Country: Albania
Group: Balkan Egyptian
Date finalized: 02/08/2022
Team: Jihui Kuang (lead), Izzy Boker, Ashlee Greenier
Content warning: racism, discrimination
Approximate Time Period: 1976-present
There are no officially confirmed figures on the Balkan Egyptian population in Albania (Minority Rights Group, 2015), however different sources have estimated their population to be between 3,000 and 250,000 (House Office, 2021; Minority Rights Group International, 2015). Balkan Egyptians live mainly in the southern and central regions of Albania, but some still live in northern Albania (Xhaxho, 2007). Some Egyptians have made it clear in interviews that restaurants will kick them out and they are unable to get jobs because of the color of their skin (West Ohueri, 2021). Without minority status, Egyptians continue to face discrimination in housing, employment, and forced evictions (Amnesty, 2014). due to the lack of stable residence, which consequently denied them economic assistance or access to social protection services. One of the leading contributors to this problem is the “law that potential beneficiaries must have been registered at an address provided since 1993” (Pipa, 2018). Some schools resisted accepting Balkan-Egyptian students, particularly if they appeared to be poor (Sinani,2016). An Egyptian organization in Albania is currently dealing with the protection of cultural identity, human and minority rights, and fighting against poverty and discrimination (Minority Rights Group International, n.d.).
Data Quality: We rate data quality for discrimination as a 3, as substantial evidence comes from peer-reviewed books and journal articles and government reports.
Sources
1.Amnesty International. (2014.). Albania: Continuing concerns over impunity, domestic violence, and discrimination against Roma and Egyptians – Human Rights Council adopts Universal Periodic Review outcome on Albania. Amnesty International. Retrieved February 8, 2022, from https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/eur11/001/2014/en/
2. Minority Rights Group International. (n.d.). Egyptians. Retrieved February 8, 2022, from https://minorityrights.org/minorities/egyptians/
3. Pipa, S. (2018.). 1 The Wall of Anti-GYPSYISM – ROMA and EGYPTIANS in Albania. 24.
4. Refugees, U. N. H. C. for. (2007.). Refworld | World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples—Albania. Refworld. Retrieved February 8, 2022, from https://www.refworld.org/docid/4954cdfe1a.html
5. Sinani, G. (2016). Human Right Education as Part of Education for Democracy: The Case of Albania. European Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies, 1(2), 132. https://doi.org/10.26417/ejms.v1i2.p132-137
7. West Ohueri, C. (2021). On Living And Moving With Zor: Exploring Racism, Embodiment, And Health In Albania. Medical Anthropology, 40(3), 241–253. https://doi.org/10.1080/01459740.2020.1807539
8. Xhaxho, M. (2007). Minority Rights and the Republic of Albania: Missing the Implementation.