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Albanian Helsinki Committee begins cooperation
with municipal councils in Fier, Elbasan and
Gjirokastër regarding greater access for
minorities to the local government
In the context of increasing
minority participation in decision making and
increasing their access to local government
bodies, during July 16-20, 2007, AHC
representatives met with representatives of
local government bodies in the Municipalities of
Fier, Elbasan, and Gjirokastër.
AHC has signed cooperation
agreements with Municipal Councils and will soon
conduct an assessment of minority participation
in local government bodies as well as a self-assessment
of the respective municipality administrations
regarding respect for minority rights at the
local level.
AHC values the importance of
cooperation with the respective municipalities
and of supporting the initiative to assess the
situation of particularly the Roma minority and
the Egyptian community, as communities faced
with problems in the areas of education,
employment, housing, economic conditions, etc.
In order to inform the public
about the initiative, AHC representatives, its
local correspondents in the districts, and
Municipal Council Chairmen participated in a
local TV program. The programs were useful in
communicating with and sensitizing the local
public to cooperate for better respect for
minority rights by local government bodies.
Based on the assessment findings, municipal
councils will draft local strategies for
improving their work regarding minority
participation in public life and in decision
making.
The above activities were
realized in the context of the project
“Increasing the role of hte civil society and
state institutions in the promotion and better
respect for minority rights,” which was
supported financially by CORDAID.
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