“This is not just another programme, but a response to a crisis and a safeguard against the growing exclusion of the LGBTIQ community. It allows us to rebuild vital support structures, restore dignity to those who have been silenced, and continue our work despite increasing hostility and shrinking space for civil society. Beyond responding to urgent needs, it helps build a fairer, more inclusive, and more resilient society for all”, was emphasized during today’s contract signing ceremony with NGOs whose projects were supported through the Together for LGBTIQ+ Equality programme. This programme is implemented by the Centre for Civic Education (CCE), in partnership with ERA – the LGBTI Equal Rights Association for the Western Balkans and Turkey, Queer Montenegro, the Queer Center from Skopje, the Tuzla Open Center, the NGO OMSA from Albania, and the Center for the Development of Social Groups from Kosovo, with financial support from the European Union.
The first call for proposals under this programme generated 45 applications from civil society organizations from six Western Balkan countries – Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Albania, and Montenegro – with projects focused on promoting LGBTIQ equality and inclusion in all areas of public and private life.
“Democracy relies on a strong and dynamic civil society, which is an indispensable actor in participatory democracy and social development, contributing to decision-making processes and ensuring that economic, social, and political reforms are deeply rooted in society”, said Mladenka Tešić, Programme Manager at the EU Delegation, during the contract signing ceremony. She underlined the importance of civil society in the EU accession process, which brings reforms that affect the entire society and must be implemented with the engagement and will of all citizens. “The European Commission is firmly committed to close and productive relations with civil society actors. The 2025 Work Programme of the Commission has announced an EU Strategy for supporting, protecting, and empowering civil society. This is a clear indication of the EU’s intent to engage with CSOs in a strategic manner”, she noted.
Daliborka Uljarević, Executive Director of the CCE, congratulated the organizations whose projects received support, highlighting that they could not have foreseen just how crucial this programme would become for LGBTIQ+ communities in the region. “This EU support comes at a critical moment – at a time when the LGBTIQ+ community is facing increasing pressure, restricted freedoms, and rising discrimination”, she stressed. “CCE proudly leads this programme which, through regional partnerships, enables concrete change, builds bridges between communities, and creates space for dialogue, knowledge, and solidarity. Human rights are universal, and the fight for them must not stop – together, we can always do more and do better”, Uljarević concluded.
“This support for organizations from the Western Balkans on LGBTIQ projects represents a crucial lifeline at a time when shrinking funding seriously impacts the space for human rights advancement. At the same time, we are faced with growing influence from political parties that openly oppose LGBTIQ rights and democracy, making this support even more vital for preserving achieved standards and continuing the fight for equality”, said Danijel Kalezić, Executive Director of the ERA Network for LGBTI Equal Rights in the Western Balkans and Turkey, a partner in the programme.
“This is the first concrete step taken in northern Kosovo regarding LGBTIQ rights. Queer individuals are often forgotten and invisible, and I believe that at this point it’s enough to show that we exist and that we are an integral part of our community”, said Andrea Todić, from NGO ACDC from northern Kosovo, emphasizing the importance of this support, given that there is no database on public attitudes toward the queer community in the area, nor are there any organizations, projects, or movements addressing queer issues.
Jelena Vasiljević, from NGO Rainbow Ignite in Serbia, sees this also as valuable support arriving timely, especially considering the reduction in funding for LGBTIQ-related topics. “This will enable us to encourage the queer community to be more politically active on the one hand, and on the other, to use cultural and artistic content to raise public awareness. That’s why this project is truly important to us”, she said.
Matej Vrebac from Sarajevo Open Centre (SOC) agrees that this is crucial support during turbulent times for the LGBT community. “I believe this programme is important for the entire WB region because, in addition to financial support, it provides connection and a sense that people are not alone. The message it sends, along with the way the selection process was conducted, gives me confidence that the results of this project will have a profound impact that goes beyond local and national frameworks”, he said, assessing of the Together for LGBTIQ+ Equality programme as a whole.
Adelajda Alikaj of NGO Streha from Albania explained that their supported project focuses on two key areas for the LGBT community – employment and housing. “These two issues are crucial for the social inclusion and empowerment of LGBT people in Albania. We will conduct legislative research, identify existing gaps and practical challenges in these areas. We also want to examine how these issues are addressed in the EU integration process. Our goal is to open a dialogue with Albanian institutions so that by the end of the project we can propose concrete recommendations to improve public policies and positively impact the everyday lives of LGBT individuals”, Alikaj said.
Ljubomir Faizov, from the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in North Macedonia, stated that this support is vital for them as it enables the re-establishment of a helpline for LGBTIQ+ persons amid serious institutional collapse and growing community vulnerability. “With the closure of the only shelter for LGBTIQ+ survivors of violence and the end of major funding sources like USAID, the community has lost access to much-needed support. Our project brings tangible, community-rooted solutions to the systemic exclusion and discrimination that LGBTIQ+ persons face. It re-establishes safe spaces – both physical and emotional – where individuals can access psychosocial help, legal support, and crisis counselling. It strengthens the community through peer-led initiatives, therapy groups, and visibility campaigns that break stigma and foster connection. The project also includes work with institutions to drive long-term change through evidence-based recommendations aimed at making health and social services more inclusive and accountable,” Faizov concluded.
Under the first call for proposals, 12 projects were supported with a total amount of 301,255.68 EUR. The CCE will soon publish a detailed overview of the supported projects on its website to ensure full transparency of the process.
Marlena Ivanović, Programme Associate