Government leaders, United Nations agencies and development partners convened in Tirana today to reaffirm their shared commitment to advancing jobs and social protection reforms in Albania. The High-Level Partners Meeting on Jobs and Social Protection, held at the Center for Openness and Dialogue (COD), brought together national institutions, international partners, civil society, academia and the private sector to accelerate progress toward inclusive and resilient systems.
Organized jointly by the Government of Albania and the United Nations, represented by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), UNICEF, International Labour Organization (ILO) and UN Women, the meeting was held in partnership with the Joint SDG Fund and the Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection. Discussions focused on strengthening the links between social protection and decent work, with a shared objective of reducing inequality and expanding opportunity for all.
At the opening, Ingrid Macdonald, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Albania, underscored the importance of integrated approaches that place people at the centre of policy. She emphasized that connecting income security with access to quality jobs is essential to building systems that are inclusive, child- and gender-responsive, and resilient to future shocks.
The meeting marked a key milestone in Albania’s reform agenda, as partners reviewed early results and next steps under the UN Joint Programme Lifelong Empowerment and Protection in Albania (LEAP). Supported by the Joint SDG Fund, LEAP is helping translate policy ambition into tangible outcomes by aligning social protection, employment and care systems.
Through LEAP, partners have already achieved concrete results across the country:
- 700 families receiving economic assistance have accessed integrated care and long-term support, improving their quality of life.
- 530 women and young people have gained new skills and job opportunities in the tourism and care sectors, supporting transitions from insecurity to stable employment.
- More than 1,700 children and families have been reached through integrated health and social services, helping ensure that no child is left behind.
- Mobile training units have delivered skills development and employment opportunities to remote areas, demonstrating that geography should not be a barrier to inclusion.
Speaking on behalf of the Government, senior officials reaffirmed their commitment to sustaining reforms that promote fair work, gender equality and lifelong empowerment. Silvio Gonzato, Ambassador of the European Union to Albania, highlighted the importance of coordinated investments that strengthen national systems and deliver lasting impact.
Albania’s progress positions the country as an active contributor to the Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection, a global effort to create 400 million decent jobs and extend social protection to 4 billion people worldwide. Representatives from the European Union Delegation, the World Bank, the Swiss Development Cooperation, and the embassies of Germany, Italy and Switzerland joined partners in pledging continued cooperation and investment.
The meeting concluded with a shared call to maintain political will and sustainable financing for reforms that connect social protection with employment, empower vulnerable groups, and support inclusive growth.
Original publication: https://albania.un.org/en/305067-albania-and-united-nations-advance-reforms-jobs-and-social-protection
Note:
All joint programmes of the Joint SDG Fund are led by UN Resident Coordinators and implemented by the agencies, funds and programmes of the United Nations development system. With sincere appreciation for the contributions from the European Union and Governments of Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland for a transformative movement towards achieving the SDGs by 2030.
