By ARBER KODRA
Albanian LGBT community faces discrimination and preclusion problems from the Albanian society and family. This is evident from a discriminated community and excluded in the moment they understand to what community they belong to. These people try not to be presented to the Albanian public opinion and their respective families.
In fact, the family is the first obstacle with which they encounter and that makes them even more sceptical when it comes to ask the respect for their rights by the society in general.
Often people belonging to the LGBT community at the time that their families find out about their sexuality, they are thrown out of the house. Often they end up in the street without a shelter and protection.
Due to social pressure, the fear of stigmatization and the fear of losing their families, most members of the community are not out.
Because of this fact, the Family Group has been created By Open Mind Spectrum Albania – OMSA, for families to be trained, especially mothers.
They should be informed through specialists, psychologist and doctors, and also by special leaflets and brochures that provide education and the problems that we have already issued, to convey to the families of this community education, acceptance and support for these young people.
Education in Albanian families in relation to sexuality is still considered taboo and therefore is insisted to be discussed on these topics.
They are not the only resources. Others include the first LGBT Shelter in Tirana.
In December 2014, the first residential shelter was open in Tirana for LGBTI who are left homeless, suffer domestic violence because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, or live in a non safe environment, marking a milestone for the human rights movement in Albania. Through this temporary housing, beneficiaries will be offered different services including life skills training, vocational training opportunities and psycho-social support.
Aleanca LGBT and ProLGBT, have come together to offer this service. Streha, meaning “the Shelter”, is the first shelter for LGBT individuals in the Balkan region and one of the first in Eastern Europe.
History of LGBT community activism in Albania
The very first LGBT organizations in Albania were Society Gay Albania (SGA) and Albanian Lesbian and Gay Association (ALGA).
Also one of the very first human rights organizations, that have worked with the LGBT community in Albania, is Albanian Human Rights Group – AHRG.
During their early work, AHRG in collaboration with ALGA have been identifying a lot of violated cases of the Albanian Police maltreating homosexuals, without any visible motive or reason. Even now in other districts of the country, the LGBT community face greater pressure. AHRG has protested against these flagrant cases of the violations of their rights.
Now, there are four organizations in Albania focused on LGBT rights – they are Pink Embassy / LGBT Pro Albania (Ambasada Pink / LGBT Pro Shqiperi; Alliance Against LGBT Discrimination (Aleanca Kunder Diskriminimit LGBT), United Pro LGBT Cause in Albania (Te Bashkuar Pro Kauzes LGBT Shqiperi), Open Mind Spectrum Albania (OMSA). All organizations work to create a better and more equal living situation for LGBT people in Albania.
Pink Embassy / LGBT Pro Albania aims to strengthen the position of gay community living there. This organization is focused on the main areas: Advocacy and lobbying to ensure respect for the rights of the LGBT community through information and education campaigns, monitoring violations of human rights of members of the LGBT, impact on government and policy-making to build effective mechanisms in favor of the LGBT community and creating favorable conditions to facilitate visibility and mobilize the LGBT community.
Alliance Against LGBT Discrimination is an Albanian non-governmental organization that envisions a free, open and equal Albanian society that embraces diversity and is inclusive of people of all sexual orientations and gender identities.
United Pro LGBT’s cause in Albania is mainly focused on public awareness on LGBT issues and using advocacy as a tool to improve the situation of LGBT community.
Open Mind Spectrum Albania (OMSA) is a nonprofit organization that seeks to support the promotion, legal implementation and protection of human rights in Albania. OMSA with the LGBT community is mainly focused on the trainings of the LGBT Families, creating the very first LGBT Familt Group.
As a over year-long organization, Open Mind Spectrum Albania (OMSA) is a nonprofit organization that seeks to support the promotion, legal implementation and protection of human rights in Albania. As a over year-long organization, OMSA aspires to help build a society in Albania where every individual, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity,race, age, social status, marital status, physical disability, ethnicity, enjoys full rights and freedoms and is ensured social services, health care, education opportunities and legal assistance. OMSA is officially an affiliate of Youth for Human Rights International (YHRI) since September 19, 2013, known as Youth for Human Rights Albania (YHR-Albania).
It serves to create tools for civil society and network links in Albania in order for them to include human rights as part of their work. OMSA’s main objective is to educate youth about human rights based on the UN Declaration of Human Rights and inspire them to become advocates for tolerance and peace. We, as an organization, seek to do this through educational and awareness campaigns on the rights of vulnerable groups in Albania, such as Roma, Egyptian, LGBTQI, people with disabilities, drug addicts, AIDS patients, women and children’s rights. We believe that a good monitoring and reporting mechanism of human rights violations is an empowering tool to advocate for policy changes with law-makers and other stakeholders.
