In an exclusive interview with Albanian Daily NewsDavid Gvineria, Child Protection Specialist at UNICEF, Albania, dwelt at length on the programme of ‘Transforming National Response to Human Trafficking in and from Albania’ funded by the UK government.

“The paradigm- Prevention and Protection-remains the basis of the programme. The programme employs a range of interventions and programmatic tools to advance both pillars of the work in Albania and achieve progress within all segments of duty bearers and society at large,” said Gvineria.

Giving details of the programme he said that a significant area for intervention is related to direct support to human trafficking survivors and sustainability of reintegration and social inclusion efforts. “The programme therefore uses 4 specially trained Mobile Units (a team of professionals pro-actively monitoring specific geographic areas) established in Tirana, Shkodra, Dibra and Kukes helps to timely identify potential victims and victims (pV/VoT) of trafficking on time.” 

He unveiled 204 potential victims/victims of trafficking and individuals at risk have successfully completed the economic reintegration programme. “An important element of Prevention remains the continuous work with children, adolescents and young individuals.”    

According to the UNICEF expert, undoubtedly, the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak imposed many challenges on UNICEF and its partners during the implementation cycle of this programme, hence the parties introduced several immediate and medium-term mitigation measures to reflect the evolving situation of the pandemic.

“We would like to encourage every young boy and girl that wants to leave the country that there are still many opportunities here in Albania, there are different organizations, private business and state structures that support entrepreneurship ideas, start-ups, employment, internship etc. which will help them to make it in Albania, become successful in what they will set their minds and hearts to do and at the same time be there for their families, parents and friends,” was the message that David Gvineria, Child Protection Specialist at UNICEF, Albania, addressed to the youth in the following interview:  

Albanian Daily News: Albania has been always a country of origin with regard to the human trafficking. Thanks to UK funds during the last 2 years, UNICEF in Albania have been working closely with the Government of Albania and local communities to mobilize community about the consequences of the illegal trafficking and to prevent the phenomena. Where do you see the achievements and the gaps as of now? 

UNICEF Child Protection Specialist David Gvineria: Transforming National Response to Human Trafficking in and from Albania’ is a programme funded by the UK government and implemented by UNICEF Albania in collaboration with OSCE Presence in Albania, ‘Terre des homme’, ‘Tjeter Vizion’, ‘Vatra’ and ‘Të Ndryshëm dhe të Barabartë’. Other implementing partners include local organizations and companies that are engaged to contribute to an array of components for the successful delivery of results.

The paradigm-Prevention and Protection-remains the basis of the programme. The programme employs a range of interventions and programmatic tools to advance both pillars of the work in Albania and achieve progress within all segments of duty bearers and society at large.

The programme addresses Protection via a multi-stakeholder approach to strengthen the institutional capabilities of law enforcement, judiciary and social welfare sector in the fight against human trafficking. In more concrete terms, the work focuses on the reinforcement of necessary skill sets, such as early detection and investigation, victim-centered case management, including victims' rights to compensation, witness and child responsive interviewing strategies, and overall successful implementation of newly enacted legislation.  Two online anti-trafficking training platforms were enriched with the learning tools and materials for the Magistrates School of Albania and the Security Academy of Albania. This helps the professionals to learn quicker and better about the latest changes in the Criminal Code of Albania and follow special anti-trafficking curriculum.

To date, around 70 representatives of the Security Academy and various Regional Directorates have already been trained using the newly provided tools of the programme, and 5 child-friendly interview rooms have also been established in local Police Commissariats. 

Another significant area for intervention is related to direct support to human trafficking survivors and sustainability of reintegration and social inclusion efforts. The programme therefore uses 4 specially trained Mobile Units (a team of professionals pro-actively monitoring specific geographic areas) established in Tirana, Shkodra, Dibra and Kukes helps to timely identify potential victims and victims (pV/VoT) of trafficking on time.  The programme  also supports the appropriate housing, medical, psychological and material assistance, the provision of employment, educational and training opportunities for individuals affected by Human Trafficking. This work is done together with the local government units and respective institutions.

To date, 66 potential victims/ victims of trafficking were identified for the first time in Shkodra, Kukes, Dibra and Tirana (out of them 76% are children, and 42% are boys), whereas 202 potential victims/ victims of trafficking and 76 of their dependents have received direct services (65% are children, and 69% are female). 407 individuals received emergency care, 379 of which were children.

The dimension of Prevention is brought forward by focusing on the sustainability of long-term socio-economic reintegration through employment and self-employment, and psychosocial rehabilitation. UNICEF and the consortium partners are successfully engaged towards community empowerment, with the emphasis on the re-integration of PVoTs/VoTs and individuals at risk of trafficking.        

As a result, 204 potential victims/victims of trafficking and individuals at risk have successfully completed the economic reintegration programme (49% of the enrolled individuals have been provided with Public Vocational Training and internship opportunities); 135 individuals registered as job seekers with local National Employment Offices; and 58 individuals were employed and self-employed (29 start-ups and 29 employed in local businesses). An important element of Prevention remains the continuous work with children, adolescents and young individuals.  Thanks to UK Government support, now 640 at risk adolescents and young people empowered with skills to prevent Human Trafficking (68% adolescents 15-17 years old, and 31% youth 18-24 years old); 622 at risk individuals from 260 families received community services, while 4,778 individuals received online focused mental and psychological care (37% children 10-17 years old, and 61% youth 18-24 years old).

