Women's Legal Rights Initiative. Public Awareness Raising Campaign on the Existence and the Importance of Using CEDAW Convention in Albania

摘要

Since the year 1990, Albania has passed through different economic, social and political crises that have created a difficult atmosphere especially for women. The revival of some traditional views and prejudices regarding them and the closure of many state-factories led to a high rate of unemployment among women who became economically dependent upon their husbands. The concentration of women in the home has distanced them from the social life, limiting their access to information, opportunities and activities. In rural areas after land privatization women were overloaded. Because of the very limited financial resources of rural Albanian families, women's manual work in most cases is substituting the machinery work. This combined with the high rate of emigration among Albanian men led to increase women workload. They often spent the greatest part of their time in the field and working within the house. Therefore, their social participation has almost been out of the discussion. Young Albanian women and students are facing a common fear and insecurity. In large cities, there are some opportunities for them to start a job in service sector, private foreign and Albanian companies. In small cities, the situation seems worse. Though more conservative these areas are at the same time source of prostitution market. Domestic violence is another important issue closely linked with the economic problems and mentality. Even though the number of housewives and women employed in small businesses administered by their husbands, or the number of women in decision-making position in businesses has been increased, the market economy still gives more power to male. There is a lack of job opportunities for women. Profiting from this situation, many employers ask very qualified employees, towards very low salaries.