Albania Hundreds of children against child labor

27 Jun 2009

Albania: This is not childhood, forbid my exploitation! is the message of this year anti-child exploitation campaign of the Albanian Coalition* “All Together against Child Trafficking”. On the occasion of the International Day Against Child Labor, BKTF and UNICEF launched the third annual awareness raising campaign. This year campaign addresses the public with messages to fight child exploitation and to calls the public to Say Yes to Childhood! Exploitation of children for labor, especially earning profits through begging, has long been an issue in Albania. A large number of children work in hazardous conditions. BKTF calls for putting an end to these damaging practices which halt the proper development of Albanian children.

The event gave a chance to children from different NGO’s of BKTF to come together and give messages against forced child labor and pro-child development and a dignified childhood. Organized in one of the main parks of the Tirana city, children prepared balloons where were written messages of the campaign. Children wrote on a white cloth how they would think their childhood should and should not be. Photos taken from children were exhibited. Finally, children played games with the animators (see the image gallery here).

_Albania__Hundreds_of_children_against_child_labor_1.jpgThe awareness campaign, running from June to October, has two primary goals. Firstly, is to raise public awareness on the violation of the rights of children that are forced to work and beg on Albania’s streets. Secondly, to raise the awareness of key Albanian decision makers so that they include child protection policies in their policy planning and implementation.

The media awareness raising campaign is part of the efforts conducted by the BKTF coalition along with its advocacy in improving laws, policies and services for child protection. T*he American and the Dutch Ambassadors were present* and greeted the activity. Both ambassadors called for increased efforts of the State authorities but also of the public playing a crucial role in child protection.

Events with the same topic were organized in several other cities and villages of the country supported by members of the coalition such as Caritas or World Vision. [VL]