JOURNAL ARTICLES by Veronika Duci
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Südosteuropa, Journal of Politics and Society, 2019
Abstract
Return migration and pension benefits are crucial for ageing migrants whose migration pr... more Abstract
Return migration and pension benefits are crucial for ageing migrants whose migration project takes a significant turn due to circumstances in the receiving country. A significant number of migrants have recently returned to Albania from Greece due to the financial crisis and are struggling to start a new life. A number of those remaining in Greece wish to retire upon return to Albania, or prefer to remain in Greece if they manage to retire there. Problems arise because of the lack of portability of social security benefits from Greece to Albania. This article looks at the policy and legal frameworks of migration and the national social security system, aiming to identify the existing gaps in the policy and legislative configurations of the two countries. It appears that significant policy inconsistencies and gaps have serious implications for ageing returned migrants and also for those remaining in the host country (Greece), indicating an urgent need to address these difficulties at a transnational policy level.
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Return migration has not been associated with negative psychosocial outcomes, while the experienc... more Return migration has not been associated with negative psychosocial outcomes, while the experience of children involved in this process has been largely overlooked. This paper looks at the migration experience of Albanian-origin children and young people upon their families’ return to Albania. Contrasting with a primordial understanding of ‘homeland’, ‘belongingness’ and ‘return migration’, which is focused on the nation- state, the findings show that a lack of (diasporic) belongingness affects children’s wellbeing upon their families’ return to the country of origin. While children show remarkable mechanisms of coping and resilience, contextual factors moderate the links between migration and psychosocial wellbeing.
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Papers by Veronika Duci
Revista de Asistenta Sociala, Issue 3., 2023
Several measures were introduced from the Albanian government since the beginning of the pandemic... more Several measures were introduced from the Albanian government since the beginning of the pandemic to respond to the needs of citizens. However, as highlighted in different rapid assessments, provision of social services has been a challenge and families have been struggling to meet their needs, especially in vulnerable communities. In this context, this study was undertaken with the aim of conducting a rapid assessment of the current situation of family strengthening service provision, the services’ typology and the challenges faced by the social care workforce in two of the largest municipalities of Albania, in the context of COVID-19 pandemic. 38 participants were involved in the assessment. The methodology of the study was qualitative. Primary data were collected through six semi-structured key informant interviews with municipality social services representatives and four focus groups, two with municipality specialists, including need assessment and referral units worker, child protection worker, domestic violence coordinators, social administrators and community centers workers, and two with representatives of non-governmental organizations providing family strengthening services, while secondary data were collected through a review of relevant legislation and reports. Main findings show that provision of services on family strengthening does not follow a systematic approach; the pandemic added new challenges to social services structures in this regard; also, there are challenges related to inter-institutional collaboration, lack of coordination among services providers, weak sustainability, and a need for diversification of services and building new services; social welfare workforce capacities are limited; data management systems are developing, but lack crosslinking.
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Anglisticum Journal, 2015
This study aims to assess the psycho – social wellbeing of cancer caregivers and their needs in t... more This study aims to assess the psycho – social wellbeing of cancer caregivers and their needs in the Albanian context. In Albania studies focused on cancer caregivers are not frequent and have a sporadic character. A quantitative methodology was employed for this study. The number of the participants was N=377. Data collection took place in the University Hospital “Nene Tereza” in Tirana, at the Oncology Hospital. Cancer caregivers were invited to fill the questionnaire concerning their socio – demographic information, their current needs and HADS (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) of Zigmond and Snaith (1983). Results of the study indicated that cancer caregivers were mainly females, of different ages. Their relation to the patient was mainly that of adult children caring for their parents. Their levels of anxiety and depression were high in most of the cases, sometimes indicating for clinical depression. The most reported needs were financial - because of the high cost of canc...
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Adolescents' mental health and psychosocial well-being at schools, 2022
The study ‘Adolescents’ mental health and psychosocial well-being at schools’, carried out as par... more The study ‘Adolescents’ mental health and psychosocial well-being at schools’, carried out as part of broader collaboration between the Government of Uzbekistan and UNICEF, is the first comprehensive study of adolescent school students’ needs, school-related factors impacting the mental health and well-being of adolescent students, and review of
existing policies and school strategies and actions for recognizing, mitigating and addressing adolescents’ mental health issues both inside and outside of Uzbekistan’s schools.
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Global Social Welfare
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Childhood, 2015
Return migration has not been associated with negative psychosocial outcomes, while the experienc... more Return migration has not been associated with negative psychosocial outcomes, while the experience of children involved in this process has been largely overlooked. This article looks at the migration experience of Albanian-origin children and young people upon their families’ return to Albania. Contrasting with a primordial understanding of ‘homeland’, ‘belongingness’ and ‘return migration’, which is focussed on the nation-state, the findings show that a lack of (diasporic) belongingness affects children’s wellbeing upon their families’ return to the country of origin. While children show remarkable mechanisms of coping and resilience, contextual factors moderate the links between migration and psychosocial wellbeing.
