Albania
Albania pursues a human-centred, green and inclusive recovery through the Global Accelerator, building an EU-integrated society with decent work for all, universal social protection, and just transitions aligned with the 2030 Agenda.
Key figures
Implementing agencies
- ILO
- UNDP
- UNICEF
- World Bank
The Global Accelerator uses ILOSTAT and UN data to provide internationally comparable data across the countries engaged, which is based on government data.
Roadmap
Roadmap
Roadmap in implementation. Endorsed in June 2024.
Governance
- Ministry of Economy and Innovation
- Ministry of Health and Social Welfare
Priorities
Strengthen adaptive social protection
Strengthen adaptive social protection for people with disabilities by enhancing a disability reform, inclusive employment and skills development policies, and early-age support through partnerships and collaboration.
Inclusive social protection system
Build an inclusive social protection system for economic security and social equity.
Increase private sector investment in TVET
Facilitate increased private sector involvement in TVET programs, with a special emphasis on digital and entrepreneurship skills development targeting youth and women, particularly those from vulnerable communities and in rural areas.
Strengthen Integrated National Financing Framework
Strengthen Integrated National Financing Framework management to improve coordination, efficiency and sustainability of financing for employment and social protection.
Global Accelerator and M-GA highlights
- A long-term care (LTC) model was piloted in six municipalities, combining service expansion with job creation and a customized LTC workforce training curriculum was developed, which was adopted by the National Employment and Skills Agency, in line with the National Ageing Plan for 2025–30.
- Over 140 women and youth have received professional certification, 100+ have been employed and placed to provide integrated LTC services to 500+ households.
- A Universal Child Benefit (UCB) Scheme was introduced and designed, and the Universal Progressive Home Visiting (UPHV) model was operationalized, which has reached out to 1,600 children (0-5). Further advocacy for adoption of the UCB scheme is underway.
- 833 families were supported through an integrated service delivery, with psychosocial support services through home visits, mentoring and employment referral pathways, to move towards coordinated, family-centred support systems that simultaneously address multiple dimensions of vulnerability.
- In 15 municipalities, 40 instructors were trained to provide life skills and career guidance to vulnerable youth (aged 14-18 years) to prevent school dropouts and enhance job readiness.
- 886 women and youth completed employment-related training to transition into employment across tourism, hospitality, care, and other sectors. The programme has demonstrated how employment activation measures can be adapted to address barriers faced by women with unpaid care responsibilities.
- Albania’s first national Tourism Formalization roadmap was developed through tripartite workshops drawing on 24 EU practices. Its implementation was tested through a pilot on short-term rental accommodation in Korçë, where 34.4% of mapped bed capacity was found outside both municipal and national registers, while 61.2% of surveyed apartments and villas lacked valid categorization. The evidence informed policy recommendations for simplified and proportionate formalization, stronger inter-institutional coordination and assisted formalization mechanisms, including an STR Help Desk model.
- The study “Improving Access to Social Protection for Seasonal Workers: Challenges and Good Practices”, combining evidence from Albania with practices from Italy, Greece, Portugal and Spain, informed a national tripartite discussion with around 60 participants from government, workers’ and employers’ organizations and other key institutions. The process provided a basis for developing practical options to improve formalization and access to social protection for seasonal workers.
- The Global Accelerator and M-GA have supported the development of a pipeline of scalable, investment-ready solutions, like UCB models, home-based and community-based LTC services, integrated family-centred support, municipal Employment and Skills Roadmaps, that can be financed through government budgets and EU-supported reforms.
- Employment activation has been most effective when combined with social support and case management, over standalone interventions.
Projects
2 projects USD 2,330,000
Project
Financing
Status
Budget
LEAP Albania – Lifelong Empowerment and Protection in Albania
ILO · UNDP · UNICEF
2024–2026
GA
High-impact track · Round 1
Ongoing
USD 1,800,000
UN funding
Accelerating the transition towards a disability inclusive social protection system and the integration between the social assistance, social services and social insurance system
UNDP · UNICEF · World Bank
M-GA
M-GA Pathfinder · Round 2
Ongoing
UN: USD 260,000 World Bank: USD 270,000
Partners
- Government Ministry of Economy and Innovation, Ministry of Health and Social Protection
- Research and Academia IDRA Research and Consulting
- Finance –
- Development partners LEAP is implemented by UNDP (lead agency), UNICEF, ILO and UN Women, together with the Government of Albania.
