CRC/C/ALB/CO/2-4
(c)
Provide clear legal definition of the concept of “evident lack of interest”
contained in article 250 of the Family Code;
(d)
Define procedures to be followed by the Albanian Adoption Committee
and clarify the sharing of responsibilities between that Committee and the institutions
regarding, notably, declarations of abandonment; and
(e)
Ensure that judges take decisions relating to adoption procedures within
a reasonable time and can be held accountable for the failure to fulfil their
responsibilities with due diligence.
G.
Disability, basic health and welfare (arts. 6, 18 (para. 3), 23, 24, 26, 27
(paras. 1–3) of the Convention)
Children with disabilities
58.
The Committee is concerned about the situation of children with disabilities in the
State party, most of them being totally excluded from mainstream society, kept isolated in
their homes and living in situations of poverty at high risk of being ill-treated. The
Committee notes with particular concern the poor implementation of the National Strategy
on Disabled People and the absence of effective measures and strategies for children with
disabilities to enjoy de facto their rights. The Committee is also concerned that:
(a)
Early identification and early intervention services are lacking, a situation
which has detrimental impact on the lives of children with disabilities and undermines their
chances of inclusion in the society;
(b)
Only children with the most serious disabilities receive financial support
while children with mental, hearing and speech disabilities receive no support at all and that
families having several children with disabilities receive financial support for only one of
their children; and
(c)
Most children with disabilities are deprived of their right to education.
59.
In the light of its general comment No. 9 (CRC/C/GC/9, 2006), the Committee
recommends that the State party address as a matter of priority the situation of
extreme marginalization of children with disabilities in the State party. In particular,
the Committee recommends that the State party:
(a)
Undertake long-term awareness-raising programmes in order to change
and combat negative societal attitudes prevailing against children with disabilities;
(b)
Set up mechanisms for early detection and multidisciplinary intervention
services for children with disabilities and their families and take all the necessary
measures to increase their access to preschool education;
(c)
Ensure that all children with disabilities, including children with mental,
hearing and speech disabilities receive proper financial support and care from the
State and that support to families is no longer restricted to one child per family;
(d)
Develop a comprehensive national strategy on disability, promoting the
full enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all children with
disabilities, with special focus on time-bound measures to ensure that children with
disabilities access mainstream education; and
(e)
Consider ratifying the Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities.
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