The Commissioner for the Protection of Equality, Brankica Janković, said on the occasion of International Pride Day that despite positive developments, members of the LGBTI+ community still face social distance and various forms of violence and discrimination.

We should continuously work to overcome all the obstacles that prevent our LGBTI+ fellow citizens from being equal members of society. The responsibility also lies with the media, especially because by inadequate reporting they reinforce prejudices and stereotypes, endanger the safety, and violate the dignity and integrity of a person. The way certain media reported the news about the disappearance of the girl from Kovilj is to be strongly condemned. Revealing a person’s transgender identity and giving their old name and photo is inadmissible and represents a violation of the Law on Prohibition of Discrimination, the right to privacy, and the protection of personal data, Janković points out.

As key problems in achieving equality for LGBTI+ persons, the Commissioner cites improper application of regulations when issuing documents to transgender and transsexual persons, which affects important areas of life, as well as the public expression of homophobic and discriminatory attitudes that encourages violence against the LGBTI+ population.

Regarding complaints submitted to the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality due to discrimination based on sexual orientation, most of them in the past year related to the actions of public authorities and the field of work and employment. Therefore, among other things, the Commissioner participated in developing the Guide for implementing anti-discrimination regulations to improve the position of LGBTI+ persons in the labor market, within the project “We work together”, which promotes diversity, equality, and inclusion in the workplace.