Local budgets in Albania respond to community feedback

Engjellushe Saliasi’s life changed unexpectedly when her sister died. She had to take care of her niece and nephew, Maria and Eneo, but lacked funds to provide them with a family and a home.

Engjellushe Saliasi received economic support from her municipality after community budget consultations. Photo: Rezart Xhelo.

After she spoke up at a community budget consultation with municipal authorities in Berat, Albania, Engjellushe’s fortunes changed for the better.

“After I raised my case as the caregiver of two orphan children during the public consultations for the local budget, the municipality provided us with a house and economic assistance,” said Engjellushe.

The public meetings came about after a UN Women Albania campaign in the southern Albanian cities of Fier, Berat and Përmet for a new approach to local budgeting led to the three cities organizing Albania’s first-ever public consultations with citizens to openly discuss community needs as part of their budget planning.

The campaign is part of UN Women support to the Albanian Government to introduce gender-responsive budgeting, an innovative public policy tool to ensure that public policies and budgets meet national commitments to gender equality and address women and men’s needs equally.

To read the full story visit UN Women's regional website for Europe and Central Asia.