Community Development

Empowerment and protection of girls and women

Nisma ARSIS works to advance the rights, protection, and empowerment of girls and women in Albania through integrated, survivor-centered, and community-based approaches. The organization addresses structural inequalities, gender-based violence, and socio-economic exclusion by combining prevention, protection, empowerment, and systems-strengthening interventions. Nisma ARSIS’s work with girls and women focuses on the prevention of gender-based violence (GBV) and promotion of gender equality, particularly for those in vulnerable situations, including survivors of violence, women facing economic hardship, young women, migrant and returned women, and women at risk of social exclusion. Interventions are grounded in national legislation, international human rights standards, and feminist, trauma-informed principles.

Key areas of intervention include:

  • Prevention and response to gender-based violence, through awareness-raising, community education, and direct support services. Nisma ARSIS works closely with Coordinated Referral Mechanisms (CRMs), local authorities, and service providers to ensure timely identification, referral, and protection of survivors of domestic violence, sexual violence, and harmful practices.
  • Psychosocial support and case management, offering individualized and confidential assistance to girls and women, including counseling, safety planning, referral to specialized services, and follow-up, in line with survivor-centered and do-no-harm principles.
  • Socio-economic empowerment, by strengthening women’s access to knowledge, skills, and resources for economic independence. Through structured training programs, mentoring, and support for entrepreneurship and employability, supports women and girls to improve income generation opportunities and reduce dependency linked to violence and exclusion.
  • Capacity building and leadership development, enabling girls and women to build self-confidence, leadership skills, and civic competencies, and to actively participate in community life, advocacy initiatives, and local decision-making processes.
  • Awareness-raising and advocacy, addressing harmful gender norms and promoting equality, non-discrimination, and women’s rights. Nisma ARSIS implements campaigns, community dialogues, and public events that engage women, girls, men, boys, and institutions in collective efforts to prevent violence and promote gender-transformative change

Through partnerships with public institutions, civil society organizations, and international actors, ARSIS contributes to strengthening local and national systems for gender equality and women’s protection.

Empowering early interventions and family strengthening

Nisma ARSIS has established itself as a leader in delivering comprehensive, multidisciplinary services for children and families, with a strong focus on early interventions and empowerment. The organization prioritizes playful learning as a cornerstone for children’s development, enabling them to thrive socially, emotionally, and cognitively. Through these interactive sessions, children develop essential skills such as language, motor coordination, peer interaction, and emotional regulation. This approach not only prepares them for formal education but also provides parents and educators with valuable insights into each child’s potential.

Nisma ARSIS adopts a holistic approach to early childhood development by addressing the needs of diverse age groups and communities, particularly marginalized Roma and Egyptian families. This includes targeted support for children aged 3–12 years and active engagement of parents in tailored parenting classes. These classes equip families with tools and strategies to foster positive, nurturing environments for their children.

The organization’s interventions are designed to promote self-esteem, independent living skills, and self-development in children while strengthening parenting capacities. By integrating education, family support, and community outreach, Nisma ARSIS effectively rebuilds family environments and creates equal opportunities for all children in the preschool and early school systems. This expertise reflects its unwavering commitment to early childhood education as a vital foundation for long-term well-being and success.

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Multidisciplinary community services

At the “House of Colors” center is a dedicated multidisciplinary team comprising social workers, psychologists, child careers, nurse, teachers, social animators, case managers, and child protection workers. Together, these professionals collaborate closely to deliver a wide range of essential services to children, youth, and their families on a daily basis. The services offered by the center encompass a holistic approach to addressing the diverse needs of vulnerable children and families and in 2023 started the application of the child and family support hub model that includes the following:

  • Provision of basic necessities such as food and hygiene items to ensure the immediate well-being of children.
  • Psychological counseling and psycho-social games to support children in processing trauma and developing coping mechanisms.
  • Non-formal education initiatives to foster learning and skill development in a supportive environment.
  • Administrative and legal support to navigate bureaucratic processes and access entitlements and services.
  • Community development initiatives aimed at strengthening social networks and fostering a sense of belonging.
  • Family strengthening programs designed to enhance parental capacities and promote positive family dynamics.
  • Counseling for employment opportunities to empower youth and adults to secure sustainable livelihoods.
  • Comprehensive case management services to provide individualized support and advocacy for each child and family.

Awareness raising and advocacy efforts for child rights are integral components of our commitment to promoting the well-being and protection of children. We aim to raise awareness about children’s rights through targeted campaigns and initiatives, mobilize support for their fulfillment, and advocate for policy changes that safeguard their rights and interests.

Strengthening Multi-Agency Local Bodies and Government Institutions to deal with P/CVE and R&R in Albania

The program is designed to use a holistic, grassroots approach to address the prevention of violent extremism (PVE) in six municipalities: Vlora, Fier, Kavaja, Cërrik, Pogradec, and Tirana. The program focuses on several key areas to ensure comprehensive and effective interventions, such as:

  1. Supporting the CVE Center to strengthen its coordination mechanism for referring and managing violent extremism (VE) and reintegration and rehabilitation (R&R) initiatives.
  2. Informing and raising awareness among community members in the targeted municipalities, particularly focusing on youth, teachers, parents, religious leaders, local journalists, and grassroots local CSOs.
  3. Supporting returnee children and their mothers in Tirana Municipality by providing psycho-social, educational, and well-being activities to facilitate their smooth reintegration into the community, reducing the risk of re-radicalization
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