Young people from northern Albania, came together for a two-day boot camp aimed at helping them recognize, challenge and respond to violence, both online and offline.

Running from 25 November to 10 December, the #NoExcuse campaign raised awareness about the real and lasting impact of abuse in digital spaces, helping audiences in Albania better understand what online violence looks like, why it matters, where to report it, and how it can be prevented.

Albania has launched the 2025 Country Gender Equality Profile, the most comprehensive and up-to-date analysis of gender equality in the country. While progress has been made in strengthening laws and policies, the report highlights persistent gaps in implementation, ongoing violence against women, and barriers to women’s economic participation.

A new media monitoring report on Albania’s 2025 elections highlights persistent gender bias, limited media visibility, and online violence against women in politics. The findings show how media and digital spaces continue to shape unequal conditions for women’s political participation.

Digital violence is rising everywhere. Nearly half of the world’s women and girls (44 per cent) have no legal protection against digital violence, according to World Bank data. In this interview, activist Zhaklin Lekatari and lawyer Iris Aliaj dive deep into the issue.

Born in 2000, the year the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1325, Sindi Gjura is a youth empowerment advocate, community organizer, and creative visual storyteller from Tirana. Through her activism, she contributes to national and international initiatives that advance youth leadership, social change, and the Sustainable Development Goals.

The United Nations in Albania launched the 16 Days of Activism campaign with a ceremony honoring 11 frontline professionals for their exceptional work in combating violence against women. This year’s campaign highlights the urgent rise of online violence across the country.

Marking the launch of the 16 Days of Activism to eliminate violence against women and girls, this year’s campaign spotlights the growing threat of online abuse. Gender-based violence, online and offline, remains one of Albania’s most urgent human rights challenges.

Albania’s first national assessment on women in tourism highlights opportunities and challenges to advance equality and inclusion across the industry.

Over 70 women-led businesses from across Albania joined investors and partners at the Women’s Entrepreneurship EXPO 2025, advancing women’s economic empowerment. Organized by UN Women with the Ministry of Economy and Innovation, the EXPO is now a key platform driving investment in women-led enterprises.

In the center of Albania, the city of Elbasan has transformed a former orphanage into a day care center that supports vulnerable mothers and families, giving them a chance to work and rebuild their lives. The initiative, supported by UN Women and the European Union, turns gender equality policies into everyday change.

In Elbasan, women are reclaiming their livelihoods through traditional crafts and local partnerships, showing that economic empowerment and gender equality go hand in hand. Supported by UN Women and the European Union, this local effort turns gender equality policies into everyday change.

Gentiana Susaj, a 48-year-old human rights lawyer and accomplished Aikido black belt, is on a mission to help girls and women in Albania build their inner strength and learn to stand up for themselves through the unique program of Empowerment through Self-Defense (ESD).

Rural women are the backbone of Albania’s agrifood systems, yet they own just over 11 percent of the country’s agricultural land, according to a new FAO and UN Women assessment. The report calls for sex-disaggregated data, gender-sensitive policies, and coordinated actions to empower rural women and advance the Sustainable Development Goals.

At the High-Level Meeting marking the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (Beijing+30), the President of the Republic of Albania, Bajram Begaj, announced two priority actions: eliminating violence against women and expanding gender-responsive budgeting.

UN Women offices from eight Eastern European and Western Balkan countries met in Tirana to share knowledge, strengthen capacities, and shape a common vision for advancing gender equality through the EU accession process. The event underscored the power of cooperation and cross-border collaboration in accelerating women’s rights across the region.

In Albania, Gender-Responsive Budgeting (GRB) has not only changed how public funds are planned and allocated, it has also changed lives. GRB ensures that budgets work for everyone. By taking into account the unique needs of women, men, girls, and boys, it strives for a fairer distribution of resources. This story follows the journeys of three women whose experiences reflect the impact of gender-sensitive investments: a young woman pursuing a military career, a 17-year-old girl studying in a male-dominated field, and an artist advocating for more women in the art scene.

A new generation of journalism students at the University of Tirana is discovering how reporting with a gender lens can drive real solutions. Through a mentorship program on solutions journalism, an approach that highlights how people and institutions address social challenges, students learned to move beyond stereotypes and tell stories of change.

With tourism on the rise in Albania, UN Women has been supporting self-defense trainings to empower over 230 women and girls working in hotels and hospitality. The initiative aims to build safety, confidence, and stronger workplace presence for women in one of the country’s fastest-growing sectors.

At the University of Padua, Albanian journalism lecturers exchanged experiences with Italian peers to explore gender-sensitive media education, supported by UN Women to develop a similar module in Albania.