, it was possible the tasks’ and responsibilities’ distribution, the realization of activities of the week, and the complete announcement and publication of these activities on media.

The realized activities consisted in:

  • Informative leaflets distribution regarding Ariadne Network, its partners in Albania and the human trafficking phenomenon. There were prepared ahead of time all the needed information, the details of design and publishing, as well groups of volunteers were organized toimplement their distribution. 2000 leaflets were distributed during the first three days of the week from a group of 10 volunteers, students of Social Sciences Faculty of Tirana University. During the leaflets distribution on the streets of Tirana, the volunteers have given contact details of the centers in case of further information and details needed.
  • Representatives of “Useful to Albanian Women” Association have been invited to the visual media and radio to promote the awareness activities of the week, to give sensitive information regarding the efforts against human trafficking and to debate about the actual situation our country is facing concerning this phenomenon. During this week, Mrs. Sevim Arbana has been invited in the National Television “Top Channel” and has been as well interviewed from “Alsat” TV, “Vizion +” TV and “Radio Contact” Radio.
  • Written media editorials. Concerning the awareness activities of the week, there have been editorials not only at the “Diella” the official newpaper of “Useful to Albanian Women Association”, but as well at other newspapers where informative and analytic editorials regarding this phenomenon and actual situation in Albania are published.
  • The awareness conference “Albania without trafficking” has been realized during this week in the settings of Tirana International Hotel, being a very interesting event for many personalities, State Government representatives, representatives of diplomatic missionsin Tirana, public institutions representatives, civil society and media stakeholders, university professors and students of Social Sciences Faculty of Tirana University. The participants were provided with conference promoting bags containing the Albanian version of book “Combating human trafficking – problems and prospects”, the leaflets prepared for this awareness campaign, the special publication of “Diella” Newspaper, the conference agenda and stationary materials needed during the conference.
  • The agenda of the conference was moderated by Mrs. Fabiola Laco Egro ,the Program director of UAW and continue in :

-The welcoming note and the presentation from the Conference Coordinators.

-Speech of Mrs.Majlinda Bregu, Minister of the Ministry of European Integration

-Speech of Mr. Ahmet Premçi, General Director of State Police / Ministry of Interior

-Speech of Mrs. Sevim Arbana, President of“Useful to Albanian Women” Association

-Speech of Mrs. Silvana Grispino, Project Manager,CIES

-Speech of Mrs. Stela Tanellari, Executive Vice Director of “Different & Equal” Association

-Presentation of documentary film “The other wedding”, MEDIAVIZION production.

During her speech, Mrs. Bregu, has congratulated the conference coordinators and civil society activists regarding their important contribution in the efforts against human trafficking, in the community information and assistance to the concrete cases of women and youth repatriated. She addressed as well the policies that government has undertaken with the aim to combat the illegal activities which encourage this phenomenon, such as: moratorium of boatcirculation in the country waters, border control reinforcement etc. She gave positive signals for the combating against this phenomenon in Albania, stating that in the near future,Albania will not be an origin country of this phenomenon.

During the detailed presentation of the State Policedaily work, the General Director, Mr. Premçi emphasized the concrete steps against the trafficking, the provisions taken from the border police, the policies of anti-trafficking directorate of State Police Institution.

Mrs. Arbana, president of “Useful to Albanian Women” has presented the work of the association during these years, the active role that civil society has in the raising awareness of the community and in the combating of prejudices regarding traffickedwomen and minors.

Mrs. Silvana Grispino, project manager of CIES, has referred concerning the intervention through the project Italy – Albania – Greece against trafficking women and minors, co-funded by European Union, directed by CIES (NGO) in collaboration with Italian Ministry of Interior Affairs and Albanian Ministry of Interior Affairs, National Coordination Office against human trafficking, Other Vision, FBSH; a project that CIES is actually implementing in Albania.

Mrs. Stela Tanellari, Executive Vice Director of “Different & Equal” presented the daily work of the center in assisting the repatriated women and girls, helping them not only with the psycho-social support, but as well in their socialization, professional vocation to begin a new life with a new social and eligible status.

Next, for the participants of the conference was presented the documentary film “The other wedding” a production of Mediavizion, a movie production and distribution studio in Albania. The theme of the film and details of realization were presented by the documentary director Mr. Namik Ajazi, who emphasized the unquestionable role of media in raising the community awareness, as an active factor in education and information of the public opinion.

The documentary treats the real case of a young Albanian girl, cheated to marry an Albanian emigrant in Italy, who after the marriage was her traffickingtutor. The story is narrated through fiction, preserving the case details, as well the anonymous status of the trafficked victim. The documentary emphasizes the force of the woman to never become subject of the situation, her efforts to escape from the trafficking tutors, the help of a religious community in Italy, the new life she built after, the trafficking tutors prosecution and sentence from the law.

After the documentary, the conference moderator Mrs. Egro, encouraged the participants to discuss over the treated subjects. There were discussions mainly from the civil society organizations as“Civil and Legal Initiative”, “Gender Alliance for Development” etc., that were concentrated regarding the incomplete implementation of laws in Albania to support the witnesses of anti-trafficking in judicial processes, and in the other hand there is not enough economic and social support for the repositioning of the trafficking victims in the society.

At the end of the conference, there was a press declaration, which was followed with significance by the media. The TV channels as “Top Channel”, “Klan”, “TVSH”, “Vizion +”, “Koha”, “Alsat”, “Top News”, “News 24”, “Ora News”, “Mediasat” have participated in the conference and have presented it in their informative editions.

  • At the last day of the awareness campaign week, there was organized a meeting at the settings of Women’s Club “Teuta e Re”, a program of “Useful to Albanian Women” Association. The participants were representatives of campaign coordinating associations, their local staff, and guests from local state entities, civil society, students and beneficiaries of the services the UAW offers. The meeting assessed the work done regarding the awareness campaign and recommendations were given for the continuation of raising awareness of the community against the humantrafficking. At the end of the meeting, for the participants, the documentary film “The other wedding” was presented.

The Useful to Albanian Women Association, Albanian Rehabilitation Centre for Trauma and Torture Victims and other local partners of ARIADNE Network organize an awareness campaign against human trafficking during the week of 21 – 25 September 2009. The campaign consists of: distribution of informational material, interviews and presentation of the campaign through media, radio and newspapers and lastly an awareness conference entitled "Albania without trafficking" taking place on Speptember 24th at Tirana International Hotel.

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