On 4 November 2025, Terre des hommes Albania organised the National Conference “From Procedure to Real Protection: Justice that Serves Children” in Tirana, with the participation and contribution of all key institutions in the justice, protection, and child rights sectors. The event brought together policymakers, practitioners, and experts to exchange perspectives on how to make Albania’s justice system more child-friendly, effective, and humane.
A key moment of the event was the presentation of the national study “Implementation of Procedural Rights for Children in Conflict with the Law”, authored by Prof. Arben Rakipi and Dr. Amarildo Laçi from the School of Magistrates. The study provided an in-depth analysis of Albania’s current practices in handling juvenile cases and offered practical recommendations for improving investigation, adjudication, and inter-institutional cooperation.
“We dedicated a day to child justice — fostering a shared approach, strong will, and coordination focused on children in contact and conflict with the law. It is essential to be more humane and to look at every challenge that a child faces through a human lens,” highlights Albana Izeti, Access to Justice Programme Manager at Terre des hommes Albania.
The discussions brought forward valuable insights on:
- the importance of rigorously implementing procedural rights for children in conflict with the law by ensuring child-friendly processes and spaces during investigation and trial;
the need for continuous capacity building of professionals handling juvenile cases in both criminal and civil proceedings;
- the implementation of alternative measures to imprisonment;
- and the development of practices, programmes and opportunities for the reintegration of children into the community.
In her address, Mrs. Elona Hoxha, Deputy Minister of Justice, highlighted that “children in contact with the law, whether as victims, witnesses, or accused, are individuals in a vulnerable situation, where justice should not only be a procedure but also protection, assistance, and an opportunity to return to life.”
At Terre des hommes, we strongly believe that justice serving children is the foundation of a strong and humane system – a justice that protects the most vulnerable, builds trust, and ensures equal opportunities for every child to grow up with dignity and hope for the future.
Ensuring children’s rights requires inter-institutional cooperation, shared commitment, and willingness and readiness for change. Justice for children should not be just a process, but a lived reality for every child!
A special thanks to main partners: Austrian Development Agency, Ministry of Justice, Prof. Arben Rakipi, Dr. Amarildo Laçi, School of Magistrates, Security Academy, National Chamber of Advocacy, UNICEF Albania, General Directorate of the State Police ,Prosecution at the Court of First Instance of the General Jurisdiction of Elbasan, Prosecution at the Court of First Instance of General Jurisdiction of Tirana, Constitutional Court of the Republic of Albania, General Directorate of Prisons, General Directorate of Probation Service, General Directorate of Enforcement, Center for the Prevention of Juvenile Crimes and State Agency for the Rights and Protection of the Child.
Background: Strengthening child-friendly justice in Albania
The conference was organised within the framework of the project “Youth, Rights and Justice”, financed by the Austrian Development Agency and implemented by Terre des hommes Albania from July 2022 to December 2025.
The project places special emphasis on strengthening mechanisms for the protection of procedural rights of children and young people in contact or conflict with the law, as well as building the capacities of justice professionals to ensure a comprehensive and child-friendly approach to justice.
In close cooperation with the General Prosecutor’s Office and the School of Magistrates, the project has implemented a series of interventions to enhance the knowledge, practices, and professional approaches of prosecutors, judicial police officers, victim coordinators, and magistrates. These include the development and delivery of specialised training modules on international and national standards for the protection of minors, rights-based approaches, and child-friendly interviewing techniques, which are key elements in ensuring a justice system that protects the well-being and dignity of children.