12 June 2009, First national study on domestic violence is presented.

Domestic violence in Albania: A nationwide population-based survey, conducted by the institute of statistics (INSTAT) in co-operation with MoLSAEO
The nationwide population-based survey has been conducted during 2007 – 2008 by INSTAT in co-operation with MoLSAEO and has been launched on 12 June 2009 in Tirana.
Mrs. Entela Lako, a UNDP official, opened the meeting with a brief presentation of the drafting of the report “Domestic Violence in Albania: a nationwide population-based survey,” which was made possible thanks to the MoLSAEO co-operation. The report’s priority was the collection of data on the prevention of domestic violence and protection of its victims.
In this context, Mrs. Turkos-Cosslet, UN resident co-ordinator, hailed these efforts, while point out the particular importance of this study. According to her, “Domestic violence is one of the greatest human rights violations world-wide.” She also emphasised that, “Human rights start at the private places; the human rights start at our homes.”

The Albanian Government is engaged in an allout campaign to prevent and fight domestic violence at one with the CoE campaign, by adopting concrete political and legislative measures to enable the victims’ protection and support and to raise the community awareness on issues related to domestic violence.

The speakers stressed that domestic violence in Albania stands out as a phenomenon of disturbing proportions, an escalating problem especially in the second decade of marriages (30-40 years old).