TIRANA, Dec  27 /ATA/ – By  I. Vata/- Minister of Justice, Ulsi Manja, informed after the government meeting that the cross-sectoral strategy for juveniles and the action plan for the year 2022-2026 were approved.

At a media briefing, Manja emphasized that the strategy for juveniles has been drawn up in line with the recommendations of the EU.

“This strategy has been drawn up taking into account the recommendations of the European Union progress report for Albania for 2022, but also the priorities with regard to chapter 23. It is in line with the recommendations of the Committee for Child Protection , of the EU strategy for a juvenile-friendly justice, but also the recommendations of the monitoring mechanisms of the Conventions of the Council of Europe and the United Nations,” he said.

Manja emphasized that the new inter-sectoral strategy for juveniles, other than improving access to a juvenile-friendly justice in a bid to prevent them from being involved in criminal offenses, comes with two important novelties.

“This strategy is focused on children when they are victims of trafficking and domestic violence. A special compensation fund is created for children who are victims. Likewise, the strategy gives precedence to the execution of court decisions in order to compensate minors when they are victims, but also to monitor the decisions in practice,” said Manja.

He added that the other novelty is the launch of a national platform for all stakeholders who work with and for the protection of children and our international partners in order to prevent the involvement of minors in conflict with the law, mainly through education programs, information, going towards a restorative and friendly justice.

/sm/