This year, Sarajevo Open Centre, started cooperation with institutions in Canton Sarajevo, with the goal of building an institutional support network for LGBTI people. Institutions targeted are: Municipalities, Centers for social work, Intitution for Family counseling, Cantonal Prosecutor’s Office and Health institutions.

During the previous period, working meetings with representatives of the above-mentioned institutions were held. During the meetings, discussions on how the representatives of these institutions should deal with LGBTI people were held. There has been talk of sensitization through the education that will follow in the upcoming period for the representatives of these precise institutions through info sessions, but also through a two-day education on the human rights of LGBTI people. This means that through initial meetings and education we want to create an institutional support network for LGBTI people who use the services provided by these institutions.

Also, for these representatives, we prepared, in the past period, a manual with the concrete guidelines for professional and accountable treatment of LGBTI persons. The goal of the manual is to raise the awareness of the institutions’ representatives on the importance of integration of LGBTI persons in all the social strata and of recognition of their needs, in order for these citizens to be able to fully enjoy the guaranteed fundamental human rights, and also to point that their existence in BH society shouldn’t be ignored, via the inadequate and unprofessional treatment. The manual is available here.

These activities are financially supported by USAID’s support program for marginalized groups.