Gender Policy LGBTI

The Supreme Court of India overturned a historic ruling of 2009 by the Delhi High Court, which legalised homosexual intercourse for the first time in India. But there is still a glimpse of hope.

Those who advocate for the rights of sexual minorities in all three countries are confronted with staunchly conservative stereotypes and deep-seated resentment towards all those who challenge or could be seen to break up the traditional social and family structures. The weakly developed understanding of democratic values and minority rights is not just inherited from the Soviet Union.

2012 was a special year in terms of publicity of LGBTI community and LGBTI movement in all three South Caucasian countries. Several important steps have been made towards raising acute issues about sexual identity, differences/diversity and social constructs in Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia.

This annual award was created to honor individuals who identify critical and unseen aspects of current political events and who are not afraid to enter the public realm by presenting their opinion in controversial political discussions.It is funded by both the state government and the Heinrich Böll Foundation in Bremen and awarded by an international jury. 

In the history of the fight for LBGTI rights in the South Caucasus, 17 May 2012 is a milestone. On this internationally recognized day, a group of activists took to the streets in the center of the capital Tbilisi for the first time to demonstrate for the rights of sexual minorities.

In May 2012, when the Euro Vision Song Contest took place in Baku, Azerbaijan's capital presented itself as open and liberal. But there is also a second reality: The Azerbaijani society is deeply conservative. In many families it is still a shame when sons or daughters come out as homosexual. Some of them are faced with violence from their own families.

The topic of sexual orientation is still a taboo in the Armenian society. Anyone who differs from the traditional beliefs must deal with social ostracism and violence. The gay singer Armine Oganezova, also known as Tsomak, fled from Armenia this summer, because she had to be afraid for her life.

Lepa Mlađenović, feminist acticist and intellectual from Serbia is the winner of our Anne Klein Women’s Award 2013. The award ceremony will take place in Berlin on March 1st. Here you find more information about the prize winner and about our work for women's rights and LGTBI-rights in the Balkans.

Arts manager and a cultural activist Basma El Husseiny points out that art is one of the most essential assets during social change. Being creative enables people to feel and think beyond their immediate reality and outside their usual capacity.