Description
The project focuses on monitoring activities intended to enhance the knowledge in the field of reacting to manifestations of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and developing standards of counteracting LGBT discrimination on the local level. Monitoring will result in gaining information on the sources of discriminative attitudes. The project is directed in particular to: LGBT community, public institutions responsible for human rights enforcement and reacting to discrimination, and local media. It will be implemented in Małopolskie voivodeship in smaller towns such as Myślenice, Oświęcim, Tarnów, Olkusz, Bochnia. Our choice of the localities for monitoring activities was motivated by the fact that the problem of discrimination because of sexual orientation and gender identity is insufficiently recognised outside big cities.
Summary of project results
The majority of activities within counteracting homophobia is carried out in big cities, while LGBT people living in smaller towns and villages are particularly exposed to social isolation and discrimination. This applies also to research on discrimination of LGBT people, which concentrates mainly on the situation in larger cities. Additionally, due to the lack of knowledge and appropriate support tools, local public institutions, as well as the media, fail to perceive the problem of discrimination of LGBT people and do not address this problem in an adequate way. The intent of the project was to draw the attention of local institutions and the media to the situation of LGBT people living in smaller towns and villages in Malopolska region (Nowy Sącz, Oświęcim, Tarnów and Wadowice). The outcome of the project covered the dissemination of knowledge about the situation of LGBT people in four selected urban centers including recommendations for local public institutions and NGOs fighting discrimination of LGBT people on the local level. Within the project the situation of LGBT people in four smaller towns in Malopolska was researched (Nowy Sącz, Oświęcim, Tarnów, Wadowice) covering the following activities: analysis of local media coverage, survey of the LGBT community (95 people filled out a questionnaire on their experiences), monitoring of the activities of public institutions responsible for the observance of human rights and responding to discrimination, as well as the analysis of activities of local NGOs. The results of this complex research on the situation of LGBT people have been summarized in a report. Promotional materials were also prepared (overprinted eco-friendly bags). The report findings were promoted during five conferences that took place in the selected Malopolska towns and in Kraków. The beneficiaries of the project included: 95 people surveyed, 7 representatives of institutions surveyed and 57 people participating in conferences.
Summary of bilateral results