Updates & stories
Browse ERA news, statements, and regional updates — advocacy milestones, event highlights, and perspectives from across the Western Balkans and Türkiye.
We, the undersigned organisations, condemn the large-scale police raids and detentions targeting LGBTI activists and human rights defenders, organisations and community spaces across Türkiye. We call for the immediate protection and release of those detained, and respect for their procedural rights. We also call for an end to any measures obstructing the fundamental rights to
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Application deadline: 11 August 2026 at 23:59 CET ERA – LGBTI Equal Rights Association invites LGBTQIA+ activists and civil society organisation members from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia to apply for an Anti-Burnout Retreat, taking place in Montenegro from 27 to 30 September 2026. Working for LGBTQIA+ rights in challenging and often
ERA invites civil society organisations, collectives and networks in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia to apply for grants of up to €9,000 and optional mentoring support. Applications are open until 25 August 2026. ERA – LGBTI Equal Rights Association for the Western Balkans and Türkiye is launching a Call for Proposals to
Not the Same. Not Unrelated. Within less than 24 hours, drag artist Alexis Plastic and writer and KROKODIL Festival Director Vladimir Arsenijević were violently attacked in Belgrade. The two attacks took place in different circumstances and targeted people engaged in different areas of public and cultural life. They must not be treated as identical, nor
ERA’s regional input on gender-based violence against LBQ women has been accepted, integrated and referenced in the latest report of the UN Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, Graeme Reid. The report, titled “Violence and discrimination experienced by lesbian, bisexual and queer women,” was submitted to
ERA joined partners, subgrantees and organisations from across the region in Podgorica for the Grant Agreement Signing Ceremony and Capacity Building for Management and Advocacy, organised within the programme Together for LGBTQI+ Equality. The event brought together project partners and supported organisations from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Kosovo, marking an important
During the Council of Europe’s No Hate Speech Week in Strasbourg, Buğu Sıla Evren, ERA’s Project and Research Coordinator, followed discussions on some of the most urgent questions related to hate speech, discrimination and democratic resilience today. The programme examined the root causes of racism and intolerance, gender-based and anti-LGBTI hate, the role of equality
The conference “LBTIQ Women between Invisibility and Protection: Regional Perspectives and Experiences from Montenegro” opened in Podgorica, bringing together community representatives, civil society organisations and key stakeholders to discuss violence against LBTIQ women, institutional mistrust and the urgent need for real, accessible and non-discriminatory protection. The event was opened by Ana Dedivanović, Executive Director of
As part of Pride Week in Novi Sad, ERA joined Group Come Out, its Working Safe project partner and Pride Week organiser, for the presentation of the Serbian national policy paper on the socio-economic inclusion of LGBTQI+ communities. The Serbian policy paper is one of seven country-specific policy papers developed across the Western Balkans and
Representatives of public institutions, civil society and the LGBTIQ+ and feminist movements gathered in Sarajevo on 28 April 2026 for a national dialogue on protection from gender-based violence against lesbian, bisexual and queer women in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The discussion made one thing clear: recognition must now be followed by coordinated institutional action. LBQ women
