The Interreligious Council of Albania, comprised of five religious communities (the Muslim Community of Albania, the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania, the Catholic Church in Albania, the Bektashi World Headquarters, and the Evangelical Brotherhood of Albania), after reviewing the draft law “On Gender Equality,” has expressed its opposition to the proposed legislation.

In a joint statement issued by the Presidency Board of the Interreligious Council of Albania, the importance of the traditional family based on two biological sexes — male and female — was emphasized.

“As religious communities, we stress the importance of the traditional family based on two biological sexes: male and female. For this reason, we request a clarification of the definition of the term ‘Gender’ in the draft law, explicitly linking it to the sex assigned at birth — man, woman, girl, boy — in accordance with the principles of equality and non-discrimination.

Religious communities have always supported Albania’s efforts to align its legislation with European Union directives. The traditional recognition of two sexes does not represent an obstacle to this process — a fact reflected also in the practices of most EU member states, which continue to use a binary definition of male–female.

With the hope that these concerns will be taken into consideration by the responsible institutions, we reaffirm our commitment to dialogue and cooperation in building a just, equal, and safe society for the younger generations, relying on faith in God and respect for the law,” the joint statement of the Presidency Board of the Interreligious Council of Albania reads.