New UN Women Initiative to Empower Women in Rural Northern Albania

UN Women, in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, launched a new project aimed at empowering women in rural northern Albania. Over the next three years, the initiative will focus on strengthening gender-responsive governance, promoting economic opportunities for women, and combating gender-based violence in the municipalities of Shkodër, Bulqizë, Malësi e Madhe, and Dibër.

Speaking at the official launch of the project, Anila Denaj, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, emphasized the project’s potential to transform the lives of women.

“This project will empower 220 exceptional women in Bulqizë, Dibër, Malësi e Madhe, and Shkodër, providing them with the resources and skills needed to thrive in sectors such as beekeeping, food processing, and agritourism, fostering both economic independence and regional development. From an initial 600 women benefiting from subsidy schemes, we have now reached 6,000, but the challenge remains: how do we further increase women's representation in rural entrepreneurship? These are not short-term policies but part of a five-year vision for a more developed and integrated Albania within Europe,” she stated.

Funded by the Italian Government through the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), the project addresses socio-economic challenges in these regions, including women’s high unemployment rates, poverty, and limited access to essential services.

Marco Alberti, Ambassador of Italy to Albania, highlighted Italy’s strong commitment to advancing women’s empowerment in Albania.

“Italy strongly supports the empowerment of women in rural areas of Albania, in line with SDG 5 and as a driver of growth and social development. Today, with the support of the Italian Cooperation, we are launching this project as a concrete way to celebrate International Women's Day. We are grateful to the Albanian Ministries of Health and Agriculture, UN Women, and various non-governmental organizations for their cooperation,” Marco Alberti, Ambassador of Italy to Albania noted.

By combining economic empowerment with governance reforms, this initiative seeks to create sustainable opportunities for women while ensuring that local governance is inclusive and gender-responsive.

As Erisa Çela, Head of Programme at UN Women Albania, emphasized, “this intervention seeks to advance women's economic empowerment by enhancing their role in critical economic value chains and promoting women’s entrepreneurship and small businesses.”

Women play an important role in agriculture and rural development in Albania, making up 40% of the agricultural labour workforce, although they remain largely invisible and informal.^[1] They have limited access to land, financial resources, or agricultural support services, with only 10% benefiting from extension programs.

In Northern Albania, these challenges are even greater. The region relies heavily on agriculture but faces high unemployment, depopulation, and a lack of essential services, including as regards support for survivors of violence. Gender stereotypes, informality, and poor infrastructure further limit opportunities.

As Albania continues to address gender disparities, this project represents a significant step toward ensuring that women in rural areas have access to sustainable economic opportunities and a life free from gender-based violence.

^[1] According to INSTAT (Men and Women, 2022).