The European Union and the Council of Europe have awarded a grant to the “Wings of Hope” Foundation from Sarajevo for the opening of the first safe house/shelter for LGBTI persons in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This safe house/shelter is open to LGBTI victims of domestic violence from all parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina who need quick relocation away from their household, as well as professional and sensitised psycho-social support in a safe environment.
Bojana Urumova, Head of the Council of Europe Office in Sarajevo, stated: “With this safe house, LGBTI persons in Bosnia and Herzegovina no longer have to choose between being homeless or staying in a household where they are rejected or abused. We believe that relevant institutions will support this important initiative.”
Gianluca Vannini, Head of the Social Development Operations, Civil Society and Cross-Border Cooperation Section (EU Delegation), stated that respect for human rights, dignity, the principle of non-discrimination and privacy are fundamental values of the European Union. “Although the establishment of a safe house is a major step forward in protecting the LGBTI population, we must work together more to ensure equal rights for LGBTI persons in all areas of public and private life, and we must fight against prejudice and stereotypes”, said Vannini.
Recalling that the “Wings of Hope” Foundation began its specialised psychosocial work with the LGBTI community nearly ten years ago, the Foundation’s Executive Director, Siniša Sajević, stated: “We are seeing a constant increase in the number of LGBTIQ persons facing domestic violence who have nowhere to go. The existence of the house offers psychological support, education, suicide prevention and empowerment, which is crucial for the wellbeing and safety of the LGBTIQ community in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which currently has no similar space. By opening the safe house, we are providing a new element of safety in our society for all LGBTIQ persons who need it.”
On the news of the opening of the safe house/shelter, one of the “Wings of Hope” service users and a former victim of domestic violence, E.A. (21), commented: “When my father kicked me out of the apartment and told me to fend for myself after finding out I was gay, I felt terrible. Without any support. Thanks to the support of a few friends I got through that period and stayed with them. If a safe house for LGBTIQ persons had existed at the time, I would have felt much more protected. I would have known that there was someone who cared about me and could help me get back on my feet. Somehow the existence of such a house seems crucial to me for this country, where parents still refuse to accept their children as LGBTIQ persons.”
The opening of the first safe house/shelter for LGBTI persons in Bosnia and Herzegovina was made possible with the support of the project “Towards an Equal, Inclusive and Tolerant Bosnia and Herzegovina”, implemented within the joint European Union and Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey”.
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