IDAHOT 2018: MONTENEGRO CONTINUES ITS FALL ON THE RAINBOW MAP OF EUROPEIDAHOT 2018: CRNA GORA NASTAVLJA DA PADA NA DUGINOJ MAPI EVROPE

On the occasion of marking the International day against homophobia, biphobia and transphobia (IDAHOT 2018), nongovernmental organizations LGBT Forum Progress and LGBTIQ Social Center use the opportunity to inform the public regarding important information on Montenegro and IDAHOT 2018, as well as about the local LGBTIQ community.

As a reminder, the LGBTIQ community marks the today’s date as a form of remembrance of the 17^th May 1990, the day when the World Health Organization (WHO) adopted the decision on removing homosexuality from the list of mental disorders. Since then, all the way up to today, a growing number of organizations and countries all over the world are joined in marking of this very important and historical date. Among these organizations are LGBT Forum Progress and LGBTIQ Social Center.

RAINBOW EUROPE MAP: IN 5 YEARS MONTENEGRO FELL 9%

Rainbow Europe Map represents the most important indicator of the current state of human rights of the LGBTIQ community on a European level, and it is now traditionally taken as a relevant measurement of progress of the states in transition, in regard to the human rights of LGBTIQ persons. Rainbow map is published by an international organization ILGA Europe in cooperation with numerous partner organizations from all over Europe.

According to the latest Rainbow Europe Map, which you can find >here<, Montenegro has, during 2017, achieved a score of 38 percent out of 100; which is 1 percent less in relation to 2016, and a whopping 9 percent less than 2013, when we, as a country had achieved a score 47 percent. This trend of constant fall of 9% in 5 years is worrying and sends a clear signal that the situation for the LGBTIQ community in Montenegro is not improving. With the neighboring countries, Montenegro fallsbehind Croatia (51%), and Slovenia (48%), while it is ahead of Albania (33%), Kosovo (33%), Bosnia and Herzegovina (31%), Serbia (30%) and FYR Macedonia (14%).

ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS: DEVELOPMENT OF CULTURAL LIFE OF THE LGBTIQ COMMUNITY AND CONTINUATION OF INSTITUTIONAL COOPERATION

During May, in marking of the International day against homophobia, biphobia and transphobia, nongovernmental organizations LGBT Forum Progress and LGBTIQ Social Center have implemented several activities for the LGBTIQ community, as well as for the institutional partners and allies of the community, strengthening the cooperation in the fields of police and prosecutorial protection, culture and social life of LGBTIQ persons. An overview of the implemented activities can be found below:

1.       Film projection of an Oscar awarded film “Call Me By Your Name” – was organized on the 4^th May in Podgorica, in cooperation with KIC Budo Tomovic. The film “Call Me By Your Name” is a coming of age story about a young protagonist who does not consider himself gay, but as a confused adolescent who experiences love and affection for another man, for the first time in his life. The projection attracted a great number of LGBTIQ persons.

2.       Meeting of the Trust team – was held on the 10^th May, and it included the representatives of the nongovernmental organizations LGBT Forum Progress and LGBTIQ Social Center, as well as the members of the Team from the Police Directorate. The meeting represents the continuation and the strengthening of the activities of the nongovernmental sector with the Police directorate, with the goal of enhancing the protection of the LGBTIQ community victims of violence, as well as a contribution to the overall fight against social marginalization, violence and discrimination of the LGBTIQ persons.

3.      Consultative meeting with the prosecutors from the Central Region of Montenegro was held on the 14^th May. The meeting gathered five representatives of the Basic State Prosecutor’s office from Podgorica, and one representative each from the Basic State Prosecutor’s offices from Niksic and Cetinje. During the consultative meeting the participants spoke about the current state of affairs in the area of legal protection of the LGBTIQ persons, experiences and practices of the prosecutors themselves, as well as the activities planned for implementation in the future. One of the most relevant topics for discussion is the continuation of the work of the LGBTIQ Prosecutorial Network, which was formed in 2015, as initiated by LGBT Forum Progress, and elevating this body on a more productive and efficient level.

