Children’s Week – Celebrating Children’s Rights

20 November marks 25 years since the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the world made a commitment to all its children saying that: “We would do everything in our power to promote and protect their rights”. This Convention is offered and still offers a vision of the world where all children survive and develop to their full potential without discrimination, and are protected, respected and encouraged to participate in decisions that affect their lives. 22 years passed after ratification of Children’s Rights in Albanian legislation. During these years, Albania has made progress in improving the situation of children, yet this area represents many challenges. Every day hundreds of children face exploitation, abuse, violence, neglect and are being exposed to potential risks. To promote children's rights ADRA Albania organized and participated into several activities that had on focus the CHILDREN.

On 17 November 2014, ADRA staff organized an awareness camping with 40 children in the public school “Bakushe Visha” about “Children’s Rights”. During this activity the children pointed out their ideas about their rights and obligations.                                                                                    On 18 of November, ADRA staff participated in two different activities that were organized by UNICEF and Children's Human Rights Centre of Albania – CRCA.  UNICEF invited ADRA Albania in a plenary session led by Ilir Meta (Chairman of the Parliament of the Republic of Albania) in the Albanian parliament, where the youth made their questions and got answers about the future plans for education and child protection programs. The other activity was organized in Tirana International Hotel, were Children's Human Rights Centre of Albania introduced the latest scientific research:                                                          “ALBANIA - Case based surveillance study on violence against children”.                                                                                                              19 November is the World Day for Prevention of Abuse and Violence against Children and ADRA Albania organized an awareness activity in ADRA community centre, focused in the topic of “Children’s Abuse and Rights”. ADRA staff decided to raise the awareness of the Roma and non Roma women that children have rights that adults should respect them. This activity aimed to create a discussion between the Roma and non-Roma mothers regarding their children’s needs and rights. In the end of the discussion all the mothers stood together for one saying: “Love your child because it is your own life”.
On the same day, three Roma children from Fushe Kruja participated in the activity that was organized by the Ministry of Social Welfare and Youth in collaboration with the Agency for Protection of Children Right. In this activity the children discussed with the Minister of Social Welfare and Youth, the Deputy Minister of Education and Sport and with some representatives of the Albanian parliament about the new budget that the government will approve for addressing the children’s issue. Some of the questions that the children asked were:  We have the right to play but in our community we don’t have a safety environment, could you create a secure place where children can play safety, in our school we don’t have a psychologist or social worker...etc.

20 November was the International Children’s day and ADRA Albanian decided to join the march that was organized from Children's Human Rights Centre of Albania - CRCA for the protection of Children’s Right. In different schools many NGOs and politicians celebrated this day with the children but ADRA staff together with two Roma children and different representatives from the Civil Society decided to march in the main boulevard of Tirana for the protection of Children’s Right under the slogan: “ADRA is walking with the children for their future: RESPECT CHILDREN’S RIGHTS”. Even the Roma children had their own slogan : “We have the right to play but we don’t have were to play, we have the right to speak but no one is listening us, we have many rights but you should make sure that these rights are respected”.