Southeastern European Queer Network of LGBTIQ activists from former Yugoslavia (SEE Q Network) is a regional network of LGBTIQ activists and representatives of approximately 20 LGBT organizations from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo/a, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro, and Slovenia.
Founded in September of 2003, SEE Q Network represents a joint effort in addressing LGBTIQ human rights and violations based on sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and (inter)sex characteristics both on regional and international levels.
The vision of the SEE Q Network is to create a strong network of LGBTIQ activists and organizations cooperating on projects of mutual concern and interest leading toward a regional LGBTIQ movement that will act politically, culturally and professionally in regards to human rights of LGBTIQ persons in a public policy oriented manner both locally and globally.
Since 2007, SEE Q Network has not been active and since 2009 it finalized work on its project activities. However, member organizations exchange information about their activities and news via its mailing list.
SEE Q MEETINGS
Thirteen (13) regional meetings were organized thus far:
-Božava, Dugi Otok (Croatia), September 3, 2003
-Skopje (Macedonia), November 29, 2003
-Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina), February 28, 2004
-Rijeka/Opatija (Croatia), May 29-30, 2004
-Skopje (Macedonia), October 8-10, 2004
-Ljubljana (Slovenia), December 17-19, 2004
-Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina), February 6-7, 2005
-Belgrade (Serbia and Montenegro), May 7-8, 2005
-Zagreb (Croatia), July 23-24, 2005
-Novi Sad (Serbia and Montenegro), October 22-22, 2005
-Šabac (Serbia and Montenegro), February 4-5, 2006
-Opatija (Croatia), April 7-9, 2006
-Zagreb (Croatia), September 29-October 1, 2006
SEE Q NETWORK MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS
- Organization Q (Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina)
- Iskorak (Zagreb, Croatia)
- LORI (Rijeka, Croatia)
- Women’s Room (Zagreb, Croatia)
- Elysium and Sappho (Priština, Kosovo/a)
- Center for Civil and Human Rights (Skopje, Macedonia)
- EGAL (Skopje, Macedonia)
- MASSO (Skopje, Macedonia)
- Center for Production of Equality
- (Novi Sad, Serbia and Montenegro)
- Deve (Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro)
- Duga (Šabac, Serbia and Montenegro)
- Gayten LGBT (Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro)
- Lambda (Niš, Serbia and Montenegro)
- Labris (Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro)
- NLO (Novi Sad, Serbia and Montenegro)
- SPY (Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro)
- Queeria (Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro)
- Legebitra (Ljubljana, Slovenia)
- Magnus (Ljubljana, Slovenia)
- Skuc LL (Ljubljana, Slovenia)
- DIH (Ljubljana, Slovenia)
SEE Q BOARD
SEE Q Board is made out of persons who were candidates and then voted in on the Board positions.
SEE Q Board members are:
Sever Džigurski, SEE Q Network Coordinator
Leila Al Shammary, Finance/fundraising Coordinator
Danijela Almesberger, Program Coordinator
Svetlana Đurković, PR Coordinator
Meeting Coordinator changes from one meeting to the next.
PROJECTS
ReLAP II
ReLAP II is a continuation of the regional project regarding LGBTI lobbying, advocacy, and public policy, ReLAP I. The aim of this project is to produce a professional Manual on how to document cases of violence and discrimination, to include national frameworks of ex-YU region and EU, CoE, and UN mechanisms, instruments and standards. Objective of ReLAP II is strengthen, inform and educated LGBTIQ organizations regarding successful lobbing, advocating, and public policy making within national legal systems deemed necessary to implement all human rights of LGBTIQ persons secured by international standards, including, but not being limited to sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, and (inter)sex characteristics.
ReLAP II is supported by the Swedish Helsinki Committee for Human Rights.
Regional Lobby, Advocacy and Policy (ReLAP) Project I
ReLAP I was the very first regional project of the SEE Q Network involving regional coordination and policy objectives. The aim of this project was to professionally train and educate LGBTIQ activists and to strengthen and expend the SEE Q Network in order to successfully lobby and advocate policy changes within national and international legal systems deemed necessary to implement all human rights of LGBTIQ persons secured by international standards, including, but not being limited to sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and (inter)sex characteristics.
ReLAP I was carried out and implemented by the Centre for Civil and Human Rights (Macedonia), as well as following organizations: Gayten LGBT (Serbia and Montenegro), Organization Q (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Kontra (Croatia), Iskorak (Croatia), and Women's Room (Croatia).
Three training courses on lobbying, advocacy and public policy were organized.
ReLAP I was jointly funded by the Swedish Helsinki Committee for Human Rights and the Open Society Institute.
ReLAP I was launched in December, 2004, and stopped in July, 2005, after the SEE Q Board conducted extensive evaluations and the SEE Q Network decided that revision and restructuring is needed in order for the project to continue and be successful.
SEE Q Networking
The Rausing Fundation funds the SEE Q Network during year 2005/06 in order to organize and coordinate regular meetings, providing the Network with an opportunity to work on joint projects, ideas and networking.
Three meetings were organized under this Grant. The fourth one is scheduled to take place in Opatija, Croatia, in early April.
Mama Cash
Mama Cash supported the SEE Q Network in enabling it to provide three queer activists from the SEE Q Network with a valuable opportunity to attend and participate in the annual ILGA-Europe meeting taking place in October of 2005 in Paris, France.
Three activists from Croatia and Serbia and Montenegro were selected to receive the Mama Cash scholarship. Only two attended the ILGA-Europe Conference.
SEE Q PLATFORM
The SEE Q Platform was adopted in Zagreb in 2005. It came to be out of a need for adequate ways to address, respect and work on human rights of LGBTIQ persons. LGBTIQ population is in general invisible and constantly excluded from the process of public policy making and national legislations within the region, as well as human rights including equality and equity. It has been shown as a necessity to revisit the terminology and human rights standards which specifically concern the LGBTIQ persons, and to adopt mutual terminology and principles of work on the level of the region.
Please contact seeqmreza@yahoo.com for a copy of the SEE Q Network Platform.
CONTACT
E: SEEQmreza@yahoo.com
W: www.queer.ba/bs/seeq
Info mailing list: seeqinfo@yahoogroups.com