Speech of the Minister of Health and Social Protection, Mrs Albana Koçiu, at the 10th International Civil Society Action Forum Women, Peace and Security, “Peace building in times of pessimism”.
Hello everyone!
Dear Deputy Speaker of the Assembly,
Dear Evis,
Ladies and Gentlemen, Colleagues, Partners
It is indeed a pleasure to be in a room full of women and girls. Many of us belong to a generation that has experienced war and conflict first hand. Yet, for more than 20 years, the prevalence of peace in this part of the world led us to believe that war and the use of force and violence to solve problems were things of the past. Sadly, this was not the case!
Today, when the horrors of weapons have spread everywhere and Europe has become the theatre of the most vicious conflict since the end of the Second World War, the importance of solidarity is more important than ever.
There is no doubt that building peace in times of crisis is very difficult.
Undoubtedly, our discussions in the honourable hall of the Assembly will not stop Russian tanks in Ukraine or other conflicts in the world.
Nor, unfortunately, is there an instant solution. But there is one solution that has been proven to work wherever it has been implemented: It is the inclusion of women and the promotion of gender equality.
UN data shows that peace agreements that involve women are much more likely to last. The same data shows that countries with higher levels of gender equality are much less likely to use violence to resolve their conflicts. There is a clear link between women and peace: An equation that says: Woman equals peace!
I would like to quote our honourable friend, Mrs. Sanam Anderlini, who said, “the empowerment of women is not only a matter of justice, it is a strategic approach for any society that wants to thrive. The role of women is essential for the economic, social and political well-being of any community”. This is exactly what we have tried to do in Albania. Personally, I feel truly privileged to be part of one of the few cabinets in the world with a majority of women.
I am also proud of this Parliament, which, with each passing term, is narrowing the gap between the representation of women and men. Albania is among the countries that have not only ratified the historic resolutions 1325 and 2250, but have also harmonised all these objectives in our legislation, strategies or action plans.
Just last December, we adopted the Second Action Plan of Resolution 1325 on “Women, Peace and Security”, further promoting the inclusion of women in traditionally male-dominated sectors such as security, defence and peacekeeping missions.
Beyond politics, we now have more women than ever before in the armed forces, in international peacekeeping missions, in diplomacy, in the national police, and in senior positions in the administration.
In 2013, a woman headed the Minister of Defence for the first time. In 2016, the first female general was appointed. In 2017, a woman chaired the Security Commission.
Furthermore, the wage gap between men and women, whether in entrepreneurship or in other areas of Albanian life, continues to narrow. In addition, Albania has done everything possible to promote peace by promoting equality in the international arena, especially in the direction of the OSCE in 2020 and our mandate in the Security Council in 2022-2023.
However, we are aware that all these achievements are not enough to change the fact that much remains to be done to achieve full peace and equality in all spheres of our lives.
In this regard, the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, which I have the privilege to lead, has an essential role to play in promoting equality for all, including those women and girls who are not in a privileged situation.
Today, we have mechanisms such as the Social Fund, as well as community-based services extended to local government or provided in collaboration with civil society, shelters for victims of violence, direct support for reintegration, employment, etc. However, we still have a lot to do.
However, we still have a lot of work to do and I assure you that this is what we are doing!
I would like to end my speech by quoting one of the most popular Albanian women in the international arena, a strong woman who has enchanted the world’s biggest stages with her voice.
It is exactly Ermonela Jaho who says: “Empowering women means investing in the future. Because a woman has the power not only to change her destiny, but to change the destiny of the world”.
So congratulations on today’s session and let’s all come together to change the world’s destiny.
Thank you very much!