Albania took a major step toward LGBTQ+ equality this week when the southeastern European country banned conversion therapy on minors.
Last week, the Order of Psychologists of Albania announced a new policy banning members from practicing conversion therapy, defined as any attempt to “change” a patient’s sexual orientation or gender identity. The harmful, sometimes deadly practice has been widely discredited and condemned by the European Parliament, World Psychiatric Association, United Nations, and the Pan American Health Organization, a regional division of the World Health organization.
Under the new regulations, any practitioner registered through the Order of Psychologists could face disciplinary action if caught offering conversion therapy. It is unclear whether the move applies solely LGBTQ+ youth or includes all LGBTQ+ people.
Although the action was not taken through Albania’s parliament, the local LGBTQ+ rights Pink Embassy said the move is “legally valid.” All psychologists who practice in the country of 2.8 million people, for instance, must be licensed by the order, which has registered more than 600 psychologists since its founding in 2017.
“This is the final decision which does not need to go through either the legislative or executive to enter into force,” Pink Embassy Chairman Altin Hazizaj told the Agence France Presse.
Pink Embassy noted that LGBTQ+ people who are subjected to conversion therapy are 8.4 more likely to attempt to end their lives.
The announcement makes Albania the third nation in Europe to ban orientation change efforts in Europe and the only post-Communist nation to do so. Malta became Europe’s first country to take action against the practice in December 2016, followed by Germany just earlier this month.
Several other countries have moved to prohibit or limit conversion therapy outside of Europe, including Argentina, Ecuador, Fiji, Samoa, Taiwan, and Uruguay. The treatment — which can range from shock treatment to “praying the gay away” — is illegal in 20 U.S. states and parts of Canada, while countries like Ireland and the United Kingdom have moved toward bans on conversion therapy.
While LGBTQ+ rights activists in Albania hailed the recent moves as “significantly important” for queer and trans people, many cautioned that the socially conservative country has a long way to go toward equality. Same-sex marriage is banned in Albania, and LGBTQ+ couples cannot adopt children.
Although LGBTQ+ people have been protected in antidiscrimination law since 2010, there were 450 hate crimes targeted toward members of the community last year. Few were reported to police.
The 2020 report from the international LGBTQ+ rights group ILGA, which was released just last week, ranked Albania as 28th out of 49 countries in Europe on queer and trans equality. The country scored 31 out of 100, although that number is likely to increase in the 2021 survey as a result of the conversion therapy ban.
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