UN Women, in partnership with the government, launched a three-year initiative to empower women in rural northern Albania by strengthening governance, promoting economic opportunities, and combating gender-based violence in Shkodër, Bulqizë, Malësi e Madhe, and Dibër.

More than 40 women entrepreneurs participated in the “Women’s Entrepreneurship EXPO 2024” satellite event, held for the second consecutive year in Tirana, Albania, on November 18-19, 2024.

“Golden Hands” incubator will be used for processing fruit and vegetables, as well as packaging artisanal products from Southeastern Albania for distribution in the domestic market.

A woman going to work is not a common sight in Prrenjas, a small town in Eastern Albania, about 100 km from the country’s capital. In this area, particularly among people living in villages, women often work the land or take care of their families, constrained by a lack of employment opportunities, limited public transport, and prevailing societal attitudes. Alketa Haxholli, however, has challenged this mindset.

On October 27, 2023, more than 40 women-led businesses from Albania participated in the “Women’s Entrepreneurship EXPO” satellite event in Tirana, alongside partners from the private sector, government, and various stakeholders.

Silvana Subashi is a 47-year-old woman entrepreneur from Albania who is the administrator of Subashi Olive Oil, a cultivation and production oil company that has won many gold medals. A finance graduate with two children, Silvana will participate in the upcoming Women’s Entrepreneurship EXPO 2023 satellite event, taking place on October 27 in Tirana, Albania.

The UN Resident Coordinator’s Office and UN Women Albania co-organized an online training on the Gender Equality Marker (GEM) and the Human Rights Marker (HRM). The overall aim of the training was to ensure that the GEM and HR Marker scoring will be accurate for the upcoming Joint Work Planning cycle, which will cover the 2024-2025 period. The training was also an important step for ensuring the accuracy of markers is instrumental for adequately score UNCT SWAP Indicator 6.1, which verifies whether adequate resources for gender mainstreaming are allocated and tracked.

Ejona Zaimaj, recalls her challenging journey to becoming a successful entrepreneur in Albania and explores her new possibilities.

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.

Interview with Michele Ribotta, Head of the UN Gender Group and UN Women Representative in Albania

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

On 24 February 2023, the Government of Albania and UN Women hosted a sub-regional consultation for the Western Balkans and Türkiye, in preparation for the 67th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW67). The consultation provided an opportunity to discuss the gender gap in digital access, women's underrepresentation in certain professions, women’s entrepreneurship, decision-making in the digital transformation, as well as online discrimination and violence in the region.

UN Women in Albania, the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator (RCO), and the UN Women Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia organized a training on Monitoring & Evaluation and Gender Data dedicated to UN staff involved in programme management.

FED Invest is amongst the latest private companies in Albania signing the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs). FED Invest, a financial services company, joined the group of private sector partners that are now formally promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment in the workplace, marketplace, and community.

More than ninety women and girls from four regions of Albania participated in a fair event organized by UN Women and supported by the Albanian Network for Rural Development. They discussed the challenges faced by women in the agri-food sector in the presence of representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation and Municipality of Elbasan officials.

Afërdita Prroni, the Executive Director of the Human Rights in Democracy Center, a grassroot civil society organization involved in promoting and protecting human rights in Albania, has been working to strengthen the implementation of the domestic violence law under UN Joint Programme on “Ending Violence Against Women in Albania” and UN Women’s project “Gender sensitive post-earthquake recovery and reconstruction” funded by the Swedish Government.

When she was born 35 years ago her father cried because he wished his second child would be a boy. But throughout her life, Arjeta Puca, has proven to anyone who told her ‘You can’t do it because you are a girl’, that she can do anything.

The Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations and Deputy Executive Director of UN Women, Åsa Regnér, visited Albania to meet with high level government representatives, civil society organizations and international partners.

UN Women in collaboration with the Municipality of Kamza, a town 11 km from the capital Tirana, organized an awarding event with 16 women participants of the Women’s Small Business Program. They presented their business ideas and plans in front of a professional jury and business representatives following five months of training and coaching.

Driven by her love for nature, in 2016 Elona Bejo built a farm and bio-boutique for tourists who love nature and outdoor activities in the countryside of southern Albania. Her eco-friendly farm contributes to the economic development of the local area, which continues to see people leaving for better opportunities in urban centers. Despite the obstacles caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Bejo’s aims to create new income opportunities for her business and for the rural women in her community.