by Belisar Hoxholli
Published on: Nov 10, 2002
Topic:
Type: Opinions

Albania is a developing country that passed really difficult times during the transition period, from 1991 until some years ago . There were made really good steps in developing the economic life of the country, especially in the biggest cities. But what about social life, the community as a whole, young people as an essential part of this community?
The truth is not very much has been done. Young people still suffer from the past. This is reflected in their relations with their family, friends and teachers at school. Their mentality has to be change. Few of them know what human rights are, and those live in the biggest cities of my country. And what about rural youth? In rural areas young people are treated as stakeholders of the family economic situation by the age of 10 or earlier. They don't know what sex education is, and their families would never let such a "bad" thing tought to their children, because they consider it as a promovation of sex. Sex education has been added to school curricula since 1994, but it has never been developed to suit best young people needs. Only 6 classes of sex education for your whole life! And in those few hours, Sexual and Reproductive Rights are never mentioned, consequentely, most of the Albanian youth don't even know what they are.

In Tirana, the capital, the situation is not so concerning, but even there, youth to youth discrimination level is very high: to the point that it is thought that the worse person you may be is a homosexual one.
The school drop out rate is increasing year by year, and it is really difficult to control it.

Albanian youth are exposed to great risk: their intellectual extinction!
Although there is really good work done frome national/international NGOs, and the government, there is still a lot to be done to assure that the Albanian youth will have a brighter future to live in.

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