Ombudsman At The National Council On Gender Equality Meeting: Our Reports On Femicide Must Be Addressed; The Situation On The Ground Differs From The Situation On Paper.
Chaired by the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Klodiana Spahiu, the National Council on Gender Equality met today for the first time.
In his remarks, Ombudsman Endrit Shabani emphasized the importance of effectively implementing the legal framework and called for reports from the Femicide Observatory to become an integral part of the Council's discussions and decision-making processes.
"Since 2024, the Ombudsman, with the support of UN Women, has established an observatory on femicide. As a primary request, I would like the reports produced by this observatory to be incorporated into this Council's discussions. This will allow us to see the difference between the reality that exists on paper and the reality that plays out in practice. It is the reality on the ground that brings us together here today, and it is the very reason the legal framework exists," said Shabani.
The meeting marked the launch of a new inter-institutional approach, bringing together representatives from relevant ministries, independent institutions, the Ombudsman’s office, and civil society; Minister Spahiu emphasized that gender equality must be measured by the tangible change it brings to the lives of women and girls. The meeting also addressed gender-responsive budgeting, the use of data for public policy formulation, and the need to translate legal standards into concrete protections and guaranteed rights for citizens in their daily lives.