In her speech, the Minister of Health and Social Protection Ogerta Manastirliu said that through this law, there is built a communication platform between state structures and communities, with the aim of protecting potential victims and preventing the actions of convicts, thus limiting physical or virtual contact.

“It is a draft law that above all respects the basic human rights provided for in our Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights; it is a law that is also aligned with the directive of the European Union and above all that places absolute priority to the protection and the best interest of children. Therefore, it is very important that this law starts its implementation immediately. Of course, it will not be a miracle pill, but it will be one more instrument in the hands of the institutions and also in the citizen’s awareness, which will really help in the great effort to prevent cases or even to reduce the rate of recidivism as far as it belongs to crimes or sexual abuses”, said Manastirliu.

Minister Manastirliu said that during 2021, there were supported more than 2300 children at risk by social protection programs, while more than 70 children were taken into protection.

Speaking about the services for victims of sexual violence, Manastirliu said that three emergency reception centers are already operating in Albania: in Tirana, Fier and Shkodër and this network will be further expanded.

The draft law on the “National register of convicted sex offenders” was initiated by 28 civil society organizations and was supported by over 20 thousand citizens who signed this draft law, which was unanimously approved at the end of the last session for this season in the Parliament of Albania./k.s/p.s./