UNICEF also undertook the qualitative study “Knowledge, attitudes and practices among youth on human trafficking” in the 4 regions covered by the programme. The findings provide excellent guidance to needed program adjustments and are shaping direct interventions with Albanian youth. Meanwhile the second study “Trafficked by someone I know - A qualitative study of the relationships between Albanian youth trafficking victims and human traffickers” is in the pipeline and expected to be ready by the end of 2021.

To date, the HT programme has managed to reach 5,721 individuals through face to face activities (out of which 82% are children and adolescents 10-17 year old) and an estimated 1,6 million people through an active Social Media presence and the production and dissemination of viable media tools (TV spots, TV programmes, radio spots, bi-monthly Bulletin, etc.).

-Your project is developed in four regions of Albania, mainly Kukes, Shkoder, Diber, Tirana. Despite the COVID- 19 challenges, and moreover, in the absence of the job opportunities and lack of alternatives for the young people how much responsive and in what was has the local community been regarding such an endeavor?

-In coordination with UK embassy in Tirana, the HT programme is being implemented in 17 municipalities in 4 regions in Albania, namely in Tirana, Shkodra, Kukes and Dibra and works closely with local institutions and regional structures to address the phenomenon in its complexity. Specific implementation focus was initially determined by the available evidence suggesting that northern regions of Albania such as Shkodra, Dibra and Kukes, as most socio-economically deprived, were particularly affected by the trafficking risk and Tirana, being the capital city, serving as a transitory destination.

Undoubtedly, the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak imposed many challenges on UNICEF and its partners during the implementation cycle of this programme, hence the parties introduced several immediate and medium-term mitigation measures to reflect the evolving situation of the pandemic.

It is true that the population in remote areas and communities lack employment opportunities and have lesser alternatives than the ones living in Tirana or other major cities of Albania. For this purpose, the HT programme intensified its economic empowerment component that was implemented in collaboration with “Key Adviser” ltd. in all four regions mentioned herewith. Through this initiative we have been able to offer: employment and entrepreneurship opportunities, capacity building for soft and ICT skills that increase possibilities for employment, new alternatives for employment with local businesses through the identification of their needs and the facilitation of internships from near-by communities, facilitation of registration in VET trainings, etc. Other programme partners are also providing tailored support to potential victims/ victims of trafficking by facilitating and investing in the establishment of long-term reintegration schemes that also include learning of new skills and creation of opportunities that will allow the survivors of trafficking to provide for their families and become economically independent. 

An interest aspect of the indirect impact that the programme is having on local communities, is that the intervention has become a vehicle to present not only the direct impact the programme is having on potential victims/ victims of trafficking and at-risk population, but also its significant indirect impact. Improved gender dimensions in the family roles, emancipation of local communities towards women’s employment, family strengthening due to increased employment rates and improved economic conditions, increased expectations for a better education for the children of disadvantaged families, are only a few of the elements that are being observed in the areas where we work.

-How is the office of National Anti-trafficking helping to identify and support victims and undertake prosecution of traffickers. Are the government structures ready to support and help with reintegration?

-Thanks to UK Government support, since the beginning of the HT programme, UNICEF Albania has provided direct technical support to the efforts of the Albanian Government in addressing the fight against human trafficking in the country and has established a close cooperation with the Ministry of Interior and especially the Office of the National Coordinator for Anti-Trafficking (ONAC). An important achievement was the assistance provided for the preparation of the new National Action Plan on Human Trafficking 2021 - 2023 that was made available for public consultation in June 2021 and currently is being finalized. ONAC has also played an important role in the regional approach by facilitating the access of the HT programme to the Regional Anti-trafficking Committees in the four regions of Tirana, Dibra, Shkodra and Kukes, Committees of peculiar importance that bring together all the most important actors and local institutions that are involved and work in the field of human trafficking.

The reintegration of the potential victims/ victims of trafficking is a lengthy process that takes times and involves a series of efforts and focused programmatic and psychosocial support from state institutions and non-governmental institutions alike.

Our programme partners work closely with the local and national structures from the identification and referral of the PVoTs/VoTs to the National Referral Mechanism, to the tailored reintegration assistance that is provided for the PVoTs/VoTs and their children. The cooperation with the state structures is continuous and timely addresses their capacity building skills based on a human-rights based approach that places at its center the wellbeing and the economic and social reintegration of the survivors of trafficking.

- If you have a message for the young people who want to leave the country, and according to some statistic nearly 60 per cent want to leave Albania for a better live. What’s your message to them?

- Information is key to every endeavor and it becomes more crucial when we address the life decisions that young people ought to be making. An important message that we would like to share is for them to check the facts and the promises of the life abroad before making any decisions, and also to try to be informed on the various forms of modern slavery that are much more common than they realize. We would like to encourage every young boy and girl that wants to leave the country that there are still many opportunities here in Albania, there are different organizations, private business and state structures that support entrepreneurship ideas, start-ups, employment, internship etc. which will help them to make it in Albania, become successful in what they will set their minds and hearts to do and at the same time be there for their families, parents and friends.