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 the 62nd session of the UN Human Rights Council and represents a landmark contribution to documenting the distinct and intersecting forms of violence, discrimination and structural exclusion faced by LBQ women worldwide.
ERA’s input, prepared through the Women Loving Women Caucus, contributed regional evidence from the Western Balkans and Slovenia to the global analysis. The submission is referenced in key sections of the report addressing access to healthcare, gender-based violence services, and the structural data gaps that continue to make violence against LBQ women invisible in policies, institutions and official statistics.
The report underlines that LBQ women often remain absent from both women’s rights frameworks and broader LGBTIQ+ policy responses. Their experiences of violence are frequently minimized, misclassified or treated as private matters, while protection systems often fail to recognize violence within same-sex relationships or the specific risks faced by lesbian, bisexual and queer women.
For ERA, this recognition is an important confirmation of the relevance of community-based knowledge, regional cooperation and long-term advocacy led by LBQ women and activists from the region. It also strengthens the need for better data, inclusive protection services, trained institutions and policies that address the lived realities of LBQ women.
“This is an extremely important moment for us. The regional input on gender-based violence against LBQ women from our region has become part of the global evidence base. As lesbians, activists, experts and as part of ERA, we are proud that our work has contributed to this historic report,” said Elena Petrovska, ERA’s Project and Advocacy Coordinator.
The report calls on States to recognize violence against LBQ women as gender-based violence, ensure inclusive shelters and protection services, collect disaggregated data, remove barriers to healthcare and guarantee that LBQ women can access justice, safety and public life without discrimination.
ERA will continue working with its members, partners and the Women Loving Women Caucus to document the realities of LBQ women in the Western Balkans and Türkiye, strengthen institutional responses and ensure that LBQ women’s experiences are no longer pushed to the margins of policy, protection and public debate.
Read the full report here.
