From the football field to the national policy stage in Albania, this year’s International Women’s Day reminded me that progress is real — but the work is far from done.

⚽𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗶𝗿𝗹𝘀
   
I joined the Women’s Mini Football Tournament organized by UN Women and the Albanian Football Association (FSHF - Federata Shqiptare e Futbollit). Teams from civil society, media, the diplomatic community, and the UN came together for friendly matches celebrating teamwork, solidarity, and leadership.  

Beyond the impressive ball skills, the tournament showed how sport creates spaces for women and girls to gain confidence, visibility, and community. A special thanks to the professional female footballers who inspired everyone on the field. 

⚖️ 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗶𝗿𝗹𝘀

I also participated in the National Conference on Women’s Access to Justice, co-organized by the Ministry of Health and Social Protection of Albania, the Ministry of Justice of Albania, the Office of the Ombudsperson of Albania, the European Union, UN Women Albania, the Embassy of Sweden in Albania, and other partners. 
As United Nations Secretary General António Guterres reminds us, gender inequality remains one of the greatest human rights challenges of our time — and the most transformative solutions all have one thing in common: women.
  
Together with 🇪🇺 Ambassador Silvio Gonzato and Deputy Director for UN Women Regional Office ECA Elisa Fernandez, we reflected on Albania’s progress in strengthening justice institutions and aligning laws with international standards and the EU acquis. 

Yet evidence from the Albanian Femicide Observatory shows that many women still face barriers: lengthy court proceedings, limited legal aid, and gaps between legislation and implementation. Women in vulnerable situations — rural women, women with disabilities, and Roma and Egyptian women — face even greater obstacles.

I am grateful to all institutions, CSOs, UN colleagues, and partners working tirelessly toward this goal — and especially the frontline responders, community workers, and volunteers supporting women and girls every day.

The message of #IWD2026 is clear: progress requires persistence. Together, we must ensure every woman and girl can claim her rights, access justice, and live free from violence and discrimination. 

 

