Albania: South-Eastern Europe Regional Consultation

VitaEurope

31 January 2008

The Children\'s Human Rights Centre of Albania � CRCA/DCI Albania, one of the major civil society organisations in Albania and the region of South Eastern Europe working to improve the situation of children\'s and youth rights through lobbying and advocacy, capacity building, policy and legislation formulation, announced today a new initiative related to children with genetic diseases.

CRCA/DCI Albania, together with Open Society Foundation in Albania, have initiated a joint-initiative that aims to improve the right to life of children with genetic diseases in South Eastern Europe, respectively in Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Slovenia and Serbia. However rather then focusing on medial issues the initiative is focused on policies and legislation in each country and how it affects the right to life of children with genetic diseases. Partners of the initiative include Child Rights Centre Belgrade, DEBRA Croatia, SEECRAN, CRCA Kosovo etc.

The project ALEX AND VLADI aims to debate and suggest strategies for Public Health Services in dealing with children with genetic diseases under the framework of UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the right of the child to life. The initiative would review and exchange regional country experiences on public health policies in guarantying the respect of the rights of the child.

The South Eastern Europe Regional Consultation titled: Children with Genetic Diseases: Policy and Practice in countries of South Eastern Europe will take place on 21-22 February 2007 in Tirana / Albania. Participants of this regional Consultation will be representatives and experts from Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Slovenia and Serbia. The initiative is funded by the Open Society Foundation in Albania under the frame-work of the East-East Programme.

Special guest of the meeting and moderators will be Mrs. Nevena Vuckovic Sahovic, member of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child and Prof. Dr. Edlira Haxhiymeri, Head of Social Sciences Department, School of Social Sciences of University of Tirana. Senior representatives of the Albanian Government and Albanian Parliament will be invited to welcome the participants and attend the meeting.