Academy about LGBT rights
- Details
- Hits: 1176
Zagreb, 19th June – "The biggest impact on the change in the awareness of LGBT rights have political parties", began his presentation Franko Dota from Zagreb Pride at the roundtable of the CPP's Political Academy, in its fifth department for the public.Opening speech was held by Davor Gjenero, coordinator of the Council of 5th department, and was moderated by Boris Blažeković, head of the Academy and CPP's MP.
About LGBT Rights spoke Davor Gjenero, Council Coordinator of the 5th Department of Political Academy and political analyst, Siniša Rodin from Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb, Goran Selanec, Deputy Ombudsman for Gender Equality, Tena Šimonović Einwalter from the Office of the Ombudsman in Croatia, Franko Dota from Zagreb Pride, Gordan Duhaček, journalist and author of blog tportal Pride and Prejudice and Igor Kolman, CPP MP.
In his opening speech, Boris Blažeković stressed the importance of current issues of LGBT rights just after the Zagreb Pride.
"When we talk about the protection of LGBT people as part of the policy of protection of minorities and vulnerable groups in the liberal-democratic political worldview, then we need to talk seriously about issues of discrimination. We need to talk about the anti-discrimination activism and terms and changes that may result from it, "said Davor Gjenero at the beginning of his speech.
He also noted how the respect deserve only the law based on reason and how in the foundations of democracy there is a rational position and the concept of creating order without compromising individual rights by the state.
"Liberal-democratic political model becomes unnecessary in the political arena only when values are accepted, and our society is still far from that," concluded Gjenero.
About the practice of protecting the rights of LGBT persons infront of the European Court of Human Rights spoke Goran Selanec. Selanec said that many of the LGBT rights, which are still being discussed, must be protected by executive and judicial powers based on the Convention on Human Rights and cited a couple of examples from practice.
"There is a list of the rights enjoyed by any stable emotional community and the Court that will protect them" concluded Deputy Ombudsman for Gender Equality.
Tena Šimonović Einwalter from the Office of the Ombudsman in the Croatia placed emphasis on preventing discrimination against LGBT persons. She suggested how prejudices lead to direct and indirect discrimination against which we must fight with legal mechanisms, spreading awareness and education of society. She particularly referred to the introduction of sex education in schools.
"Law of the European Union is functionally defined. The situation in which individuals are within, must be in the reach of EU law. For a year our courts will meet gender discrimination and they will have a great responsibility in choosing the value at which the assembly will solve this discrimination because the values and attitudes of the Council of Europe Convention on Human Rights is wider and different from those in the European Union", said Siniša Rodin about policy of LGBT communities rights protection in the European context.
Franko Dota referred to the Law on Same-Sex Unions as the request of LBGT persons which the former government skillfully used to reject the law.
"We are certainly not for the amendments to the existing law on same-sex marriages, but we advocate for a new law and seek the same rights as married and unmarried couples. We understand why the government is against adopting children. It is a real social situation. We want to regulate the right to adopt the biological child of our partner, and this also applies to the heterogeneous community ", finished Dota.
Journalist and blogger Gordon Duhaček praised Zagreb Pride comparing attempts maintaining similar events in the region. He believes that the ideology is activism and how Pride in this sense is political. Because of these ideologies individuals are entering activism and are trying to realize their ideas in practice.
"The community is still not doing enough for activists in public to demand their rights in the fullest sense," concluded Duhaček.
"Last enlargement of the European Union decreased the level and quality of protection of LGBT rights. We need a law that ultimately has to be general enough for all, without special legislation. We do not want bad legislation that will be enough for public, we seek equality of all citizens in public", said Kolman.
He pointed out exactly what some call a stumbling-block, and that is the issue of adoption of children, as a matter on which to insist.
"Then we realize the value of homosexual families or couples. My opinion is that political power can not only follow the trends imposed by the current majority, but must itself impose positive social values. Family law should regulate sexually legislation", concluded Kolman.
The round table was held at the Hotel Dubrovnik.