A while ago, UNDP asked people across Albania a simple question: What does Social Justice Day mean to you? What is social justice, really? The answers were as diverse as the people who shared them. Some spoke about fairness in schools and streets. Others talked about ending poverty, or making sure everyone has access to education. A few described it as the right to be seen, heard, and valued, regardless of where you come from. Different words, different perspectives—but one shared truth emerged: social justice is about dignity, equal opportunity, and protection from vulnerability, so that no one is left to struggle alone in the shadows.That truth comes alive most clearly in the stories of women like Vjollca and Fabiola. On this International Day of Social Justice, their journeys remind us that social justice is not an abstract idea debated in conference rooms or reduced to numbers in a report. It is built slowly and deliberately—through skills, protection, emotional support, and the quiet determination to turn survival into security. Vjollca knows the kind that wears you down year after year. For a long time, she worked informally in Vora, cleaning homes and taking whatever work, she could find. There was no contract, no social insurance, no safety net. Like so many women in similar situations, her choices were limited. As a mother raising a young son, while also managing her own health challenges, economic insecurity was a constant presence in her life.Her turning point came in late 2025. Between October and November, Vjollca attended every session of a housekeeping training course offered by UNDP through the UN Joint Programme Lifelong Empowerment and Protection in Albania (LEAP), funded by the Joint SDG Fund. She often arrived hand in hand with her little boy, determined not to miss a single day.The training gave her professional skills as a cleaning specialist—but it offered much more than that. Through sessions on work ethics, labour rights, and emotional empowerment facilitated closely by the National Agency of Employment and Skills and a local NGO called “HAP” Network, Vjollca began to understand her own value as a worker and the importance of social insurance. She gained not only knowledge, but confidence. Today, she is formally employed and has social insurance She feels safer, more protected, and far more aware of her rights. Those who worked with her describe her as a woman of strong character, with eyes full of light—the kind that comes from someone who has endured hardship and still chooses to stand tall. A different, yet equally powerful journey unfolds in the story of Fabiola, a 35-year-old mother. After moving from a remote area of Tropoja to Shkodra, Fabiola found herself alone, divorced, and without family support. With little work experience and no stable income, she faced deep socio-economic hardship. In 2022, after experiencing domestic violence, she turned to the organization Gruaja tek Gruaja, where she received emergency shelter alongside psycho-social and legal support.Through an individualized reintegration plan, Fabiola’s interest in professional training and economic independence became clear. She was selected as one of 15 women to take part in a four-month vocational training programme on long-term care for older persons and persons with disabilities, delivered in partnership with the Public Vocational Training Centre in Shkodra. There, she gained both theoretical and practical skills—from psycho-emotional support and first aid to hygiene standards, medication management, and the use of assistive devices.After completing the programme and earning her certification as a long-term care assistant, Fabiola moved into a practical placement in social care institutions, supported by the project and the Municipality of Shkodra. She is now transitioning toward formal employment and is in line for inclusion in the municipality’s local employment programme for home-based care services—part of an integrated care model the project is helping to build. At the same time, she openly shares her experience through project outreach activities, inspiring other women to believe that change is possible.“The stories of Vjollca and Fabiola show what social justice looks like when social protection, skills development, and decent employment are woven together. By addressing both economic and emotional barriers—and by moving beyond short-term support—the LEAP programme, funded by the Joint SDG Fund, is helping women in vulnerable situations step into formal work, social security, and a renewed sense of dignity”-says Randi Davis, UNDP Resident Representative.Their journeys are part of a wider transformation. Across Albania, LEAP has supported more than 1,000 vulnerable individuals—primarily women, young people, and families receiving economic aid. In 2025 alone, 864 households accessed integrated social and employment services, while 357 women and young people moved into employment, many for the first time. Through pilot initiatives in six municipalities, the programme has also helped grow the care economy, with 93 women securing paid roles in long-term care—turning unpaid or informal caregiving into dignified, protected work.On this International Day of Social Justice, the stories of Vjollca, Fabiola, and so many others offer quiet but powerful proof: when vulnerability meets opportunity, integrated support, and belief in second chances, lives change—and communities grow stronger.Social justice wears a human face. It looks like Vjollca arriving at training with her son by her side. Like Fabiola earning her certification as a caregiver. Like 93 women stepping into paid care roles with rights and security. 
It is not abstract—it is real, tangible, and transformative. Vulnerability becomes strength. Informal becomes formal. Survival becomes thriving. And when we keep investing in these bridges, we move closer to a world where dignity is not a privilege, but every woman’s birthright.###The programme is funded by the Joint SDG Fund and implemented by UNDP, UNICEF, ILO, and UN Women, in partnership with the Government of Albania.

Technology can strengthen justice systems by making them more secure, inclusive, and accessible. On the occasion of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we spoke with Irena Dervishaj, ICT Business Analyst for the EU4DigitalJustice Project, funded by the European Union and implemented by UNOPS Albania. EU4DigitalJustice supports Albania’s EU accession by strengthening the rule of law and increasing public trust in the justice system through digital transformation, enabling better collection and sharing of judicial data. Within this framework Irena plays a key role in translating business workflows into technical designs. Also as an expert in data analysis and reporting, she works with complex datasets to generate insights that support informed management decision-making. With over 20 years of experience in the sector, Irena has built a strong career in fields where women are still underrepresented.“I have always been drawn to work that makes a social impact,” she says. “Technology is powerful, but only when it responds to real-world needs.”At the EU4DigitalJustice project, Irena supports the development of  a case management system for Albania’s prosecution office. “When drafting the system requirements together with the project team, I focused on security for gender-based violence cases, multilingual access, and features for users with different levels of digital literacy. These are not extras, they are essential to delivering justice for everyone,” she explains.In parallel, she contributes to a feasibility study focused on exploring how justice institutions could securely share and analyse information through a unified digital system. This work helps lay the foundation for more informed decision-making, improved coordination between institutions, and greater transparency across the justice sector. As a woman in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), Irena sees her professional role as an opportunity to challenge inequalities embedded in technological systems. “Digital systems can either reinforce existing gaps or help close them, depending on how they are designed. Technology always reflects choices. We must ask: whose needs are we prioritizing?”- she notes.Through her work in technical roles, Irena has encountered stereotypes about who is seen as belonging in STEM. “Early in my career, I would present technical solutions and see surprise when people realized I truly understood the complexity” she recalls. “Looking at women in these domains, people often think that we are less technical, better suited for training or support roles rather than systems architecture”, explains Irena. To these biases she responds with confidence and skill. “Technical excellence speaks louder than stereotypes”. Yet she stresses that equality in these fields requires more than personal effort: “It needs visibility, opportunity, and structural change.”Mentorship has also shaped her path. Recalling a supervisor who encouraged her to lead complex projects in a male-dominated environment, Irena affirms: “Mentorship matters. I imagine a young girl seeing a woman in tech and thinking: "That could be me.”Indeed, when women are fully included in STEM, the benefits extend far beyond individual achievement. Diverse teams drive better outcomes, enhance creativity, and improve problem-solving.As the world continues to navigate rapid technological change, encouraging gender parity in STEM is not only a matter of fairness but a strategic imperative for sustainable development and inclusive innovation.