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Albania Child Notice, 2021
The Child Notice Albania has been produced by in cooperation with UNICEF Albania. Child Notice de... more The Child Notice Albania has been produced by in cooperation with UNICEF Albania. Child Notice describes the situation of children in the countries of origin providing legal and practical information on education, health care, child protection, armed conflict, juvenile justice, trafficking etc. The Child Notice has been developed based on this Methodology Guidance on Child Notice.
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European Scientific Institute, Aug 29, 2014
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One aspect of human rights is the right to quality of life. Copenhagen criteria require social po... more One aspect of human rights is the right to quality of life. Copenhagen criteria require social policies that address equality, health and anti – discrimination at work. The aim of this study is to explore the effects of caregiving in quality of life of carers and in the employment status and family monthly income. For this purpose, a quantitative study was conducted with n = 377 participants. The Quality of Life Scale of Flanagan (1982) was used, as well as close – ended questions regarding family income, hours of caregiving and employment status. Results of this study correlate with other studies in this field. A majority of participants report a low – medium level of quality of life (79%), only 37.4 % are employed and half of them have low family monthly income. Pension/caregiver credits can be implemented in the Albanian context, based on European best practices.
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Journal of Human Rights and Social Work
This article analyzes the existing social protection framework in Albania and its provisions for ... more This article analyzes the existing social protection framework in Albania and its provisions for return migrants. Postcommunist and transitional Albania is characterized by strong demographic changes with direct impact on social protection and social rights. Among other influencing factors, migration has been of utmost importance. This article considers the specifics of migration in Albania, comparing the problems and needs that have been created with policy solutions provided. It argues that Albania, one of the top recipients of financial remittances in the world, has not been able to produce policies that effectively respond to the pace of political and socioeconomic change the country is undergoing, particularly in relation to migration. Focusing on social protection in the framework of return migration, findings demonstrate that in postcommunist Albania, policy-making has lagged behind returnees’ needs, indicating a significant lack of evidence-based policymaking
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Journal of Human Rights and Social Work
This article analyzes the existing social protection framework in Albania and its provisions for ... more This article analyzes the existing social protection framework in Albania and its provisions for return migrants. Postcommunist and transitional Albania is characterized by strong demographic changes with direct impact on social protection and social rights. Among other influencing factors, migration has been of utmost importance. This article considers the specifics of migration in Albania, comparing the problems and needs that have been created with policy solutions provided. It argues that Albania, one of the top recipients of financial remittances in the world, has not been able to produce policies that effectively respond to the pace of political and socioeconomic change the country is undergoing, particularly in relation to migration. Focusing on social protection in the framework of return migration, findings demonstrate that in postcommunist Albania, policy-making has lagged behind returnees’ needs, indicating a significant lack of evidence-based policymaking
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JOURNAL ARTICLES by Veronika Duci
Return migration and pension benefits are crucial for ageing migrants whose migration project takes a significant turn due to circumstances in the receiving country. A significant number of migrants have recently returned to Albania from Greece due to the financial crisis and are struggling to start a new life. A number of those remaining in Greece wish to retire upon return to Albania, or prefer to remain in Greece if they manage to retire there. Problems arise because of the lack of portability of social security benefits from Greece to Albania. This article looks at the policy and legal frameworks of migration and the national social security system, aiming to identify the existing gaps in the policy and legislative configurations of the two countries. It appears that significant policy inconsistencies and gaps have serious implications for ageing returned migrants and also for those remaining in the host country (Greece), indicating an urgent need to address these difficulties at a transnational policy level.
Papers by Veronika Duci
existing policies and school strategies and actions for recognizing, mitigating and addressing adolescents’ mental health issues both inside and outside of Uzbekistan’s schools.
Return migration and pension benefits are crucial for ageing migrants whose migration project takes a significant turn due to circumstances in the receiving country. A significant number of migrants have recently returned to Albania from Greece due to the financial crisis and are struggling to start a new life. A number of those remaining in Greece wish to retire upon return to Albania, or prefer to remain in Greece if they manage to retire there. Problems arise because of the lack of portability of social security benefits from Greece to Albania. This article looks at the policy and legal frameworks of migration and the national social security system, aiming to identify the existing gaps in the policy and legislative configurations of the two countries. It appears that significant policy inconsistencies and gaps have serious implications for ageing returned migrants and also for those remaining in the host country (Greece), indicating an urgent need to address these difficulties at a transnational policy level.
existing policies and school strategies and actions for recognizing, mitigating and addressing adolescents’ mental health issues both inside and outside of Uzbekistan’s schools.