For many people, political activity is still associated exclusively with political parties, election campaigns, and formal positions of power. Politics is often perceived as something distant, rigid, and reserved for a narrow circle of people who already hold influence. However, for women and LGBTI+ people—especially those living in rural and smaller communities—political engagement today has a much broader and more complex meaning. In contexts where social norms are strictly

Tuzla Open Center has been around for 10 years! Who knows, maybe you'll be reading this sometime later, which means that the previous sentence is no longer true and that TOC has been around for maybe 20 years or, even better, 30 years. TOC had a humble beginning, founded by three people, brought together enthusiastic young people who stood behind the principles of solidarity, freedom and equality. That was enough for something (at that time small) to get on its feet and start

For many citizens, the word politics  evokes discomfort, resistance, or fatigue. It is often associated with corruption, conflict, empty promises, and a sense that “ordinary people” have little or no influence. This attitude toward politics is particularly pronounced in rural communities, where political decision-making is frequently perceived as distant, inaccessible, and reserved for a small circle of people “at the top.” Most participants who joined the Political Activism

Author: Jovana Ivetić In societies where legal norms, political discourse, and social attitudes are marked by stigma and discrimination, the depiction of queer life and identity is perceived as provocation and risk. Therefore, visual works that boldly portray LGBTQ+ themes, without reduction to comic stereotypes, not only broaden the range of narratives, but also open up space for public debate about rights and dignity. In this context, films and series featuring LGBTQ+ chara

The second module of the Political Activism Academy, held from 10 to 12 December 2025, brought together women and LGBTI+ individuals from various local communities in Tuzla Canton with the aim of further strengthening their capacities for political engagement, advocacy, and active participation in public life. While the first module of the Academy focused on introducing the basics of political literacy and activism, the second module marked a clear shift toward practical know

Local communities play a crucial role in protecting and empowering LGBTI+ rights, particularly when politicians, institutions, and civil society organizations jointly use their mandates, resources, and expertise. The most effective approach combines local policymaking, functional protection mechanisms, partnerships with LGBTI+ organizations, and active political support. The Tuzla Open Center (hereinafter: TOC), a non-governmental organization working on LGBTI+ rights in Tuzl

It is estimated that between 8 and 10 million people worldwide are living with HIV. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, around 490 people currently registered are living with HIV; however, estimates suggest that the actual number could be up to three times higher. The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infects and destroys cells of the immune system, significantly impairing the body’s ability to fight other infections and diseases. When HIV severely weakens the immune system, it can l

In the political landscape of Bosnia and Herzegovina, women remain underrepresented, and young women are almost invisible. That is why the stories of those who have had the courage to step into that space, to fight for their place and their voice, carry special weight. One of them is Selma Ćatibušić, a young activist and former councilor who has shown through her work that politics does not have to be a closed system, but a field where determination and empathy can turn into

Written by: Jovana Ivetić When identity is marginalized, art can become a way to articulate what doesn’t fit the mold, that is, what the system and society don’t acknowledge. But can it completely eliminate pain, shame, fear, and ecstasy? Is queer aesthetics measured in rainbow colors and abstract symbols; or is it the experience of a body that has learned to be viewed with suspicion, and now finally feels pride and courage? Works of art reflect a time period, context, and st

Political elites in Bosnia and Herzegovina — especially leaders of ethnonationalist parties at all levels of government — rarely advocate for LGBTI+ and women’s rights. More often, they remain passive in cases of violence and discrimination against these groups, and sometimes are the very architects of narratives that fuel such behavior. This is reflected in rhetoric that stigmatizes LGBTI+ people and women, in political initiatives that ban LGBTI+ content in public, in the l

The research before you was created as a response to the need for a deeper understanding of local youth policies in the area of Tuzla Canton. At a time when conversations about young people leaving the country and their dissatisfaction are frequent, it seemed especially important to objectively assess what municipalities and cities are actually doing to meet the obligations set out by the Youth Law of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In this context, the research cov

Through the Political Activism Academy, organized by the Tuzla Open Center, many young women and LGBTI+ individuals experienced for the first time that politics doesn’t have to be distant, dull, or reserved for those “at the top.” One of them is Lejla, a young person from a small town in the Tuzla Canton, who, after taking part in the Academy, began to see politics from an entirely new perspective. “During the Academy, I realized that politics isn’t a space for ‘other people’

In October 2025, Tuzla Open Center opened the doors of the Academy of Political Activism, a space where curiosity, experience, and the desire for change come together. Over three days, from October 22 to 24, women and LGBTI+ people from across Tuzla Canton gathered with one common goal: to learn how to be active in their communities, how to initiate change, and how to make their voices heard. The Academy, dedicated to the theme “Women in Politics,” was much more than an educa

November is marked by the struggle for the rights and visibility of TGNCI (trans, intersex, and gender non-conforming) people. Although the term “transgender”  only entered the vocabulary of LGBTI+ activism in the 1960s, traditions that deviate from gender binarism and the patriarchal understanding of gender roles as inseparably tied to sex assigned at birth have been recorded throughout every era of human history. Unfortunately, the history of transphobia reaches just as far

In a country where politics is still widely seen as a “man’s job,” women and LGBTI+ people in Bosnia and Herzegovina remain in the shadows — present, but rarely empowered to decide. Although gender quotas have been in place for more than a decade, their purpose is often exhausted in formality. The numbers exist, but behind them stands a system that gives women and people of diverse identities not power, but the illusion of equality. Between Law and Practice Bosnia and Herzego

In a society where political power is often based on visibility, LGBTI+ people in Bosnia and Herzegovina remain invisible. Although they are part of society, communities, activism, and even political structures, almost no one who is publicly engaged in politics is openly out. This invisibility is not accidental but the result of deeply rooted fears, prejudices, and systemic barriers. Between Law and Reality Bosnia and Herzegovina has legal mechanisms intended to protect LGBTI

LGBTI+ History Month has been observed since 1994, when history teacher Rodney Wilson from the United States launched an initiative to...

At a time when politics in Bosnia and Herzegovina remains largely a male-dominated arena, women who decide to step into this world face a...

We are witnesses to the fact that the active, everyday struggle for LGBTI+ rights continues both globally and in our own context. While...

Welcome to “Ask a Lawyer” – TOC’s legal safe space! Here, there are no stupid questions, only honest answers. Law often sounds dry and...