Ida Ismail
Around 140 individuals with disabilities face barriers every day, such as lack of Services, limited support, and a system that often fails to truly include them. In this context, the reform of disability assessment according to the bio-psycho-social model was presented as a modernizing step, which would shift the focus from diagnosis to functionality and social inclusion.
But, report by the organization Together for Life sheds light on a deep gap between promises and implementation.
The bio-psycho-social reform began as a pilot project in three regions in 2017. But today, transparency on what worked and what failed is lacking. There is no clear evidence of a full assessment of human capacities, infrastructure or real needs before the scheme is expanded nationally.
Decision-making without information and budgets without effectiveness
Multidisciplinary committees often operate in isolation. Contributions from family doctors, specialists, social Services and employment offices are absent or partial.
The report highlights a deep gap between needs and Services provided. Mental health centers are lacking in many areas, while infrastructure is often not adapted for access by people with disabilities.
This situation shows that the bio-psycho-social model, which requires an integrated approach, is being applied in a terrain that is not yet ready for it.
Social administrators are on the front lines of reform implementation. They are the bridge between the system and citizens. But the report shows that this key link operates with insufficient resources, limited training, and a lack of standardization in documentation.
One of the strongest contradictions highlighted by the report is related to public finances. From 2019 to 2024, funds for people with disabilities increased from 15.86 billion lek to 19.6 billion lek. At the same time, expenditures increased by 24%.
But, despite this budget expansion, the number of beneficiaries has decreased by 2.684 individuals who have received payments, raising concerns about the effectiveness of government measures and the means used to implement the budget.
The report highlights that only 3.2% of the funds allocated for the period 2019-2024 can be clearly traced through public data. This lack of transparency makes it difficult to assess the real impact of spending and opens the door to mismanagement.
Direct payments to people with disabilities remain low, ranging from 10% to 21% of the average wage. Compared to other European countries with a similar profile, these levels are significantly lower.
Albanian law provides mechanisms to promote the employment of people with disabilities, including the Social Employment Fund. However, in practice this fund has not been implemented.
The number of employed people with disabilities has fallen from 82 in 2019 to just 18 in 2022. Meanwhile, funds for employment programs account for only 1% of total spending. Furthermore, data from state institutions is contradictory, creating an unclear picture of the real labor market situation for this category.
The Together for Life report recommends that the Albanian government should draft a National Long-Term Disability Strategy for the period 2026-2030, which sets concrete and measurable objectives for improving the quality of life of people with disabilities.
This strategy must guarantee their real inclusion in policy-making and decision-making processes, treating them not as passive beneficiaries, but as active contributors to society.acqj.al
