The Practical Enforcement of the Right to Family Life in Albania: Legal Standards, Institutional Gaps, and Challenges for Vulnerable Groups

Abstract

The right to family life represents a fundamental pillar of human dignity and personal development, safeguarded by both international and domestic legal systems. This study aims to critically assess the gap between legal guarantees and their practical enforcement in Albania, with a particular focus on vulnerable groups such as Roma and Egyptian communities, economically disadvantaged families, migrants, and persons with disabilities. The research is grounded in a normative and institutional analysis, combining doctrinal interpretation of constitutional, civil, and family law provisions with a review of judicial practice and institutional functioning. The findings highlight significant discrepancies between formal legal standards and their implementation, which are characterised by fragmented jurisprudence, limited institutional capacity, and difficulties in access to rights for marginalised populations. In conclusion, the study proposes targeted legal reforms, inter-institutional coordination mechanisms, and a more coherent judicial approach, with the aim of strengthening the effective protection of the right to family life in Albania.

Received: 29 May 2025 / Accepted: 20 July 2025 / Published: 01 August 2025