Rini Albania Foundation Founder, Elton Ilirjani was present today in the tv show “Mesdite” in Vizion Plus, where, together with the Commissioner for Protection against Discrimination, Mrs. Irma Baraku, talked about the new project from Rini Albania, directly related to discrimination in the work place in 5 cities in Albania.
Related to the Foundation, Ilirjani said that “Rini Albania is in its second year now and is a very successful foundation because right after the first year it has taken a grant from the US Embassy in Tirana related to the project of informing and ways young people can complain about job interviews or job relations. We, as a foundation, give young people ideas about how to search for available job openings; we give them advice for free about the best branches. But, we’re specially focused on fighting against discrimination in the work place.”
Related to the situation of discrimination in Albania and young people not being informed about their rights, Ilirjani emphasized:
“lets raise awareness among young people, they have the right to complain if they’re made fun of, if they’re excluded from interviews. If they are excluded because of sexual orientation, skin color, ethnicity, political views, external features, origins, etc. Because in Albania there is discrimination even when it comes to physical appearance. Young people did not know and still do not know these. During job interviews there are cases where thy get their phones hung up because some boys have a thin voice, and they are not given the chance for interviews because they are labeled as homosexuals. This is terrible.”
Ilirjani then talked about a personal story, confessing about the discrimination done to him at the work place.
“There are times when in a panel other people make fun of you. This happened to me 10 years ago. I was in a job interview and people laughed at me, because I was different. Imagine what still happens at 2017. Or there are cases when someone coming from the north of Albania is labeled unnecessary epithets. Or, if you’re a pretty girl you’re immediately target for molestation. Or you may be a girl with a few extra kilos and they say you’re not right for the job. Or there are discriminations when some job vacancies are seen only suitable for males or females. And this is scandalous”.
About the mentioned project of Rini Albania, Ilirjani noted: Our foundation, with the support of the US Embassy has started this project and will train hundreds of representatives from private companies and young people just graduated or graduating, who are looking for a job. We will publish an orienting book, which will be given to managers, and recruiters and we will have it on their tables after the training. It will be a full campaign; there will be leaflets, which will give instructions on how job seekers or employees can complain to the commissioner, inside the company, but also at Rini Albania Foundation.
Coming back to discrimination, Ilirjani considered it a “trait of your society”.
“In some cases we’re a culture in the limits of racism, this shows with people with color. We ask for our rights in other Balkan countries but we ourselves do not respect the rights of Rom community and other communities. This is a problem for everybody, a problem for recruiters too, who, tomorrow may be job seekers. It’s a problem of job seekers who do not know their rights. Young people do not have enough information. “ – continued Ilirjani.
The Founder of Rini Albania Foundation then, made an appeal to young people “Over 40% of Albanian companies discriminate young people because of age, therefore, I want to make an appeal for them to be informed, to identify and boycott products and services of these companies.”
Ilirjani finished by asking all interested ones, companies and job seekers to join this project, which will take place in Tirana, Fier, Gjirokastra, Shkoder and Korca.
“The project is open for businesses and for young people looking for a job. There are many different forms of discrimination. In first place comes discrimination because of political views. Second place, regions and the place you come from. There has been more discrimination about religion lately. There is discrimination about sexual orientation; in 2017 there is evident discrimination, while there are medias who make fun of transgender people, there are shows and all of Albania sits and laughs at these people. Apply in rini.albania.al foundation, and we, together with the US Embassy, a strategic partner of our country, will orient them into complaining about the cases when they need help, they should come to Rini Albania, to the commissioner, they should come to the media and complain.”
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