EVALUATION OF CHILD TRAFFICKING IN ALBANIA
Abstract
Since the early 1990s child trafficking has become a highly sensitive issue of national concern in Albania. The political transition and changes occurred to the Albanian market economy influenced extensively child trafficking issue and made children a major target for trafficking. Trafficking represents serious threat to the wellbeing of children as their rights and dignity are violated.
This research will highlight and analyze some major points of child trafficking and their possible causes and consequences. The paper aims to emphasize the severity of child trafficking in Albania. Various national and particularly international reports have stated that Albania has been recognized for years as a country of both source and transit, as well as a destination country for trafficking.
This study is based on combining qualitative and quantitative research through data and statistics published by the state institutions and NGOs, media coverage, books and annual reports. The research finds out that there are few officially registered cases of child trafficking. However, the numbers remain so insignificant and unclear, because most of the cases are not identified and registered. In fact, it is quite difficult to calculate the precise number of children trafficked as they have been reported differently by the state institutions and NGOs. Furthermore, a survey of child protection related issues has been distributed to 452 respondents, representatives from central government, local government, NGOs, judiciary, academia and the media. Significant results have been gathered and analyzed.
The study concludes that there is a need to reinforce the existing legal framework and the responsible public institutions should be developed, in cooperation with other relevant organizations, appropriate policies and programs need to be implemented efficiently.
Keywords: Albania, Child Trafficking, Exploitation, Reports, Public Policies.
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