GIZ Gender WebsiteOn the occasion of International Women’s Day, we would like to take the opportunity and continue with the informal series of meetings for women to women, and exchange on different topics related to challenges, barriers and biases that women face in Albania both in the personal and professional sphere and take the opportunity to emphasize the importance of taking swift and decisive steps to achieve gender equality.
Across Albania, women continue to face challenges in leadership and political participation, despite government reforms to improve legal, policy and institutional gender equality mechanisms. Albanian women’s participation and representation in political and economic decision-making remains limited and below international benchmarks.
These challenges become more visible when it comes to law enforcement, which has long been male-dominated due to cultural gender stereotypes, traditional mentalities, and political influences. Empowering women in law enforcement is not only a necessary step to meet international standards but also vital to enhance the integrity, trust, and effectiveness of these systems. It contributes to the stability and security as the country progresses toward EU integration, fostering a more inclusive and efficient justice system. The EU accession process is driving efforts to increase female representation, especially in leadership roles.
Female representation in the police force stands at 14.3%, below the EU average of 18.5%. Women hold only 10% of police director roles, with just 3% in first director positions. In prosecution, Albania has a notable 47.2% female representation at the first instance court level, but this drops sharply to 20% at the Supreme Court and only 8.6% in leadership prosecutorial positions.
Political influence and masculine mentality hinder merit-based recruitment and promotion, which prevent women from advancing. Reducing political influence on appointments and promotions is essential to create a merit-based system that reflects the capabilities of women in this area. This change will strengthen the integrity and effectiveness of law enforcement systems and align the region with EU standards.
Together with women working in different spheres in law enforcement and policy making level, the Country Director of GIZ in Albania, and representatives of GIZ projects working in good governance and rule of law, we have the opportunity to exchange in an informal and open setting.