4.      IDAHOT social event for the LGBTIQ community was held a day before the 17^th May, as a way of marking of this very important date. The social event and party was visited by 70 to 80 LGBTIQ persons, and they enjoyed a live jazz concert. Free refreshments were secured for the gathered LGBTIQ community through project cooperation with the nongovernmental foundation Civic Alliance.

5.      LGBTIQ themed art exhibition is planned for the last week of May, and it represents the final activity planned for the marking of the International day against homophobia, biphobia and transphobia. The exhibition itself will show the work of the gay artist Tom of Finland, which remains one of the most famous artists of the LGBTIQ topics in the world.

“Altogether, commenting on the implemented activities, we can say that May was a very successful and stimulating month. Of course, we must not forget the negative trend which follows Montenegro regarding Rainbow Europe Map, and the overall progress of the country in terms of respect of the human rights of LGBTIQ persons in practice. Finally, we use this opportunity to thank the Delegation of the European Union in Montenegro and the Embassy of the United States of America in Podgorica for publicly  setting the flag of rainbow colors on their headquarters and by doing so, provided support to the LGBTIQ community in Montenegro. Additionally, we wish to express our gratitude to all of the partners, volunteers and cooperators for their restless work during the entire month, in order for these activities to be successfully implemented” – Bojana Jokic, President, LGBT Forum Progress

Povodom obilježavanja Međunarodnog dana borbe protiv homofobije, bifobije i transfobije (IDAHOT 2018), nevladine organizacije LGBT Forum Progres i LGBTIQ Socijalni Centar koriste priliku da informišu javnost o važnim činjenicama vezanim za Crnu Goru i IDAHOT 2018, kao i za samu LGBTIQ zajednicu u zemlji.

Podsjećanja radi, LGBTI zajednica obilježava današnji datum kao sjećanje na 17. maj 1990. godine, dan kada je Svjetska zdravstvena organizacija (WHO) donijela odluku o skidanju homoseksualnosti sa liste mentalnih poremećaja. Od tada, pa do danas, sve veći broj organizacija i zemalja širom svijeta se priključuje obilježavanju ovog veoma važnog i istorijskog datuma. Među njima su i nevladine organizacije LGBT Forum Progres i LGBTIQ Socijalni Centar.

DUGINA MAPA EVROPE: ZA 5 GODINA PALI 9%

Dugina mapa Evrope (Rainbow Europe Map) predstavlja najvažniji pokazatelj stanja ljudskih prava LGBTIQ osoba na nivou Evrope i tradicionalno se uzima kao relevantno mjerilo napretka zemalja u tranziciji u pogledu ljudskih prava LGBTIQ osoba. Duginu mapu objavljuje međunarodna organizacija ILGA-Europe (ILGA Evropa), u saradnji sa brojnim partnerima iz cijele Evrope.

Prema najnovijoj Duginoj mapi Evrope, koju možete pronaći >ovdje<, Crna Gora je tokom 2017. godine ostvarila 38 procenata, od mogućih 100; što je za jedan procenat manje u odnosu na 2016. godinu, a punih devet procenata manje u odnosu na 2013. godinu, kada smo ostvarili 47 procenata. Ovakav trend konstantnog pada od 9 procenata za 5 godina je itekako zabrinjavajući i šalje jasan signal da se situacija u Crnoj Gori ne popravlja za LGBTIQ osobe. Od susjednih zemalja, Crna Gora je iza Hrvatske (51%) i Slovenije (48%), a ispred Albanije (33%), Kosova (33%), Bosne i Hercegovine (31%), Srbije (30%) i Makedonije (14%).

