The Parliamentary Commission for Legislation and Human Rights held the final reading of the draft law “On the establishment of the National Sex Offenders Register in Albania”.
The approval in this Commission paves the way for the draft to be approved in the plenary session of the Albanian Parliament.
The last version of the draft approved today is based almost entirely on the draft law prepared by CRCA/ECPAT Albania experts, presented to the parliament for approval as a private members bill by MP Erisa Xhixho in November of last year.
“Today is a new day for the protection of children and all victims of sexual crimes in Albania”, – said Altin Hazizaj, Executive Director of CRCA/ECPAT Albania – “Our legal initiative and great cooperation with MP’s triumphed against sexual crimes. Today’s winners are the survivors of sexual violence. We expect next week all MPs unanimously to approve our legal initiative.”
Draft-Law “On the establishment of the National Sex Offenders Register in Albania” is a legal initiative prepared by CRCA/ECPAT Albania experts. The first attempt to approve the law was made in 2013, but at that time, the parliament agreed to approve changes to the Criminal Code.
In 2019, the initiative was re-deposited for approval by MP Fatjona Dhimitri, but the Assembly did not have the time to review it due to the parliamentary elections. In 2020, with the constitution of the new parliament, the bill was again considered.
The purpose of the law is to protect every person from sexual crimes, especially children, with the focus being the prevention of sexual crimes. Almost 80 per cent of sexual crimes in Albania are committed against children and adolescents.
CRCA/ECPAT Albania, since the opening of the Barnahus Albania as a national centre for the protection of children who have survived sexual violence, has placed at the core of all its work the improvement of laws, policies, and services for the victims.
Over 80 children who have survived sexual violence have benefited from free legal aid and a wide range of psycho-social services from Barnahus Albania.
The draft law is expected to be approved unanimously by all MPs in the coming days. At the same time, CRCA/ECPAT Albania will start its advocacy work for another important initiative, the improvement of the Criminal Code, where a series of new criminal offences must be included to protect children and young people from online and offline sexual crimes.
