The UNECE-WHO/Europe Protocol on Water and Health encourages its Parties to ensure access to water and sanitation for everyone and places particular emphasis on providing equitable access to water and sanitation “for all members of the population, especially those who suffer a disadvantage or social exclusion” (article 5, l). In line with this, the Protocol provides a sound framework and effective tools for translating the human rights to water and sanitation into practice, achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and implementing the European Union Directives on water and sanitation.

As a Party to the Protocol, Albania will conduct a self-assessment using the Equitable Access Score-card, an analytical tool designed for governments and other stakeholders to establish a baseline, track progress and prompt discussion on further action to ensure safe access to water and sanitation for all. The Water Resources Management Agency of Albania, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Social Care, will lead the process institutionally.

Followed by Montenegro, Albania will be the second country to pilot the draft revised Score-card on a river basin scale. The revised Score-card aims to reflect the lessons learned in the ten-year application of the tool and the experiences gained from the COVID-19 pandemic in the safe provision of water and sanitation services. Consequently, the objective of the inception workshop is to officially launch the project in Albania and provide an opportunity for a broad range of stakeholders from government, water regulators and civil society to come together and contribute through their expertise in identifying challenges and priorities for action and to be continuously involved in the process.