ERA – LGBTI Equal Rights Association for Western Balkans and Turkey in close partnership with its members: Aleanca LGBT, PINK Embassy Albania, Pro LGBT and Streha; and with technical support from ILGA World submitted this Written Contribution to the 3rd Cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Republic of Albania, which focuses on the position of LGBTI persons in the country.

The results of the survey on the experiences of LGBTI people in Southeastern Europe reveal a collective experience of discrimination, harassment, exclusion and violence. The report “Life on the Margins: Survey Results of the Experience of LGBTI people in South Eastern Europe” was published by the World Bank in partnership with IPSOS Strategic Marketing, ERA – LGBTI Equal Rights Association for the Western Balkans and Turkey, and the Williams Institute at UCLA.

ERA – LGBTI Equal Rights Association for Western Balkans and Turkey, PINK Embassy Albania, Streha LGBT (Shelter), Pro LGBT, CEL Kosova, Subversive Front, The Coalition Margins, Association Spectra, Egal, Gayten – LGBT, Legebitra, TransAkcija Institute, Pembe Hayat and SPoD are submitting this written contribution, which focuses on the situation of trans individuals in the Western Balkans and Turkey, as of 2018, with the purpose of providin

Širom Zapadnog Balkana, lezbejske, gej, biseksualne, transseksualne i interseks (LGBTI) osobe bore se za svoja prava da vode normalan život. Dok još uvek postoje zakoni i mere koje kriminalizuju i diskriminišu, nasilje i govor mržnje zasnovan na seksualnoj orijentaciji i rodnom identitetu, potrebno je još mnogo toga učiniti kako bi se postiglo puno razumevanje i jednakost.

Ovaj izvještaj je dio regionalnog projekta “Biti LGBTI osoba u Istočnoj Evropi” koji implementira UNDP a podržava USAID. Projekak se provodi u partnerstvu sa organizacijama civilnog društva i u saradnji sa organizacijom LGBTI Equal Rights Association (ERA). U Bosni i Hercegovini izvještaj je nastao u saradnji sa partnerskim organizacijama Sarajevski otvoreni centar i Action Against Aids iz Banja Luke.

This factsheet summarizes main findings of the country reports covering Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia and Serbia. 

Across the Western Balkans, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual and Intersex (LGBTI) people are fighting for their rights to lead a normal life. While there have been laws and measures passed to criminalize discrimination, violent acts and hate speech based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI), there is much more that needs to be done in order to achieve full recognition and equality.

Serbia

Serbia has adopted a wide anti-discriminatory legal framework. However, there are legal gaps that leave the rights of LGBTI people unregulated, including the rights of same-sex partners and access to documents for trans people.

Bosnia & Herzegovina

LGBTI activism over the past few years has resulted in significant improvements in the institutional, legal and public policy framework for the protection of human rights of LGBTI people. Nevertheless, LGBTI people and their lives remain on the margins of the political, institutional and social mainstream.

This Albania Country Report provides an overview of the rights of LGBTI people in Albania. It presents a participatory review and analysis of the impacts of the legal, institutional, policy, social, cultural and economic environment on LGBTI people. The report provides evidence relating to Albania's experience in promoting and protecting the rights of LGBTI people in education, employment, health, the family, media and politics. It forms part of a sub-regional project, “Being LGBTI in Eastern Europe” (BLEE).