“The Emergency Fund support was crucial for us after the attack”
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Providing Psychosocial Support to LGBTI+ Activists after an Attack
BiH Pride March Organising Committee, an initiative from Bosnia and Herzegovina, was established five years ago in order to organise BiH Pride March events in Sarajevo. The Committee has so far organised four pride marches and continues to prepare for more.
The Committee also organises educational and social events for LGBTI+ persons in different cities, including Sarajevo, Banja Luka, Mostar, and Tuzla. They also advocate to change legislation, policies, and institutional practices.
In March 2023, the Committee hosted an informal event with its fifteen members in a private setting. The gathering was right after a public event which was cancelled due to security reasons. After being alerted by the authorities that their security was compromised, the group was leaving the building when 34 civilians violently attacked them, chanting hateful statements. Some activists were injured, and almost all of them were left traumatised.
After the attacks, the Emergency Fund immediately provided the Committee with a grant to support their psychosocial wellbeing and increase the emotional resilience of the activists who where attacked giving their staff the tools they needed to stay healthy while continuing their work.
“Due to the trauma of the attack, our capacities were diminished. Therefore, the Emergency Fund support was crucial to allow us to work on increasing our psychological and emotional capacities in order to continue actively addressing issues related to improving the status of LGBTI+ people in Bosnia and Herzegovina.”
– Member of the BiH Pride March Organising Committee, Bosnia and Herzegovina
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Emergency Fund Trends in Europe and Middle East/North Africa in 2023
Defending human rights is a dangerous job in several parts of the world. When a threatening situation escalates, Civil Rights Defenders’ Emergency Fund provides rapid assistance to improve the defender’s security as quickly as possible. During 2023, the fund provided support to 188 human rights defenders and members of their families in 6 different countries in Europe and the Middle East/North Africa, through a total of 11 grants.
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- LGBTI+ Rights and Security: In Europe, particularly in the Western Balkans, Emergency Fund support most often went to LGBTI+ organisations. Far right supporters regularly attack during Pride events, peaceful protests and LGBTI+ organisations, and investigations by public authorities rarely bring perpetrators to justice. In response, Emergency Fund grants have been provided for legal support, enhancing physical security, and supporting the psychosocial wellbeing of those affected by these violent attacks.
- Relocation of LGBTI+ Individuals: The Emergency Fund has helped a significant number of LGBTI+ individuals temporarily relocate both within and outside their countries, due to the repression and violent attacks to the community. This sensitive issue has been handled with utmost care, prioritising the safety and wellbeing of the individuals involved.
- Violation of Freedom of Expression: Freedom of expression is increasingly under attack in Europe and the Middle East/North Africa. When journalists and authors who have received death threats from far-right extremists reach out to the Emergency Fund, we offer tailored support to the specific context of the countries they are in, and the security needs of the applicants. This includes a wide range of measures from temporary relocation to providing security tools for their daily work.
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Disclaimer: For Europe and the Middle East/North Africa, the number of cases received per region individually are comparably low in relation to the other regions we report on. Thus, for the purpose of this report, we decided to merge them.
Help Us Support Human Rights DefendersRead more about the Emergency Fund 2023: