Analysis on Gender Equality and Prevention of Violence against LBQ Women in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, and Serbia
This regional research report exposes how laws, policies, and institutions across four countries continue to overlook and fail lesbian, bisexual, and queer (LBQ) women.
Despite existing frameworks on gender equality and commitments to the Istanbul Convention, LBQ women remain largely invisible in national strategies, unprotected in cases of same-sex partner violence, and excluded from essential services such as shelters, healthcare, and justice mechanisms.
The report combines desk research, focus group discussions, and institutional assessments to document systemic gaps and propose clear, actionable recommendations. It highlights:
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The widespread normalization of family-based and intimate partner violence against LBQ women.
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Institutional neglect, discriminatory practices, and barriers to reporting and protection.
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The lack of disaggregated data and the invisibility of LBQ women in policy frameworks.
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Positive practices driven by civil society are essential, and urgent steps are needed for governments to act.
Available in Albanian, Bosnian/Serbian, and English, the report is designed as both an advocacy tool and a practical resource for policymakers, institutions, and communities working toward inclusive protection.
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According to ERA values, we use the term LBQ women as a term inclusive of lesbian, bisexual, and queer women, including cisgender, trans, and intersex women, and all non-binary or genderqueer people on the gender spectrum who relate to an LBQ identity.
This Activity is part of the project: “Creating Collective Strategies to Protect Lesbian* Women from Gender-Based Violence in Kosovo, Serbia, Bosnia & Herzegovina and Albania.” 🇷🇸🇦🇱🇧🇦🇽🇰
This project is funded by the EuroCentralAsian Lesbian* Community and the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of the ERA LGBTI Association for the Western Balkans and Turkiye implementing the project, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the EuroCentralAsian Lesbian* Community, nor of the European Union.
