On the International Day of Social Justice, Albania highlights how social justice is realized through tangible improvements in people’s lives, particularly by helping individuals transition from informal and insecure work to protected employment. The experiences of women like Vjollca and Fabiola demonstrate how access to skills training, social protection and decent work can transform vulnerability into stability and dignity.
Vjollca had spent years working informally as a cleaner without contracts or social insurance, facing constant uncertainty while raising her son. In late 2025, she enrolled in a housekeeping training course under the Joint Programme Lifelong Empowerment and Protection in Albania, supported by the Joint SDG Fund. Through technical instruction and sessions on labour rights and empowerment, she gained both skills and confidence. She is now formally employed with social insurance coverage, reflecting a shift from precarious informal work to secure and protected employment.
Fabiola’s journey followed a different path after she left an abusive situation and sought support services. Through an individualized reintegration plan, she joined a vocational programme in long-term care, where she developed practical and theoretical skills. After earning certification, she moved into practical placements and is transitioning toward formal employment within a local care programme. She now shares her experience to encourage other women facing hardship.
Across Albania, integrated social and employment services have supported more than 1,000 vulnerable individuals, many of whom have entered formal employment for the first time. By linking social protection, skills development and job creation, the initiative demonstrates how coordinated systems can strengthen resilience, promote decent work and advance social justice in practical and lasting ways.
