Text published on fena.ba, January 2019. On 24th of January, Sarajevo Open Centre organized info session on Universal Periodic Review (UPR) regarding the state of human rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which promotes and enhances key aspects of human rights protection. The project is financed by the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Yesterday, on January 24, info session was organized by the Sarajevo Open Centre entitled “Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on the state of human rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina”. At this info session we presented the UPR cycle and its importance for the enhancement of human rights, future plans and activities that will be conducted by BiH institutions and civil society organizations as part of this cycle.
More than a hundred participants – students, civil society organizations members, people from private or public sector, representatives of government and political parties – went through the education of Sarajevo Open Centre, most of them participating in the Equality Academy and the Žarana Papić School of Feminism.
Through the Women’s Rights Program that works on advocacy, education and cultural activities, SOC encouraged positive changes in the struggle for women’s rights and the suppression of gender-based discrimination, both in the community and at the institutional level.
In the premises of the Sarajevo Open Centre, on January 24, an initial meeting was held with the representatives of civil society organizations, which showed interest in participating in the preparation of an alternative report on the state of human rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This report is submitted to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UN) within the third cycle of the Universal Periodic Review of the State of Human Rights (UPR).
Sarajevo Open Centre invites you to an info session on the „Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on the State of Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina“, which will be held on January 24, 2019 (Thursday) beginning at 11.00h at Hotel Europe in Sarajevo, Vladislava Skarića 5.
Due to unfavorable economic and political situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, large amount of people is deciding to emigrate. General standard of living is fairly low. Adding all those problems, there are people that face specific forms of discrimination such as homophobia and transphobia. They often manifest through hate speech, violence or threats. To the victims, leaving the country and asking for political asylum elsewhere is the only solution. Possibility of applying for asylum on grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity was the main talking point in the workshop organized by Sarajevo Open Centre in cooperation with Foundation SHL that was held on December 14th.
The Constitutional Court of BiH, at a session held on December 19, adopted the appeal of the Sarajevo Open Center and others, and made a decision on admissibility and merits and confirmed that the public authorities of the Sarajevo Canton violated the right to freedom of gathering of LGBTI persons without ensuring the safety of the participant at 2014 Merlinka Festival.
The Coalition for the fight against hate speech and hate crimes harshly condemns the transmission of texts of hooliganism like that of Tomislav Zelenika, which provokes Croat hatred towards the Bosniaks and spreads ideas about the superiority of one nation over another, stating: “Bosniaks are genetically predetermined for treason, what to expect from people whose ancestors betrayed their faith”, giving honor medals to war criminals during the celebration of the Republika Srpska Day, the exploitation of flags and symbols for political purposes and the undermining of the security and coexistence of citizens of BiH.
The Bosnian human rights association Sarajevo Open Center (SOC) will organize the International Queer Film Festival Merlinka in Sarajevo between February 7-9, 2019. The title of this year’s edition is: “I am a lesbian, so be it”. It will be the seventh time in the row that Sarajevo host’s the Merlinka Festival, which was founded in Belgrade, Serbia.