Project Coordinator: Lesbian Organisation Rijeka – LORI
Partners: Zagreb Pride and Trans Aid – Association for promoting and protecting the rights of trans, inter and gender variant persons
„Respect Human Rights – Build Inclusive Society“ is a project mutually conducted by Lesbian Organization Rijeka LORI, Zagreb Pride and Trans Aid. The project lasts for 18 months (from November 2015 until May 2017) and it is financed by European Union. In developing the project plan, each partner’s specific expertise has been applied – LORI’s experience in organizing public actions, campaigns and education, Zagreb Pride’s experience in public advocacy and established cooperation with public institutions, as well as Trans Aid’s knowledge of trans rights which at the moment require special consideration in Croatia.
Overall objective of this project is decreasing homophobia and transphobia and building a tolerant and inclusive society in Croatia.
Specific objectives include 5 areas:
- Strengthening the capacities of CSOs for protection of human rights;
- Improving protection of human rights of LGBT persons, with emphasis on status of transgender persons;
- Reducing homo/bi/transphobia and peer violence against LGBTI youth in schools;
- Empowering and informing LGBTI community;
- Creating a positive and accepting environment for LGBTI persons
Target groups:
- CSOs for protection of human rights (especially LGBT);
- Relevant ministries;
- Equality Bodies;
- Health care professionals and Croatian Health Insurance Fund;
- Secondary school professionals and students;
- Police;
- LGBTI population and
- General public
Activities in this project are structured in 4 clusters, each reflecting specific objectives and target groups:
1. Capacity building of CSOs for protection of human rights
Activities within this cluster will enable activists from organisations for protection of human rights to participate in modular training programme on Volunteer management and coordination, which will increase their capacities and provide mentorship in conducting volunteer programmes. Also, all partner organisations will be educated and trained in conducting trainings for police officers on LGBT topics, which will greatly contribute to their competence in that field.
2. Protection of human rights of LGBTI persons and awareness-raising among decision makers and general public
This cluster covers several activities with aim to sensitize and inform general public, such as: national campaign for raising awareness and visibility, panel discussions in 7 towns in Croatia and round table with representatives of Equality Bodies, ministries, Parliament, CSOs and experts on rights of transgender and gender variant persons.
Moreover, this cluster also includes three-day seminar for psychologists and psychiatrists and trainings for police officers.
Besides these public events, the project also includes monitoring and reporting on the implementation of Life Partnership Act, monitoring of legal procedures and advocating for improvement of legal and medical regulations regarding trans persons, research on legal gender recognition procedure, creation of Recommendations for legal gender recognition legislation and creation of Gender Identity Bill draft.
3. Reducing homo/bi/transphobia in schools
This project will contribute to reducing homo/bi/transphobia in schools in several ways and while working with different beneficiaries within the education system. 4 lectures for secondary school students and a seminar for teachers and school professionals will be held. Topics of these activities are LGBT and homo/bi/transphobia within school environment. School professionals will be too informed on Guidelines for prevention and combating homo/bi/transphobia in schools in Croatia and the project also includes advocacy activities on the same topic. By establishing peer support groups in Zagreb and Rijeka support for LGBT students will be provided.
4. Empowering and providing psychosocial and legal support to LGBTIQ community
Activities within this cluster will contribute to empowering and informing LGBT community in Croatia - through workshops for LGBT community, psychological and peer counselling, support groups for TIGV persons and providing legal support and representation. All these activities will be available in Rijeka and Zagreb. Also, Guidelines on Life partnership and same-sex families will be created within this project.
Project “Respect Human Rights - Build Inclusive Society” is worth 143.383,00 €, of which 90% is funded by European Union and co-funded by Office for Cooperation with NGOs, Government of the Republic of Croatia.
Project “Respect Human Rights – Build Inclusive Society“ – National Programme for Croatia under the IPA – Transition Assistance and Institution Building Component for 2012; Building Capacities of CSOs for Ensuring Effective Implementation of the EU Standards in the Enforcement of Human Rights.
