TIRANA, December 16 /ATA/ Minister of Health and Social Welfare Evis Sala stated today that accurate data are essential to take concrete measures and build effective policies.
She made the statement during an event organized by the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, UN Women and the European Union Office in our country, where there was presented the Gender Equality Profile of Albania.
Attending the event was EU Ambassador to Albania Silvio Gonzato.
Minister Sala stated that the Gender Equality Profile of Albania constitutes a very good basis for the work that must continue in this direction.
According to her, despite the improvement of legislation and public policies over the years, structural challenges in the field of gender equality remain and require continuous work.
Sala also shared her personal experience in office, noting that two of the first challenges she faced were the public debate on the issue of oncology and the law “On Gender Equality”.
“In the case of the law “On Gender Equality”, there has been a considerable dose of misinformation and miscommunication”, said Sala.
The minister noted that economic equality is one of the main pillars that directly affects gender equality, in general.
Sala shared some data from the study, according to which one in four women in Albania is out of work due to family commitments, compared to only 2% for men. Women are less likely to be employed, while 21% of women are self-employed, reflecting a deep gender gap. Women are also twice as likely as men to work without pay.
Minister Sala announced that 31% of businesses in Albania are owned and officially run by women.
The minister paid special attention to digital violence against women in politics and government. She described this phenomenon as very worrying, emphasizing that, although physical violence is terrible, digital violence has even more devastating consequences due to its scale and impact.
“Digital violence is a personal challenge for me and deserves special institutional attention. What I have experienced is digital violence against women in politics and government”, said Sala.
The minister underlined that gender inequality is not only an Albanian phenomenon, but should also address it in Albania.
“Gender equality is an ongoing process that requires joint and sustained commitment,” concluded Sala. /a.gj//a.f//r.e/p.s./
