Sarajevo Open Centre is presenting its new activity towards and for the LGBT persons, as a part of the project Advocating for the human rights of LGBT persons in B&H supported by Matra Program of Kingdom of Nederlands’ Ministry of foreign affairs: Legal Counseling for LGBT persons in Bosnia and Herzegowina.
Legal counseling is a service for the community intended to give out information and support to LGBT persons regarding their human rights, ways of using existing laws B&H that protect LGBT persons and mechanism for exercising those rights.
The need for this kind of activity resulted from the fact that LGBT persons are the least visible, weakest and the most marginalized group in the B&H society. Homophobia and transphobia that LGBT persons face on the daily basis in B&H is the reason why so many LGBT persons decides againstcoming out because of the fear of discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity, and – on the other hand – the lack of policies and efficient and strategic plans of the government institutions that strengthen, empower and protect LGBT persons and their human rights have created an unsafe environment, where laws protecting LGBT persons are in place, but they are not being adequatelly implemented.
Many cases remain unreported and undocumented and LGBT persons, that have been subjected to these kinds of criminal acts of discrimination and hate crimes are being traumatized and they don’t have any support from the state instititions or the system. The legal team of Sarajevo Open Centre has been educated and sensibilized to work on the protection of human rights of LGBT persons and is very motivated to do so.
The goal of Sarajevo Open Centre is to offer a space where LGBT persons can turn to in the cases of discrimination and/or violence on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity as well as to empower them in the process of claiming their human rights.
LGBT persons are always more than welcome to our offices on the address House of Human Rights – Dolina 1, 71000 Sarajevo. You can also contact us by phone 033/264-421 or e-mail: [email protected]. You can find more information on our Legal Counseling for LGBT persons on our web page, on Facebook and Twitter.