Women in Albania are key drivers of social and economic progress, yet they remain underrepresented in political leadership. To bridge this gap, UN Women Albania, with support from the Swedish Government, trained over 130 women and girls across the country, equipping them with the skills and networks needed to step into leadership roles.

The May 11, 2025, elections are a key moment to strengthen democracy and build on Albania’s progress in women’s political leadership. While the country ranks 44th globally for women in Parliament, sustaining these gains requires ongoing efforts to ensure participation and prevent setbacks.

10 September 2024 – UN Women in Albania organized in September a five-day Training of Trainers focused on women’s active participation in politics. 14 accomplished trainers were certified on political leadership and candidate training.

David Cuka, a 31-year-old trailblazer from Tirana, Albania, joined the UN Women's "Imagine" campaign aiming to raise awareness and challenge cultural stereotypes and gender-based discrimination in Albania and the Western Balkans.

“Women and girls in Albania face significant underrepresentation and limited participation in sports due to rooted gender stereotypes, inadequate funding, and biased media portrayal”. These are some of the key findings from the "Gender Equality and Women's Participation in Sports in Albania" assessment, conducted by UN Women.

Young peacebuilders from the Western Balkans participated in a two-day training to strengthen their capacities on the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) and Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) agendas.

On the occasion of International Women’s Day, UN Women and students of the Faculty of Social Sciences in Albania launched a campaign to tackle gender stereotypes and discrimination, in partnership with Sophie Caffe, a popular coffee shop chain in the country. The initiative won first prize in a student “bootcamp” organized by UN Women as part of the joint UN programme "Leave No One Behind”.

Ema Meçaj is a 19-year-old activist from Albania, currently pursuing a degree in medicine at the University of Medicine in Tirana. A dedicated advocate for human rights, gender equality, and climate action, she recently co-moderated the regional youth consultation from December 13 to 14, 2023, in preparation for the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68). In this Interview, Ema Meçaj reflects on the youth consultations, outlines the key issues for this year’s CSW, and emphasizes the vital role of youth in advancing the gender equality agenda.

A two-day workshop on gender participatory budgeting and community outreach practices brought together civil society organizations, local government representatives, activists, and gender-responsive budgeting experts from Albania and North Macedonia.

Toxic masculinities, rigid gender stereotypes, hate speech and media representation of traditional gender roles increase the risk of violence, particularly against women, which is considered to be the most widespread form of violence throughout the region – according to a new research supported by UN Women.

Fake news, misinformation, and hate speech are causing significant harm to mental health, exacerbating social divisions, and eroding trust in public institutions throughout the Western Balkans. Marginalized groups, particularly women and girls, are frequently targeted by hate speech. Of particular concern is the role of social media, which has become a fertile breeding ground for disinformation.

The local government elections on 14 May are an important opportunity to strengthen local democracy in Albania, and to consolidate past achievements in promoting women leadership in decision-making. Ahead of the start of the campaign, the United Nations in Albania reached out to political party leaders, advocating for women’s full and meaningful participation in local elections, and presenting a set of recommendations in three key areas.

Around 20 journalists and media experts joined the media forum on "Media and Violence Against Women in Politics and Elections" organized prior to Albania’s Local Elections taking place on the 14th of May, by UN Women and its partner organization "Together for Life". Participants in the event discussed the various challenges faced by women in politics and elections and the crucial role of the media in addressing them.

Verie Tahiraj is a strong and determined woman, who has been supporting her family through economic hardship for years. When the opportunity to secure a source of income by becoming a part of the artisan value chain presented itself, she seized it without hesitation.

More than fifty young people from the region engaged virtually in a constructive dialogue addressing the root causes of gender inequalities and its implication for social cohesion. This was the first regional consultation organized by UN Women as part of UN’s ‘Youth 4 Inclusion, Equality & Trust’ project supported by the UN Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund, contributing to promoting gender equality as a driver for social cohesion and reconciliation in the Region.

Women artisans engaged in the handicraft value chain and market now better equipped to earn higher incomes.

Aferdita Kote’s* old Nokia phone had only one contact: that of her husband of 10 years. He called her constantly to know her whereabouts. But she did not tell him when she got a new smartphone equipped with a mobile application (Bright Sky) to report violence.

Fabiola Laço Egro is the founder and leader of the “Today for the Future” Community Center as well as a member of National Council of Civil Society in Albania and the Monitoring Network against Gender-Based Violence. One of the most prominent civil society activists in Albania, Ms. Laço Egro shares her perspectives and lessons learned on building networks and alliances to advance the gender equality agenda.

The UN Women office in Albania teamed up with the government, civil society organizations, international partners, and other UN agencies operating in the country to mark this year's 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence with a variety of public events, university lectures, trainings, social media campaigns and much more.

The Ministry of Health and Social Protection and UN Agencies in Albania launched the “16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence” campaign supported by UN Women. The event brought together government and international partners, feminists, women’s rights activists, as well as many others who work every day to prevent and eliminate violence against women and girls.