Civil Rights Protection Association (CRPA) is Albanian`s  largest human rights organization and the only one that deals with the entire spectrum of human rights and civil liberties issues in Albania. CRPA`s  work encompasses litigation and legal advocacy, education, and public outreach as the most effective way in which to build toward our long-term vision of a just and democratic society that respects the equal rights of all its members.

CRPA`s mandate is to ensure Albanian's accountability and respect for human rights, by addressing violations committed by the Albanian authorities in Albania, or elsewhere. As such, human rights abuses perpetrated by foreign governments or non-state actors are beyond the scope of our mandate.

As a fledgling democracy without a constitution, and an increasingly segmented and polarized society, Albania needs an organization such as CRPA that is committed to promoting the universality of human rights and defending the rights of all, regardless of religion, nationality, gender, ethnicity, political affiliation, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic background. As an independent and non-partisan organization, CRPA uses this multi-pronged strategy to advance the concept of civil and human rights as an integral part of democratic community building and as a unifying force in Albanian public life.

Founded in 2005, CRPA has built its reputation by:

• bringing precedent-setting litigation to the Supreme Court;
  
• issuing and disseminating high-profile reports on key human rights issues;
  
• offering free legal information and advice through our public hotline;
  
• running human rights education programs for school teachers;
  
• providing expert opinions;
  
• conducting human rights training workshops for security forces;
  
• and mounting public outreach campaigns in order to place human rights concerns high on the public agenda.
  

Since its inception, CRPA has been consistently successful in bringing precedent-setting litigation to the Supreme Court and has contributed significantly to the protection of human rights in Albania. CRPA has built a solid reputation for professionalism and integrity and is widely respected within the legal community, and among decision makers, the media and the public at large. This reputation enhances CRPA’s ability to make a real and lasting difference.