Yugoslavia: A look at the treatment of lesbians and the protection afforded to them by the state
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 July 1996 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | YUG24391.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Yugoslavia: A look at the treatment of lesbians and the protection afforded to them by the state, 1 July 1996, YUG24391.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ac8a62.html [accessed 22 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Although information on the treatment of lesbians in Yugoslavia could not be found among the sources consulted by the DIRB, the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA) Bulletin states that "since the beginning of the war in former Yugoslavia, violence against gay people has increased in general" (Apr.1994, 7). The same source quotes as stating that " 'street gangs, mostly young people, are often choosing gay cruising areas to show their strength, and one of the latest incidents ended with a gay man stabbed, and afraid to report it to the police' " (ibid.).
According to The Third Pink Book, homosexuality is still considered taboo in Yugoslavia, and only a small percentage of the population supports gay and lesbian rights (1993, 306, 322).
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices 1995 states that the laws of Yugoslavia support equal rights for all citizens, but there is very little protection against discrimination for women and other groups (1996, 1019). The same source states that discrimination against women has increased since the start of the war (ibid.).
The January 1995 issue of the of the ILGA Bulletin states that lesbians in Yugoslavia "exist only for themselves, cut off from the rest of the world. Their main problem, being invisible in their own country, becomes even worse by remaining invisible in the women's human rights and the western lesbian community as well" (14). The same source indicates that many issues pertaining to lesbians in Yugoslavia cannot be addressed as a result of the lack of support for lesbian groups (ibid.). Lesbian groups receive very little funding from the government or other sources (ibid.; ibid. Apr. 1993, 18) .
For information on the history of lesbian groups in Yugoslavia, please consult the attachment.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
References
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1995. 1996. United States Department of State. Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office.
International Lesbian and Gay Association ILGA Bulletin [Brussels] . January 1995. Jelica Todosijevic. "Vienna, Beijing Preps, and East European Lesbian Organizing."
_____. April 1994. "Eastern Europe: Mystery Law Reform in Serbia."
_____. April 1993. Inge Lise Paulsen. "Lesbians in Serbia: You Can't Start a Lesbian Group When People are Starving."
The Third Pink Book. 1993. Edited by Aart Hendriks et al. Buffalo, NY: Prometheus Books.
Attachment
Anderson, Shelly. 1991. Out In the World: International Lesbian Organizing. Ithaca, NY: Firebrand Books, p. 30.
