Albanian society is dominated by a patriarchal culture and is characterised by a deeply closed, conservative mentality concerning women's and LGBTIQ+ people’s rights. This reality becomes even harsher in Northern Albanian regions, where the patriarchal mentality is stronger, violence against women is pervasive and talking about LGBTIQ+ rights still seems utopian. Even though there is an increasing advocacy effort to contrast gender stereotypes, promote women’s empowerment and the acceptance of LGBTIQ+ people in society, with greater visibility in the media and public life, women and LGBTIQ+ individuals still experience discrimination, harassment and violence at work, school and in social situations. The idea of the Action comes then from a common urgency of the three partners’ organisations who have a long history of collaboration on supporting civil society, women’s rights and gender equality, and public policies in a gender perspective.

The Action aims to contribute to enable CSOs in promoting gender equality with an intersectional approach that focuses on structural inequalities and discrimination faced by women and gender-diverse people, to promote more effective gender sensitive policies in Albania. The main long-term goal of the project is promoting and defending women and LGBTIQ+ people’s rights in Albania.

• Empowering CSOs active in women's and LGBTIQ+ rights in the areas of Tirana, Shkoder and Lezha in playing a role as pacesetters to advocate, raise awareness, and deliver services for gender equality and against Gender Based Violence (GBV)

• Women and LGBTIQ+ Organisations reinforce their capacity to promote and adopt Gender Equality Agendas into public policies, services and initiatives.
• Gender and social policies are improved through dialogue between CSOs and Local Authorities in the target Municipalities.
•Women and LGBTIQ+ CSOs have a strengthened capacity to pilot initiatives and provide services on women and LGBTIQ+ rights and to fight GBV.
•Women and LGBTIQ+ rights are more visible and known by the public audience at the local and national level O4.1.