Peace Network on BiH Pride Parade: Everyone is Entitled to All Rights from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

SARAJEVO, (Patria) -  The Peace Building Network, a coalition gathering 186 members, organizations and schools from across BiH, which advocates for increasing the capacity of the entire BiH society to deal with differences and conflicts in a constructive and non-violent manner, stated in a press release on the occasion of the first Bosnian-Herzegovinian (BiH) Pride Parade that everyone is entitled to all rights from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. 

"In accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 'all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.' Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status," the statement reads.

From the Peace Network, they state that the BiH Pride Parade, which will be held in Sarajevo on September 8, is "a protest against inequality and the violation of human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) persons, demanding equal access to public space as all other citizens, so that, like everyone else, LGBTIQ persons can freely live their identities without fear of hatred, violence, rejection and discrimination."

"The Organizing Committee of the Bosnian-Herzegovinian Pride Parade emphasizes that it represents a form of struggle against violence that is omnipresent in BiH society, and that the BiH Pride Parade respects the principles and values of anti-fascism, equality, solidarity, freedom, social justice, self-determination, secularism, inclusiveness, anti-militarism, the rule of law, readiness for dialogue and non-violent communication. The omnipresent homo/bi/transphobia, patriarchy, sexism, gender inequality, as well as the insufficient interest of institutions to actively deal with the suppression of violence and inequality, are the main causes of the problems and invisibility of LGBTIQ persons," it adds.

Furthermore, the Peace Network believes that LGBTIQ persons "daily face the denial and restriction of basic human rights, those rights that the rest of society takes for granted, as something that everyone has and enjoys without much thought, but LGBTIQ persons do not have the right to freely live their lives, to feel safe and protected, to have a safe workplace, to visit their partner in the hospital, to freely and without fear live with their partner, to have the right to subsidies when buying an apartment like other young (un)married couples, to be able to talk with family and friends about the person who makes them happy, to be able to report violence and discrimination they experience without fear, simply because they love someone. LGBTIQ persons are forced to hide in order not to be exposed to discrimination, insults, dismissal, rejection in the family, at the workplace, in their environment, and they fear verbal, psychological and physical violence every time they express their identity."

"BiH is the only country in the region where a pride parade has not yet been held. The pride parade is an opportunity to change the current situation, to inform the public about the discrimination and violence faced by LGBTIQ persons, and to send a clear message about diversity, love, but also demands for equality, freedom and equal rights. The Peace Building Network reminds that human rights belong to all of us, they are not given to us, but have been won throughout history. The generations before us who fought for everything we have today have tasked us with preserving the human rights that have been won, but also with continuing their struggle. None of us is free until all of us are free, none of us is equal until all of us are equal. Therefore, the participants of the first BiH Pride Parade march with all their heart and soul for all LGBTIQ persons and continue the fight for human rights, freedom, non-violence, equality, non-discrimination and the right for everyone to love freely. We invite citizens to join the BiH Pride Parade, because Sunday, September 8, represents a turning point in the fight for human rights in BiH, Sunday is the day when there is a way out for all of us!" the statement from the Peace Network of BiH said.