A/HRC/20/24/Add.1 compared to a total number of 52,917 returnees in 2010. 29 Representatives of the migration counters noted that a long-standing distrust in labour offices during the socialist era in part explained the low registration numbers. A group of returnees who met with the Special Rapporteur had never heard of the migration counters, indicating the critical need to step up outreach efforts and information campaigns on their work and on reintegration programmes and services in general. 49. The Special Rapporteur took note of the needs expressed by representatives of the migration counters regarding increased budgetary and operational autonomy and increased training opportunities for staff to be more effective. Increased financial support would enable them to follow up on individual cases and support returnees more proactively in their search for employment and social integration. In terms of State assistance, tax exemption for work by returnees and proper individual social aid schemes were also called for. 30 C. Women, youth and children 50. Women, youth and children require particular attention and support in the reintegration process. While noting the planned activities for readmitted children as well as for unemployed female job-seekers in the return strategy,31 the Special Rapporteur was informed that many children and young women (aged 20–28) faced problems in accessing education, training and employment opportunities as well as school abandonment and isolation. In particular, the lack of a tailored strategy at local level to integrate children in schools or provide women with employment opportunities was stressed. The Special Rapporteur also learned that the recognition of diplomas of young returnees educated abroad encounters bureaucratic hurdles,32 preventing the public administration from benefiting from expertise and experiences gained by highly qualified young Albanians. 51. The particularly dire socio-economic situation of women returnees and children living in so called “informal areas” or “informal housing settlements” in the outskirts of Tirana was highlighted to the Special Rapporteur. Access to essential services such as water, central heating and electricity in these areas is estimated to be less than half the average access in Tirana.33 Awareness of and the level of trust of State support and social services is reportedly very low. D. The role of social workers 52. The Special Rapporteur learned with regret that, under the public administration system, social workers are primarily in charge of distribution of cash benefits and do not undertake case management which would allow for follow-up on individual cases at community level. A legacy of its past, Albania lacks a tradition of social work and social administration, resulting in the absence of a coordinated and sustainable community-based 29 30 31 32 33 Government source, information provided by the European Union delegation, January 2012. Out of this number, 50,735 were returned from Greece, and 1,150 were returned from Italy. See also article 9, para. 1, of the Law on Emigration of Albanian Citizens for Employment Purposes and action point 36 of the “Strategy on reintegration of returned Albanian citizens”. Return Strategy, Action points 25 (i), 29, 30, 31, 32, 33. National Strategy on Migration, p. 11. Tsenkova, S, “The Phenomenon of Informal Settlements in Post-Socialist Cities: Factors and Patterns of Diversity”, Urban Challenge, vol. 21, No. 2 (2010), pp. 73-84. 15