Albania endorses a new National Referral Mechanism for Potential and Victims of Trafficking, drafted with OSCE Presence’s support

On 26 June, Albanian public institutions and civil society organizations signed a new Co-operation Agreement for the National Referral Mechanism for Potential and Victims of Trafficking (NRM), developed thanks to the OSCE Presence’s technical assistance in the 2022–2023 years.

The new agreement targets existing and emerging types of trafficking in human beings and involves all pertinent institutions in order to guarantee adequate protection to potential and current victims of trafficking in Albania. It follows a thorough needs assessment analysis and consultations with state and civil society stakeholders, conducted by the Presence and the Ministry of Interior, in order to update the NRM framework in line with the Albanian human trafficking challenges, the legal framework, and ultimately with the OSCE commitments.

In remarks delivered at the event, the Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania, Ambassador Bruce Berton called attention to the fact that, “For the first time in Albania, the NRM Agreement incorporates the advisory board of the victims of trafficking through the shelters for victims of trafficking, makes it even more distinctive and in line with the OSCE’s victim-centred approach to addressing human trafficking”.

Fifteen representatives of Albania’s state institutions and civil society organizations (CSOs) signed the new NRM Agreement. It is worth noticing that the number of signatories has expanded compared to the previous agreement, to include state institutions, such as the State Agency for the Rights and Protection of the Child, the State Labour Inspectorate, the Free Legal Aid, the State Agency or the Administration of Seized and Confiscated Assets, and the State Employment Service, as well as CSOs that provide emergency and long-term assistance to victims of trafficking, thus, expanding the range of services available for adult and children victims of trafficking.

The OSCE Presence in Albania will continue to provide technical assistance to state institutions in the fight against trafficking in human beings, especially in supporting the NRM Agreement’s implementation through the provision of specific guidance and training.