Description
About 61% of Lithuanian LGBT community representatives indicated they suffer discrimination and harassment because of their sexual orientation, shows EU Fundamental Rights Agency internet survey. The aim of the project is to mainstream LGBT equality into Lithuanian politics through addressing the practical challenges faced by local LGBT community and achieve more comprehensive social integration for it. The aim of the project will be achieved by 1) identifying and raising awareness among the general public, legislators, policy makers and the LGBT community itself about the practical problems, which are faced by the local LGBT community; 2) developing and proposing specific measures, strategies and methodologies, which will aim at mainstreaming LGBT equality in the decision making process in Lithuania; 3) applying specific measures, which would cause actual change in LGBT everyday life. Target groups: policy makers, state authorities. Beneficiaries: Lithuanian LGBT community, society at large.
Summary of project results
The main purpose of the project was to mainstream the LGBT* equality into the Lithuanian politics through addressing the practical challenges, faced by the local LGBT* community on a daily basis. The objective of the project was to achieve more comprehensive social integration of the local LGBT* community by taking into account its specific needs. The goals of the project were as follows: a) to identify and raise awareness among the general public, legislators, policy makers and the LGBT* community itself about the practical problems that are faced by the local LGBT* community on a daily basis; b) to develop and propose specific measures, strategies and methodologies that would aim at mainstreaming the LGBT* equality in the decision making process in Lithuania; c) to apply specific measures that would cause the actual change in the LGBT* lives in accordance to their specific needs. First of all, LGL developed the LGBT* Anti-Discrimination Plan 2014-2016 based on the LGL’s documentation report of Monitoring Implementation of the Council of Europe Recommendation CM/rec(2015)5 and will offer it for consideration, negotiation and possible adoption by relevant decision makers. Secondly, based on the good practice from previous year, the public awareness campaigns were organized. Thirdly, LGL implemented advocacy strategies against homo-, bi- and transphobic hate crimes and for the comprehensive inclusion of LGBT* issues in the national strategy on promoting tolerance and diversity. Fourthly, 12 thematic workshops for the local LGBT+ community and the representatives of civil society were organized, in order to provide them with practical skills on how to tackle challenges. Fifthly, LGL actively participated in addressing legislative/policy initiatives, aiming at securing effective exercise of fundamental rights for transsexual individuals in Lithuania (in relation to the associate partnership with Q). Finally, the capacity of the organization was strengthened in order to promote its role in representing the interests of the local LGBT* community. The overall impact of this project is very likely to last in the foreseeable future, as greater public awareness and support from the society has already inspired positive attitude towards LGBT* community members, while hate speech and hate crimes towards LGBT* persons are more widely recognizable and are more often condemned by the society.
Summary of bilateral results
The project partnership with the Queer student association Q was implemented through the accomplishment of the project activities in the sphere of transgender human rights. As the Q has an extensive expertise in this field, the project sought to encourage mutual learning, to share the best practices and to encourage networking opportunities among the Lithuanian and Icelandic LGBT* human rights activists. In the course of the project implementation period, two bilateral visits have been organized. In August 2014 the president of the Association Q visited Vilnius (Lithuania). In the course of the visit the representative conducted a training on trans* rights for the members of LGBT* community and representatives of the local NGOs, hosted a meeting with the local members of trans* community and engaged with policy and decision makers. In March 2015 two representatives of LGL visited Reykjavik (Iceland). In the course of their visit the Lithuanian delegation met with the Director of Human Rights Office of Reykjavik in the City Hall Anna Kristinsdottir and the Expert on Gender Issue Arndrudur Ingolfsdottir, met with the medical gender reassignment team of Landspitallin and hosted the “TRANS* Pizza vol. 3” community event. The partnership was instrumental in developing professional skills of the LGL’s staff in the field of transgender human rights. This expertise was applied through the participation in the policy and decision making processes on the national level. Furthermore, the possibility for the representatives of the Association Q to engage with the members of Lithuanian trans* community served as an empowering tool to encourage trans* individuals to engage with human rights activism in Lithuania. Finally, the project partnership encouraged closer ties between the Lithuanian and Icelandic LGBT* communities with the view of exploring future cooperation and collaboration opportunities.