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Description
In Romania the LGBT communities are facing homophobia in the context where national legislation does not include specific protection against discrimination based on gender identity or expression. The project approaches the lack of coordination and common understanding of LGBTI themes and priorities (among LGBT groups), the limited capacity to identify the target groups and to support LGBT rights and the lack of interest of decision makers (local, governmental, parliamentary) toward the priorities of the LGBTI community. There will be organized local meetings (in București, Brașov, Iași, Constanța, Timișoara, Cluj) to identify actual needs of the LGBT communities and set 3 transversal themes. There will be created a national network for the improvement of public policies regarding LGBTI rights and an integrated intervention plan on public policies, based on the 3 themes and 3 levels of decision makers (parliament, government and local authorities). A national advocacy campaign will put on the public agenda the 3 advocacy themes, identified from the national network consultation process and a national study regarding public attitude regarding main LGBT themes. 60 members of groups and organizations that promote LGBTI rights will be involved in project activities along with 300 stakeholders. Intermediary beneficiaries will be 40 mass-media representatives, 15 representatives of political parties, 15 representatives of public institutions 30 representatives from the academic field and 30 NGOs representatives.
The Equality Index (developed within the project) will remain an advocacy instrument for the LGBT community (for example in local and parliamentary elections in 2024, to evaluate candidates and parties), and the network will continue to facilitate cooperation between future generations of LGBT activists.
Summary of project results
The project addresses the challenges of a context with homophobic actions, discrimination based on gender identity/expression that is insufficiently or not at all reported and lack of progress or interest of decision makers to comply with EU legislation, while there is identified a lack of coordination within the LGBT community, a limited capacity to identify and mobilize young public and a lack of interest of decision makers toward LGBT related issues.
Within the project there was created a network of young activists who were involved in defining three themes of interest for the LGBT community to be included in advocacy campaigns, there was conducted research on public opinion and policies regarding LGBT and an advocacy campaign for LGBT rights.
12 activists were capacitated for advocacy and community work and were involved in setting an intervention plan of the network to address the identified themes: civil partnership regulation for persons of the same sex, improve access to medical services for transgender persons and creating safe spaces for the LGBT community. The awareness campaign included a mailing campaign to prevent inclusion of provisions against human rights in the law of education, a direct action (march) Our tradition is love and a media campaign www.iubimlafel.ro. 2277 persons were involved in activities within the project. The campaign “Iubim la Fel” won 1st prize at the social campaign category at Civil Society Gala in 2024.