The rapid and continuing demographic change and urbanisation process in Albania affect the family in its structure and functions. The influence of the family structure on child well-being has emerged as an issue in both developed and developing countries. Despite the increased significance of the status of children and their development, only limited studies have been undertaken in the national context to examine specific elements, such as early education, of child development. The role of the first years of education as a foundation of adulthood recently received attention by the government in Albania. This is an important step toward the consideration of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Our research will try to answer the question if family changes (family composition and structure) influence early childhood education. The main purpose is to provide insights into variations in household structure in Albania and the relationship of household structure and socio-economic status with early childhood education. We will use existing data and datasets from national surveys (Demographic Health Survey (DHS) 2008-09, Living Standard Measurement Study (LSMS) 2008, implemented by INSTAT). We expect that the findings of our study will supply the government and all interested actors with better information and recommendations on home environment, in which children are more at risk of unfavourable development in order to achieve better level of early education and reduce child learning difficulties.
Project leader: Ms Ines Nurja
Contact: Ms Lantona Sado (lsado@instat.gov.al; lantona_sado@yahoo.com)

Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Tirana: Monitoring Albanian steps towards gender equality: gender quotas in politics (February 2010 - January 2011)

Gender quotas are claimed to have considerable effects on the participation and representation of women in politics. However, the success varies widely across countries, from the Nordic ones with the incremental model to the Balkans with the initial total rejection but gradual acceptance thereafter. In Albania politics, profound gender differences exist and persist. Regardless of the recent legal provisions (2008), requiring 30% women participation in politics and decision-making, the general elections of June 2009 produced figures far below the target, with 22 women parliamentarians out of 140. Despite one recent research attempt to address this discrepancy, the issue remains unexplored. Hence, our research team composed of three social research and gender experts aims at addressing the questions, why legal gender quotas do not guarantee gender equity in politics; what factors help or inhibit the process of implementing legal gender quotas; and what it implies to be elected as a 'quota women' in Albania? In so doing, we hypothesise that: 1) Legal affirmative actions such as quotas bring about different outcomes in different cultural and political contexts and are not sufficient to meet the target of gender equity in politics; 2) Regardless of the positive impact quotas have in increasing women's participation in politics, they are accompanied by consequences for the ‘quota women' politicians. To demonstrate the (un)success of the quota system in Albania, we will use available data to map the situation in Albania and compare it to other countries in the region.
Project leader: Mr Edmond Dragoti
Contact: Ms Elona Dhembo (edhembo@yahoo.co.uk)

Advanced Studies Center, Tirana: Study over the affect of remittances on the social cohesion (February 2010 - January 2011)

After the fall of communism in the early 1990s, massive migration was the most common phenomenon in all post-communist countries, in Albania in particular. This major upsurge of migration, especially out of the country, led to the flow of remittances, becoming the main income for Albanian families. Further, domestic population movements from the poorest areas to Albania's centre created new informal settlements, challenging the development of Albanian society. The socio-economic development of these areas was based entirely on remittances from abroad, them being primarily used to build new homes and improve life quality in general. With almost two decades of these new demographic movements, we can now analyse in more detail the aspect of the integration of populations moving toward Albania's centre. Based on previous empirical studies that used data from Living Standard Measurement Study (LSMS; 2002-2005), it is possible to derive a direct positive link between internal migration and emigration. We assume that the internal demographic movements of families were a result of migration out of Albania and that the flow of remittances was the main source for the integration of newcomers into society. We will investigate the situation of internal migrants regarding their access to education, employment and living standards. Our research will focus on women's position and young people's integration, arguing that these two aspects represent important elements in the process of social cohesion and the development of communities in new informal settlements in Tirana's suburbs.
Project leader and contact: Ms Ermira Danaj (edanaj@gmail.com)

Development Solutions Associates, Tirana: Assessing land rights security in the context of agriculture and social development in rural Albania (February 2010 - January 2011)

Our study aims to analyse agricultural land property rights' insecurity, one of the main problems hampering agricultural development and social development in rural Albania. In the early 1990s, as in other transition countries, Albanian government implemented an agricultural land reform. Most land, once part of state farms and cooperatives, was equally distributed to rural households per capita ("new owners"), and the remaining part (15-20%) to the pre-1945 "old owners" according to the will of the rural residents. In some cases a mixed approach was used. From a structural point of view, equal land distribution per capita generated extremely high land fragmentation, resulting in an agriculture sector dominated by subsistence farms and characterised by inefficiency. Overlapping land boundaries and clashes between the "new owners" and the "old owners" generated both conflicts in rural communities and affected agriculture land transactions, investments, and consolidation process. To overcome this situation, an active and efficient land market is essential and the state should provide proper solutions for the unresolved issues related to property rights. Our study combines field survey with secondary data to analyse different types of existing perceived property rights insecurities, social conflicts caused by land claims and disputes, and their impact on agriculture land related investments and transactions. Our hypothesis is that property rights' insecurity leads to more land disputes, lower levels of long term investments and less land transactions.
Research leader: Mr. Edvin Zhllima (edvinzh@yahoo.com)
Project coordinator: Mr. Drini Imami (dimami@dsaconsult.com; drinimami@yahoo.com)