Social justice is often described in broad and ambitious terms. It speaks of fairness, equal opportunity and the right to live with dignity. Yet its meaning becomes clearest not in policy debates but in everyday life, in the moments when someone moves from insecurity to stability, from exclusion to protection.
On the International Day of Social Justice, the stories of women like Vjollca and Fabiola show what that transition can look like in Albania. Their journeys remind us that social justice is not abstract. It is built through practical support, access to decent work and systems that protect people when they are most vulnerable.
For years, Vjollca worked informally in Vora, cleaning homes and accepting any job she could find. There were no contracts, no social insurance, and no guarantees. As a mother raising a young son while managing her own health challenges, uncertainty shaped her daily life.
Her turning point came in late 2025 when she enrolled in a housekeeping training course under the Joint Programme Lifelong Empowerment and Protection in Albania, supported by the Joint SDG Fund. Between October and November, she attended every session, often arriving hand in hand with her little boy, determined not to miss a day.
The training strengthened her technical skills, but it also reshaped how she saw herself. Through sessions on labour rights, work ethics, and emotional empowerment delivered in cooperation with the National Agency of Employment and Skills and the HAP Network, she gained a clearer understanding of her rights and the importance of social insurance. Confidence grew alongside competence.
Today, Vjollca is formally employed and covered by social insurance. She feels safer and more secure, and far more aware of her rights as a worker. Her journey reflects what happens when informal work is replaced by protected employment and when vulnerability is met with opportunity.
Fabiola’s path has been different, but equally transformative. At 35, after moving from a remote area of Tropoja to Shkodra, she found herself divorced, without family support, and facing serious economic hardship. In 2022, after experiencing domestic violence, she sought help from the organization Gruaja tek Gruaja, where she received emergency shelter along with psycho social and legal support.
Through an individualized reintegration plan, her desire for professional training and financial independence became clear. She was selected as one of 15 women to participate in a four-month vocational programme on long-term care for older persons and persons with disabilities, delivered in partnership with the Public Vocational Training Centre in Shkodra.
She developed both theoretical knowledge and practical skills, from first aid and hygiene standards to psycho emotional support and the use of assistive devices. After earning her certification as a long-term care assistant, she began a practical placement in social care institutions with the municipality's support. She is now transitioning toward formal employment and is in line to join the local home-based care employment programme, part of an integrated care model being strengthened through the initiative.
Fabiola now shares her story in outreach activities, encouraging other women to believe that change is possible.
“The stories of Vjollca and Fabiola show what social justice looks like when social protection, skills development, and decent employment are woven together. By addressing both economic and emotional barriers—and by moving beyond short-term support—the LEAP programme, funded by the Joint SDG Fund, is helping women in vulnerable situations step into formal work, social security, and a renewed sense of dignity” - says Randi Davis, UNDP Resident Representative.
Across Albania, more than 1,000 vulnerable individuals, primarily women, young people, and families receiving economic aid, have benefited from integrated social and employment services. In 2025 alone, 864 households accessed coordinated support, and 357 women and young people moved into employment, many for the first time. Through pilot initiatives in six municipalities, 93 women secured paid roles in long-term care, transforming unpaid or informal caregiving into protected and dignified work.
On this International Day of Social Justice, Albania’s progress offers a powerful reminder. When systems work together and invest in people’s potential, vulnerability can turn into resilience, and informal labour can become decent work.
Social justice becomes visible in these everyday transformations. It is found in a contract signed, in insurance secured, in a certificate earned, and in the confidence that comes from knowing your work and your rights are recognised.
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, the Republic of Korea, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland for a transformative movement towards achieving the SDGs by 2030.