Olive growers in the Municipality of Belsh, Albania, are strengthening their skills and practices through the expansion of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nation’s (FAO) Farmer Field School approach, supporting a more sustainable and competitive olive oil value chain.At the heart of the initiative is the Farmer Field School model, a practical, farmer-led learning approach in which producers learn side by side in their own fields. By observing, experimenting and sharing their experiences, farmers develop solutions grounded in local realities, turning sustainability into a practical tool for better yields, quality and market access.Focused on strengthening the olive oil value chain in Belsh, the initiative equips olive growers, processors and local stakeholders with hands-on knowledge in good agricultural practices, quality control and environmental sustainability. The work on olives builds on FAO’s earlier value chain development efforts in the greenhouse vegetable sector, expanding lessons learned into a new and strategic crop for the area. By aligning local production practices with European Union standards, FAO aims to strengthen the environmental resilience and market readiness of Belsh’s olive oil production.Engaging local partnersIn early October, FAO brought together farmers, olive processors, the Olive Producers’ Association, municipal representatives and financial institutions for a multistakeholder consultation in Belsh. The discussion helped participants map the olive value chain, identify key bottlenecks and agree on training priorities. Participants highlighted challenges such as irrigation shortages, gaps in quality control and storage practices, limited access to finance and technology, and the prevalence of informal markets. Many olive groves, typically 12–15 years old and located in hilly areas, require intensive and well-equipped field management. The lack of routine soil and olive oil testing also was identified as a major factor affecting oil quality and farmers’ incomes.“Working directly with farmers and processors allows us to design truly targeted interventions that help the olive value chain make a quality leap, treating sustainability not as a cost but as an investment to access higher-value markets,” said Lorena Pullumbi, Assistant FAO Representative in Albania.From priorities to practiceBuilding on the consultation outcomes, FAO worked with national and international experts to translate local needs into a tailored Farmer Field School programme for olive cultivation. This process led to the launch of the first training session in mid-November, focusing on soil management and olive tree nutrition. Running through April 2026, the programme follows a seasonal learning pathway shaped by farmers’ priorities. It covers soil health, pruning, the establishment of new groves, harvesting and processing, integrated pest management and efficient irrigation.Learning in the olive grovesIn the Farmer Field School approach, learning happens where decisions matter most – in the olive groves themselves. Farmers apply new techniques directly in their fields, guided by FAO experts. They observe results over time and compare experiences through peer learning. “Learning about proper soil analysis and pruning techniques will directly improve our yields and the health of our trees,” said Aldo Jolla, an olive grower participating in the training.Learning alongside each other, farmers turn shared experience into practical solutions that strengthen sustainability, productivity and profitability across the value chain.Looking aheadThrough the Business4SDGs project, FAO continues to foster farmer engagement, peer learning and stronger institutional linkages, supporting olive growers in meeting European Union market requirements while building resilience to environmental pressures.“The Farmer Field School is helping our farmers adopt better, more sustainable practices and strengthen the resilience of Belsh’s olive-growing community,” said Aranit Duka, Director of Agriculture for the Municipality of Belsh.Lessons from the Belsh experience will inform future Farmer Field School cycles, starting with the next value chain season in January 2026. By turning sustainability into action – through better practices, stronger local capacities and clearer links to higher-value markets – FAO and its partners are positioning Belsh as a model for environmentally and economically resilient olive production.The activity is implemented under the joint United Nations Business, Partnerships and Solutions for Sustainable Development Goals II (B4SDG II) project, involving collaboration among FAO, the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization and the International Labour Organization, with financial support from the Government of Sweden through the Joint SDG Fund.