CRC/C/ALB/CO/2-4
transfers and have failed to lift families, in particular Roma families and families with
children with disabilities, out of poverty. The Committee is also concerned that two thirds
of poor families are left without any economic aid.
67.
The Committee recommends that the State party reform its child protection
system and undertake structural changes in order to address child poverty, including
by ensuring priority access to services for all families and children at risk, paying
particular attention to Roma families and families with children with disabilities. In
that regard, the Committee recommends that the State party provide all families with
child allowance as a universal benefit and that cash transfers to families living in
poverty are complemented by measures to promote employment for women and
children after completing education and provide skills training, housing, transport
and other benefits. The Committee also recommends that the State party ensure that
social workers are well trained, receive sufficient salaries and are clearly instructed to
identify families and children at risk, manage the social schemes effectively and follow
up on their implementation and assess their impact.
68.
While welcoming the information provided by the State party during the dialogue
that the Roma families forcibly removed from their settlement near Tirana train station in
February 2011 were finally provided with housing solutions, the Committee remains
concerned about the precarious housing conditions in which some of these families still
remain.
69.
The Committee recommends that the State party address the housing
conditions of all the affected Roma families and refrain in the future from forced
evictions.
H.
Education, leisure and cultural activities (arts. 28, 29 and 31 of the
Convention)
Education, including vocational training and guidance
70.
While the Committee welcomes the introduction of the “Second Chance”
programme, it is concerned that only 3.2 per cent of the State party’s gross domestic
product (GDP) was devoted to education in 2011, which is well below the minimum
international standard and below the regional average. The Committee is particularly
concerned about the dilapidated state of school buildings, the poor situation of hygiene and
sanitation, the poor education services and learning conditions in rural areas. The
Committee is also concerned that:
(a)
Although compulsory education lasts until Grade 9, only primary school is
free, and costs compromise the ability of parents to send their children, especially girls, to
school;
(b)
Despite efforts to provide transportation to schools, most schools are
concentrated in the centre of the communes;
(c)
There are barriers to accessing education for children lacking birth
registration and identity documents, including Roma children, children with disabilities,
children from remote areas and children with HIV/AIDS;
(d)
Although pregnant girls are allowed to continue education, they are in
practice often encouraged to do distance learning;
(e)
Only 10 per cent of all children between 1 and 3 years have access to
preschool education and children from the Roma communities have even lower access,
17