Objective(s)

The project’s intervention focuses at social service provision at municipal level where service delivery is largely realised. It targets the local people and has a particular focus on people with disabilities and Roma and Egyptian communities who are in need of social protection and care by enabling them to demand and better access the system as well as to contribute themselves to social inclusion efforts. In parallel, the project supports the municipalities and locally based service providers to deliver more effective and efficient services and to promote social inclusion. Besides local level, the project is anchoring its interventions at system level: it is concerned with the further development and subsequent monitoring of implementation and funding of policies relevant to social inclusion. The special themes of gender equality and good governance cut across all other sectors and levels of project implementation.

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Key Activities

- Empower vulnerable people especially persons with disabilities, Roma and Egyptians, and vulnerable women, to demand social inclusion and to better access social services in order to improve their social situation and well-being
- Enhance organizational capacities of social care agencies at local level to provide better quality, more inclusive, equitable and efficient services
- Support national institutions in better implementing their social inclusion policies and adequately funding social services through improved data collection systems and organizational capacities
- Support the national and local government authorities as well as NGOs to uphold the principles of gender equality and good governance in their planning, implementation and policy formulation
- Generate knowledge about and promote good practices and mechanisms of social inclusion, social care and social protection in Albania

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Target groups

Public policy bodies at central level, municipalities and local stakeholders in social inclusion; direct beneficiaries Roma and Egyptian communities, women, youth, vulnerable groups

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Results/Impact

The LNB programme has achieved tangible results at several levels: at community level: vulnerable groups are empowered on their rights and entitlements to social services, and are mobilized for a meaningful participation in advocacy forums and public consultation mechanisms; at local government level: municipalities (16) have developed and costed social care plans tailored to vulnerable persons' needs and have strengthened their capacities in service delivery; at policy level: Social Enterprises Fund and Social Care Fund are operational and resourced from public funding. The Ministry of Health and Social Protection and Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth are supported in reviewing their existing policy frameworks and action plans to better align them with the EU accession agenda