Public reaction against violence

Every child has the right to be protected from all forms of violence, including abuse, neglect, exploitation, trafficking, kidnaping, pornography, sexual abuse etc. Sanctions measures, under the Article 23 of the Albanian Law on the Rights and Protection of the child guarantees the child protection.

Recently an investigative TV show highlighted a shocking case of child abuse, showing the acts of physical and psychological violence exercised against a child. 

The violent incident occurred in the family, as the mother of a three year old girl physically and psychologically abused her child, after the child refused to give the phone back to the mother. Due to the violence exercised at her, the girl seemed to have problems with her neck, and her hair falls. The event took place in the house of the child’s grandfather during winter holidays. Family members have claimed that the woman is often violent, as she has previously also been violent with her husband and her mother in law.

The family reported the case to the police and soon thereafter, the mother was arrested. Although the prosecutor had requested a sentence of two years imprisonment for the woman, the judge decided that after one week in prison she would remain under home arrest.

Since staying at home with the mother may put the child at enormous risk, social services, CPU and relevant Child Protection (CP) organizations intervened. Now the child is placed in alternative care.

World Vision Albania remains determined to always raise a voice for every child whose rights are violated and urges to address this issue immediately.

• We strongly and resolutely condemn any action which causes any form of violence against children, and which has consequences on the physical and mental development of the child. World Vision believes that every child deserves to have a life in its fullness. As an organisation standing next to children, we call all relevant authorities to follow-up the case until finding the right solution that will ensure the well-being of the child.
• World Vision supports the empowerment of public institutions, to ensure and guarantee the protection of children's rights. All institutions and relevant authorities working in the field of Child Protection should be involved in every phase of the response. Institutional coordination and collaboration should be prioratised, in order to ensure the protection of the best interest of the child. The involvement of the Child Protection worker throughout the entire case management process is not only a fulfillment of a legal obligation, but also a necessity to provide a successful response to the needs of an abused child. The Law on the Rights and Protection of the Child stipulates under Article 51 states that the Child Protection worker performs the function of case manager for children in need of protection from the moment of identification or referral, during the drafting and implementation of the protection measure and the drafting of the Individual Plan of Defense.
• World Vision remains committed to continuing to support the work of responsible institutions and civil society organisations to create a safe environment where every child, especially the most vulnerable, are protected from all forms of violence, and receive the necessary protection services.
• We call for community reflection, so that such episodes of violence do not recur. We believe that it takes a world to end violence against children, thus World Vision supports the empowerment of families and parents in exercising their role with a caring and positive approach while rearing children, as well as in restoring broken relationships within the family and in the broader community.