The Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) held its thirty-third session from 6 to 17 May 2019. The review of Albania was held on 6 May 2019. The delegation of Albania was headed by Deputy Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Mr Artemis Dralo. During the interactive dialogue, 66 delegations made statements. Albania received a total of 197 recommendations, 14 of them being SOGIESC recommendations. This is a signifcantly higher number in comparison to the previous UPR cycle, when it received 3 SOGIESC recommendations. 
The recommendations are mostly in line with what was recommended in the Written Contribution on the position of LGBTI persons to the 3rd Cycle of the Universal Periodic Review of Republic of Albania, which was submitted on 1 October 2018 by ERA in close partnership with its members: Aleanca LGBT, PINK Embassy Albania, Pro LGBT and Streha; and with technical support from ILGA World.
The following SOGIESC recommendations will be examined by Albania, which will provide responses no later than the 42​nd​  session of the United Nations Human Rights Council:
  
1. Uruguay: Implement measures that effectively protect LGBTI persons against discrimination in access to medical care (6.104) 
2. Chile: Develop programs in schools to eliminate harassment of LGTBI children and adolescents, and implement psychological support measures to reduce the dropout rates of LGTBI students (6.120) 
3. Czechia:​ Take effective measures against persisting discrimination of LGBTI persons,ensure non-discriminatory access of LGBTI persons to health services and introduce LGBTI education to school curriculum (6.20). 
4. France: ​Fight discrimination against persons belonging to minorities, including LGBTI persons; accelerate the adoption of legislation on the application of the laws on persons belonging to minorities, persons with disabilities and on free legal aid (6.18). 
5. Honduras: ​Strengthen policies to combat violent offences and hate crimes based on the sexual orientation and gender identity through establishing more solid links with the civil society and guaranteeing the implementation of legal provisions on hate crimes (6.49) 
6. Iceland: ​Promote and protect the human rights of LGBTI persons and take measures to combat structural discrimination (6.19), 
7. Iceland: ​Amend the Family Law to provide legal recognition for same-sex partnerships and adopt provisions that allow for legal gender recognition of trans individuals (6.22)​. 
8. Ireland: ​Intensify efforts to protect lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex individuals from acts of violence, discrimination and harassment by fully implementing the National Action Plan for LGBTI Persons 2016-2020 and amending the Family Code to provide legal recognition of same-sex partnerships (6.23) 
9. Israel: ​Ensure that LGBTI individuals are protected from bullying and discrimination in the educational system (6.121) 
10. Malta: ​Consider amending the Family Law to provide legal recognition of same-sex partnerships and adopt legal provisions that will allow legal gender recognition to transgender individuals (6.24) 
11. Mexico:​ Reform the Family Law so as to give legal recognition to couples of the same sex, to fight against discrimination and hate crimes based on sexual orientation and gender identity as well as guarantee access to health services for LGBTI persons (6.25)  
12. Netherlands:​ Enhance efforts to implement the LGBTI National Action Plan, particularly the review of academic curricula on gender stereotypes and gender identity in line with Sustainable Development Goals 5 and 10 (6.27)  
13. Portugal: ​Ensure that LGBTI persons are protected from stigma and discrimination in access to healthcare by, inter alia, introducing trainings on LGBTI rights to all health personnel and awareness-raising campaign on equal access to healthcare (6.21) 
14. Spain:​ Develop a legal framework that recognizes at least the same-sex civil unions,as well as adopt measures so that gender recognition is based on a self-identification process and is free from abusive requirements, and likewise prohibit medical intervention on intersex minors when there is no strict medical necessity (6.26)
 
We hope Albania will support these recommendations and ensure their full implementation.