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Description
Hate speech and intolerance rates have increased in Romania in recent years. The extent of social distancing from vulnerable groups in Romania indicates significant intolerance towards people of homosexual orientation, as well as towards Roma and people with HIV (23% do not accept to be friends with them).
In this context, the project aims to operationalise and strengthen the RESPECT non-governmental platform by setting up a cross-sectoral human rights hub that will support the training of a new generation of activists and their empowerment in the new political and ideological context in which human rights and non-discrimination agenda have become popular targets for attacks from anti-equality groups and entities, with a growing impact on public life.
Public policy partnerships on human rights and sexual and reproductive health, strategic collaborations, capacity building for human rights advocacy and linkages with international expert networks have led to increased effectiveness and systemic impact of human rights organisations and their allies in advocating and promoting LGBT+, women, young people from vulnerable backgrounds their rights through empowerment and increased cross-sectoral collaboration (academia, private sector, media) and access to health services for vulnerable groups through the creation of two key National Plans on sexual and reproductive health and rights.
Beneficiaries will be RESPECT Platform member NGOs and social innovators. The partner will contribute to the structuring and coordination of the Integrated Hub for Human Rights, ensuring the operationalization of the RESPECT Platform and will develop advocacy actions for the adoption of the National HIV/AIDS Plan and the National Sexual and Reproductive Health Plan.
Summary of project results
The project was designed to increase the effectiveness and systemic impact of human rights organizations and their allies in defending and promoting the rights of LGBT +, women, young people from vulnerable environments through building capacity and cross-sectoral collaboration (academic sector private sector, media) and to create awareness on human rights through strategic communication in response to the threatening social and political context.
The project activities included: the updating of the website drepturisexuale.ro with educational resources, drawing and implementing an advocacy plan, setting partnerships to defend of sexual and reproductive rights, communication on drepturiegale.org, the development of a hub for human rights at National School for Political and Administrative Studies (SNSPA).
Within the project there were signed 2 agreements (with SNSPA and Diversity Chamber of Commerce), there was unfolded a human rights communication campaign (800,000 reach), there were organized exhibitions in 5 cities (Bucharest, Timisoara, Brasov, Cluj, Oradea). Other results were 5 training modules, a coaching and mentoring program, 6 meetings with students, approval of a national HIV/AIDS surveillance plan, a partnership with members of the Human Rights and Health Committees in Parliament, an operational plan for RESPECT platform and a best practices guide for cross-sectoral collaboration in Romania.