Legal Analysis of LGBT in Bosnia and Herzegovina

In Bosnia and Herzegovina LGBT people are often attacked. The aim of Civil Rights Defenders collaboration with Sarajevo Open Society is to break the silence around LGBT issues, in order to reduce prejudices and discrimination against LGBT community.

By providing activists with theoretical and practical skills and networking opportunities, we aim to educate and strengthen the LGBT community. We also want to raise public awareness of the need for a systematic approach in eradicating discrimination against LGBT persons.

This year we focus on two main activities. Firstly we will produce and publish a legal analysis of LGBT rights and freedoms in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Legal analysis will focus on the effectiveness of the legal mechanisms, and the practical possibilities of their use. The Legal analysis will be presented to the public at a conference in December 2012 in Sarajevo. This conference will gather media, human rights activists and scholars from Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The second activity is the “LGBT seminar for community members.” Given the high level of fear and insecurity in the LGBT community following the Queer Sarajevo Festival 2008, the idea is to organize two educational seminars, each lasting for three days. The topics would include: LGBT movements in the world and the Balkans; LGBT and cultural activism; LGBT rights and human rights.