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News

Browse ERA news, statements, and regional updates — advocacy milestones, event highlights, and perspectives from across the Western Balkans and Türkiye.

Civic Space, Freedom of Expression, Hate-Motivated Violence, Institutional Protection, LGBTIQ+ Rights

ERA Condemns Two Violent Attacks in Belgrade, Serbia

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

2026-07-136 min read

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Access to Justice, Gender-Based Violence (GBV), Institutional Protection, LBQ Women, WLW Caucus

ERA’s Regional Input Referenced in Landmark UN Report on Violence and Discrimination against LBQ* Women

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

2026-07-073 min read

Capacity Building

ERA Joins Grant Agreement Signing Ceremony and Capacity Building in Podgorica

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

2026-06-182 min read

Hate-Speech

ERA Participates in the Council of Europe’s No Hate Speech Week in Strasbourg

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

2026-06-182 min read

Gender-Based Violence (GBV), LBTIQ Women, WLW Caucus

ERA, Stana and Queer Montenegro Address Violence Against LBTIQ Women at Joint Event in Podgorica

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

2026-06-173 min read

Labor Rights

ERA Joins Pride Week Novi Sad for the Presentation of the Serbian Working Safe Policy Paper

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

2026-05-123 min read

Labor Rights, LGBTIQ+ Rights

Call for Proposals

We open the Call for Proposals for the support to projects of civil society organisations (CSO) in Western Balkans and Türkiye Project proposals should promote and support the social inclusion and fundamental rights of LGBTQI+ persons in all spheres of public and private life. The objective of this call is to support local initiatives that advance equality

2025-09-303 min read