Development of the LGBT diversity in business environment
LGBT Travel Albania is a website, the first website for LGBT-friendly business and traveling in Albania, the country in the heart of the Mediterranean, characterized by archaeological heritage from Illyrian, Greek, Roman and Ottoman times, unspoiled beaches, mountainous topography, delicious traditional Albanian cuisine, Cold War era artifacts, unique traditions and hospitality, and the wild and peculiar atmosphere of the countryside. Albania is fast becoming one of the world’s most interesting getaways. Still relatively unspoiled by globalization, visitors will notice an inspiring mixture of civilizations and cultures – making this European country truly unique. In this small Mediterranean country, virgin nature and cultural mysteries combine to create a unique sense of place. From the snow-capped mountains in the winter to the fields blanketed in spring by red poppies, Albania’s landscape is ever-changing with the seasons, offering visitors the opportunity to enjoy a warm summer beach holiday or a mountain trek in the crisp and cool air of the fall.
LGBT Travel Albania was developed in the context of the Council of Europe LGBT Project, in cooperation with the Albanian National Tourism Agency – Ministry of Urban Development and Tourism and PINK Embassy/LGBT Pro Albania. The content on this website is managed collectively by three Albanian LGBT-rights NGOs PINK Embassy/LGBT Pro Albania, Alliance Against LGBT Discrimination, and United Pro LGBT Cause in Albania. Every business can be included.
According to ILGA EUROPE (International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association) Annual Review of the Human Rights Situation of LGBTI, Albania continued to make progress at the institutional level towards greater recognition and protection of LGBTI people. This was clearly demonstrated through amongst others: 1) the Ombudsman’s Special Report on the situation of the LGBT community and subsequent follow-up work; 2) the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities’ drafting of a National Activity Plan towards the promotion of greater LGBT equality; and 3) the State Police’s development of a Memorandum of Cooperation with LGBT civil society.
General attitude of the public / business world towards LGBT diversity
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons in Albania are protected under a comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation. Both male and female same-gender sexual activities are legal in Albania, but households headed by same-gender couples are not eligible for the same legal protections available to opposite-gender couples.
Recent anti-discrimination legislation has made Albania as one of a few countries in Europe which explicitly bans discrimination on the grounds of gender identity. Albania has ratified Protocol No. 12 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms; moreover Albania was a signatory to the 2007 UN Declaration on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity.
Albania decriminalized consensual sexual expression in 1995. The age of consent has been equal at over 14 for all, regardless of gender and/or sexual orientation, since 2001. The Albanian Penal Code prohibits and sentences any behavior or display of sexual acts in public.
Same gender marriage or civil unions are not currently recognized in Albania. Even though Albania’s ex- Prime Minister Sali Berisha announced in July 2009 that he would support the recognition of same-gender civil marriages, the proposed anti-discrimination law, unanimously approved on 4 February 2010, never addressed same-sex marriage. Gay rights groups praised the new law but said they hoped that Berisha would eventually keep to his promise on legalizing same-sex marriage.
Igli Totozani, the Albanian Ombudsman, announced on October 2013 that he would be drafting a bill for parliament to debate on changes to the family code that would allow for same-sex marriage to be introduced.
Tirana Pride
The 17th of May 2014, on the International Day against Homophobia (IDAHO) was celebrated and promoted in Albania through Festival of Diversity / Tirana Pride.
Festival of Diversity / Tirana Pride 2014 aims to raise the public awareness & support for equal rights without discrimination for LGBT persons, their families and supporters.
Even though, in Albania, IDAHO has been celebrated two times already, in the 17th of May we raise our efforts to make it a more visible event, to organize the Pride in order to exercise our expression rights and attract a broader public and to raise issues at a larger scale. In many places across the world, Pride events are a great social event for equality, love, elimination of discrimination and the protection of human dignity.
On 26 January 2015 – PINK Embassy / LGBT Pro, Human Rights House in Albania and Open Mind Spectrum Albania (OMSA), the organizing group of Tirana Pride, agreed that the 2nd Tirana Pride will be held in June 11th.
Meanwhile it has been agreed that on May 17th, the International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia different awareness events will take place such as the “Diversity Fair”, open lectures, exhibitions, seminars etc.
During the 17th of May is organized also the event Ride Against Homophobia, called Tirana Gay Ride.
The Pride is an event in which gathers in a march for diversity and equality the LGBT organizations, women’s groups, human rights organizations, public institutions, parliamentarians and politicians, representatives of the diplomatic corps, international and LGBT partner organizations and citizens who believe in the values of equality and dignity.