AKTIVNOSTI I DOGAĐAJI: RAZVOJ KULTURNOG ŽIVOTA LGBTIQ ZAJEDNICE I NASTAVAK SARADNJE SA INSTITUCIJAMA

Tokom maja mjeseca, u znak obilježavanja Međunarodnog dana borbe protiv homofobije, bifobije i transfobije, nevladine LGBT Forum Progres i LGBTIQ Socijalni Centar sprovele su niz aktivnosti za samu LGBTIQ zajednicu, kao i za institucionalne partnere i saveznike zajednice, ojačavajući saradnju u poljima policijske i tužilačke zaštite, te kulture i društvenog života LGBTIQ osoba. Pregled sprovedenih aktivnosti možete pronaći ispod:

1. Projekcija Oskarom nagrađenog filma „Call Me By Your Name“ – organizovana je 4. maja u Podgorici, u saradnji sa KIC Budo Tomović. Film „Call Me By Your Name“ prati odrastanje glavnog lika koji ne doživljava sebe kao homoseksualca, već kao zbunjenog adolescenta kojem se prvi put u životu dopao drugi muškarac. Projekciji je prisustvovao veliki broj LGBTIQ osoba.
2. Sastanak radne grupe Tima povjerenja održan je 10. maja i njemu su prisustvovali predstavnici nevladinih organizacija LGBT Forum Progres i LGBTIQ Socijalni Centar, kao i predstavnici Tima povjerenja i Uprave policije. Sastanak predstavlja nastavak i jačanje aktivnosti nevladinog sektora sa Upravom policije u cilju unaprjeđenja zaštite LGBTIQ osoba žrtava nasilja, kao i doprinos sveukupnoj borbi protiv društvene marginalizacije, nasilja i diskriminacije LGBTIQ osoba.
3. Konsultativni sastanak sa tužiocima/tužiteljkama iz Centralne regije održan je 14. maja. Sastanku je prisustvovalo pet predstavnika/ca Osnovnog državnog tužilaštva iz Podgorice i po jedan predstavnik/ca iz Osnovnog državnog tužilaštva Nikšić i Cetinje. Tokom konsultativnog sastanka bilo je govora o trenutnom stanju u oblasti krivično-pravne zaštite LGBTIQ osoba, zatim iskustvima i praksama prisutnih tužilaca/tužiteljki, kao i aktivnostima koje će biti realizovane u budućnosti. Jedna od najvažnijih tema o kojoj je bilo govora jeste nastavak rada LGBT tužilačke mreže, koja je formirana 2015. godine uz podršku LGBT Forum Progresa, te podizanju ovog tijela na produktivniji i efikasniji nivo.
4. IDAHOT druženje za LGBTIQ zajednicu održana je dan uoči 17. maja, u znak obilježavanja ovog važnog datuma. Druženju i žurci je prisustvovalo između 70 i 80 osoba, a okupljeni su uživali u živoj džez svirci. Okupljenima pripadnicima/cama LGBTIQ zajednice obezbijeđeno je besplatno piće kroz projektnu saradnju sa nevladinom fondacijom  Građanska alijansa.
5. Izložba sa LGBTIQ tematikom planirana je za posljednju sedmicu maja i predstavlja finalnu aktivnost koja je planirana za obilježavanje Međunarodnog dana borbe protiv homofobije, bifobije i transfobije. Sama izložba će da predstavi reprodukcije djela gej autora Toma od Finske (Tom of Finland), koji je jedan od najpoznatijih umjetnika LGBTIQ tematike na svijetu.

„Sveukupno, sa strane sprovedenih aktivnosti, maj možemo da ocijenimo kao veoma uspješan i stimulišući mjesec. Naravno, ne smijemo da zaboravimo negativan trend koji prati Crnu Goru što se tiče Dugine mape Evrope i sveukupnog napretka države u oblasti poštovanja ljudskih prava LGBTIQ osoba u praksi. Konačno, ovom prilikom se još i zahvaljujemo Delegaciji Evropske Unije u Crnoj Gori i Ambasadi Sjedinjenih Američkih Država u Podgorici na tome što su javno istakli zastave duginih boja na svojim zgradama i time pružili podršku LGBTIQ zajednici u Crnoj Gori. Takođe, hvala svim partnerima, volonterima i saradnicima na neumornom radu tokom cijelog mjeseca, kako bi sve aktivnosti bile uspješno realizovane.“ – Bojana Jokić, predsjednica, LGBT Forum Progres.