Today I walked through the streets of Tirana to protest against rape a sexual violence perpetrated against women and girls in Albania. Over the last 18 months, I have attended a number of similar events to protest domestic violence, the way that the police fail to handle such cases, and the media reporting of such […]
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The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has provided a EUR 5 million loanto Intesa San Paolo Bank Albania that will be used to fund women-led small businesses in Albania. The loan is designed to encourage female entrepreneurs a well as to narrow the gender gap in accessing finance for business purposes. It is hoped […]
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Next week, a collaboration between The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and the Open Minds Spectrum Albania (OSMA) will result in a specialised workshop being held in Tirana that will encourage the countries businesses to support the rights of LGBTI individuals. The HRC is America’s largest civil rights organisation with over 3 million members and focusses […]
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On the 25thof November 2018, started the annual ’16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence’ an international campaign to challenge violence against women and girls. It’s starting day is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and the 16 days’ end on the 10th December, international Human Rights Day. The initiative started […]
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This interview originally appeared on blitz.al Alice Taylor është britanikja që ka vendosur të jetojë në Shqipëri. Ajo ka gjetur veten e saj në jetesën dhe kulturën shqiptare, dhe ka vendosur të dokumentojë hapat e saj në blogun “The balkanista”. Por Alice ka një histori shumë interesante dhe frymëzuese që synon ta vazhdojë më tej, […]
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A few months ago in Tepelena, a young 13-year-old girl reported that she was being sexually violated and abused by her school teacher. Coming forward with such information must have taken immense strength and this young lady should be applauded. But the story does not end there. The court acquitted her teacher of all counts […]
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I am a feminist and I make no secret of it. I stand up for women who have been abused, discriminated against, or otherwise treated badly due to their gender. This does not mean however that I tolerate or will turn a blind eye to when women use their femininity in an abusive way. My […]
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I am a female and I have a social media presence. As such, and like any other person in the world who is both of these things, I have experienced unprecedented levels of harassment online. This harassment ranges from poorly spelt compliments (‘Hellu sexi”) to pictures of a rather sad looking, flaccid erection. Add in a number […]
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I met up with the lovely Rea a few weeks ago to chew the fat about life in Albania, life abroad, being a woman, empowering others, and doing the best for ourselves and society. She is one helluva inspiring young woman yet for some reason, she was interested in interviewing me. Of course, I said […]
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This is not applicable to The Balkanista, but I posted it here because I hope it will help some readers to understand some of the things that go through our minds as women every day. These are just off the top of my head. Wearing a ring on your engagement/wedding finger when you get creep-vibes […]
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