Representatives of organisations for rights of LGBT persons discuss issues of homophobia

Chisinau, 20 May /MOLDPRES/ - Representatives of organisations for rights of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) persons from post-Soviet countries discussed subjects on fighting homophobia in the society at a meeting in Chisinau today.   

The participants in the event said that representatives of the LGBT organisations from post-Soviet countries were presently facing problems of homophobia in the society. “We ruled to meet, in order to share our experience in the field of prevention of the homophobe legislation. Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia are the only countries from the post-Soviet area, where there is an Anti-discrimination Law; therefore, we spoke about our experience on the way of adopting the latter,” the coordinator of the GENDERDOC-M Moldova programme, Angela Frolov, has said.   

Frolov noted that the law on ensuring equality had been developed during eight years, and it would be functional at present. “Our organisation quite often appeals to the provisions of this law; yet, we are aware that it might be improved. Also, there are problems which might be settled as time passes. We have a very good non-discrimination Council in Moldova; yet, the sole thing the council can afford is to ascertain whether a case of discrimination took place or not. The decision of the concerned Council has no legal value and can be even appealed in court, while in Romania, the same body has powers to apply sanctions,” Angela Frolov said.   

The law on ensuring equality was adopted in 2012 and entered into force on 1 January 2013. The goal of this law is “prevention and fighting discrimination, as well as ensuring the equality of all persons living on the territory of Moldova in the political, economic, social, cultural and other spheres of life, no matter the race, colour, nationality, ethnic origin, language, religion or convictions, sex, age, disability, opinion, political affiliation or other similar criterion.”   

In the context, in order to raise the society’s awareness as regards the rights of the LGBT persons from all over Moldova, a march “Fara Frica” (No Fear) will be organised in Chisinau on 22 May. The event will take place in silence, as the organisers said that “in silence, we can hear each other without fear of any kind, and the freedom starts from inside: if we overcome the fear, we become free.” The participants in the solidarity march will bear white jerseys, with the campaign’s logo, No Fear.   

The action is held the fourth year in a row.

(Reporter A. Plitoc, editor L. Alcaza)