Who We Are
We are an LGBT organization operating in Albania since 2012. Our group was started as a need to strengthen the voice of LGBT experience in journalism and human rights fields. We also see the need to dedicate our work to lesbians, bisexual and transgender women. Our mission is to strengthen the voice of young Albanian LBT women through online media but also other marginalized groups. We are proud to have Historia-ime.com an alternative media that is the voice of the underreported groups.
We intend for our activities to serve as a backbone for the community and to empower the LGBT persons in Albania. We also aim to contribute raising awareness on lesbian, bisexual and trans women’s rights issues in the media and among the general public, because being queer and also woman they face twice discrimination.
We believe that cooperation between CSOs is the best way to achieve our goals. We have the support of one of the major LGBTI organizations in Albania and with their help we can reach to many LBT youth of the community.
Our Objectives
- Building and strengthening internal capacities of the organization
- Engaging and empowering the LGBTI and other communities with focus on changing hearts and minds towards LGBTI people and other communities
- Advocating with institutions for the protection and promotion of the rights of LGBTI people and other communities
Our Vision
An open, aware and emancipated society where human rights of all are respected, protected and promoted.
Our Mission
PRO is determined to change and improve social attitudes and views on sexual orientation, gender identity and expression and sex characteristics. We fight to protect and promote human rights and give voice to all marginalized communities in Albania
Our History
Pro LGBT was established in 2011 in Tirana, and has helped to raise awareness regarding LGBTI issues, at both national and international levels. It focuses primarily on culture and media, but also undertakes community work and advocacy. Its news portal, Historia-ime.com addresses LGBTI people’s rights and other human rights related topics in Albania. Pro LGBT also works with national and international media to raise awareness about and improve their coverage of LGBTI issues. In December 2014 Pro LGBT, in partnership with Alliance LGBT, opened the first residential shelter for homeless LGBTI young people in Albania. This is among the first services of this type to be provided in South-East Europe. Since May 2012 Pro LGBT has organized major Pride Events such as Tirana Gay (P)Ride, and the awards event “Ally of the Year” together with Aleanca. Pro LGBT has been working intensively with political parties to mainstream LGBTI issues in their political agenda. It offers legal support to LGBTI individuals through legal counselling and strategic litigation, and is working closely with EU and US institutions on monitoring LGBTI people’s rights and addressing the topic in all human rights reports and in Albania’s progress reports for the EU. We have undertaken important advocacy work with public institutions, especially those working in the area of human rights. We acknowledge that we cannot deliver meaningful change for LGBTI people in Albania unless we work together with each other and with public institutions. To strengthen legal and institutional support for protection of the rights of LGBTI people, we have been working closely with the national human rights institutions. Through our common efforts we have advocated for changes to the legislation in the Criminal Code, Labour Code, and the Administrative Procedure Code which have already been implemented. We have been involved in developing the National Action Plan on LGBT people 2016-2020.
