Preventing youth involvement in crime/ OSCE, awareness campaign on social networks

2026-02-24 19:39:00, Aktualitet CNA

Preventing youth involvement in crime/ OSCE, awareness campaign on social

As part of efforts to prevent youth recruitment into crime, the OSCE Secretariat and the OSCE Presence in Albania, in cooperation with the Albanian Ministry of Justice and its Center for the Prevention of Juvenile and Youth Crime, launched an awareness-raising campaign on social media on youth crime prevention.

The “S'ka Shkurt / No Shortcuts” campaign, launched in Tirana on February 24, responds to the increase in youth recruitment into criminal activity, by countering false narratives and promoting positive alternatives through social media.

The opening event brought together frontline law enforcement practitioners, social services and civil society, policymakers and young people themselves to present the campaign and its video materials, giving those involved the opportunity to convey the key messages and lessons learned. The meeting also served as a platform for dialogue and exchange between young people, frontline practitioners and policymakers.

"S'ka Shkurt is not just a hashtag or even just a slogan. It is a clear message to our youth, that success is not achieved through shortcuts, but through dedication, work and integrity," said Besfort Lamallari, Minister of Justice of Albania.

“The launch of the campaign marks an important step towards reshaping online narratives, empowering young people, amplifying their voices and offering credible and positive alternatives to crime,” said Michel Tarran, Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania.

The campaign reflects the realities and dangers of involvement in criminality, as social media is often used to lure young people through the glorification of crime, normalization of violence, and selling false promises of power, belonging, fast money, and luxury.

It includes stories from people with real life experience, who have lived the reality of crime and have chosen a different path. The campaign also includes public figures such as Luiza Gega, Visjan Ukcenaj and Aulona Musta, showing that success is achieved through hard work, not through shortcuts. In this way, the campaign aims to offer positive role models and alternative paths to crime.

The campaign was organized within the framework of the OSCE extrabudgetary project "Strengthening the Prevention of Crime and Drug Use among Youth through Legality Education and Awareness-raising Campaigns Addressing the Threats of Organized Crime and Corruption", funded by Italy, with additional support from Andorra, Finland, Germany, Norway, Poland and Thailand./ CNA