Based on the statistics of different international institutions, the number of unaccompanied Albanian minors in different European countries is considerable. Despite the pandemic the Eurostat data revealed that at least 2,000 Albanian minors sought asylum in one of the European countries during the year 2020. The same source said that between 2011 and 2020 "at least 60,000 Albanian minors under 18 years of age have applied for asylum in an EU country." Other minors from the Balkans (Kosovars, Serbs, North Macedonians) are also reported to be present being a concern.

In general migration has brought about a fall of Albania's population and according to INSTAT, its population was 2,793,593 on January 1, 2022 which means a decrease of 1.3 percent compared with 2020.

Given the seriousness of this social wound which is aggravating day by day across the country, Albanian Daily News talked with Mr.David Gvineria, Child Protection Specialist at UNICEF Albania, on such a phenomenon and the factors leading adults and minors to seek opportunities away from their country, mainly in the EU countries.    

Mr. Gvineria unveiled that UNICEF is implementing a significant Anti-Trafficking program during the past 24 months having the generous support of the UK Government together with the national consortium members. “The program director works with very vulnerable communities in the northern regions of the country and in Tirana.”  

In the meantime he was worried that for many of those who migrate illegally the situation often ends up, unfortunately, not as they hoped for. ” UNICEF is aware of cases when such risks ended up pushing people into Trafficking/Modern Slavery traps, many boys are exploited in heavy physical work, while girls are often subject to sexual exploitation, early/forced marriages domestic servitude.”

Touching upon what UNICEF Albania does to support those who return or are turned back to the country, Mr.Gvineria said that these children usually require immediate and multiple services, starting from the legal support which is often required to settle their legal status or confirm identity.    

“There is simply no time to waste, as we need to act now and act together with absolutely everyone who is obliged or simply capable and willing to put an end to this phenomenon,” said the Child Protection Specialist at UNICEF Albania, David Gvineria in the following interview:

- What could you say on such a worrisome situation and the main factors linked with Albania’s rising rate of migration?

- The situation with brain drain and the fact that many children, as well as adults, seek their opportunities abroad, away from Albania, is unfortunate, especially for a relatively small country that is striving to build a stronger outward-oriented civil society and vibrant economy. It would be premature to attempt and link the situation of migration with one or two reasons.

We believe there is a complexity of factors linked with limited social services that can support families and children in need, uneven distribution of job opportunities (jobs mostly available in the capital city), desire to obtain a higher quality of education and better health care, and arguably a strong belief of “a good life abroad”. Albanian diaspora which is quite large and well established in the European countries is also a ‘pull factor.

- It is clear that preventing human trafficking is not the job of only one organization or institution. Which else supports UNICEF and how is help to the families and their children who want to leave the country coordinated? 

- During the past 24 months, with generous support from the UK Government, UNICEF is implementing a significant Anti-Trafficking program, together with the national consortium members. The program director works with very vulnerable communities in the northern regions of the country and in Tirana.

One of the main objectives of this program is to identify the population and children in vulnerable situations, to inform them about the risks and challenges related to leaving the country illegally, and also discuss with them the myths about “a good life abroad”. At the same time, UNICEF is providing these families and children with a complex range of protection and support services, including coaching, job training, and economic opportunities for youth, women, and adults. There is a strong component in the program about engaging school children in technology and innovative work, helping them to master opportunities provided by digital solutions and the internet.

- It is not news anymore that young people in Albania "idealize" life in the West. What is the outcome?   

- The outcome is different from person to person and therefore it is difficult to generalize. For vulnerable people, without competitive skills, and those who migrate illegally, the situation often ends up, unfortunately, not necessarily as they hoped for. UNICEF is aware of cases when such risks ended up pushing people into Trafficking/Modern Slavery traps, many boys are exploited in heavy physical work, while girls are often subject to sexual exploitation, early/forced marriages domestic servitude.

- How does UNICEF take care of their integration in case they return or are turned back to Albania?

- Yes, UNICEF works very closely with social care and child protection institutions, both at the central and local level and our ultimate objective is to support every child which is returning back to Albania from a vulnerable situation. These children usually require immediate and multiple services, starting from the legal support which is often required to settle their legal status or confirm identity. Only in 2021, UNICEF supported over 50 cases of children who are at risk of statelessness, or in other words, they are not yet in possession of sufficient legal documents which would enable them to access all services in Albania.

A more comprehensive assessment of children’s needs is another critical process that determines what type of support a child would require, for how long, with which means, etc. This work is done by the respective child protection units, and UNICEF’s support is available for them.

- What do you recommend to local and national authorities to do more?

- There is simply no time to waste, as we need to act now and act together with absolutely everyone who is obliged or simply capable and willing to put an end to this phenomenon.

Increase social sector related spending; Provide regular on-the-job (in-service) training to child protection workers; Re-think the package of support to child protection and social care service workers who are employed in the remote areas. Otherwise, there is a very significant brain drain also from rural areas and often it is impossible to find sufficiently qualified staff outside of a few major cities.