My Voice, My Rights - A Handbook for Political Activism for Women and LGBTI+ People

The Academy of Political Activism was not intended solely as an educational program, but as a space for encounters, exchange, and empowerment. Through a series of thematic modules, discussions, and practical examples, we together built an understanding of the political system, mechanisms of civic participation, rights, gender equality, security, and the importance of visibility in public space. Equally important, the Academy was also a space in which personal experiences were recognized as politically relevant, and everyday problems as legitimate starting points for activist action.

The idea for this handbook emerged precisely from these processes. While working with the participants, it became clear how important it is to have material that does not remain only at the level of theory, but connects knowledge with concrete tools, examples, and questions that arise in the real context of local communities. We wanted to create a publication that would serve as a guide, but also as an encouragement, especially for women and LGBTI+ people who often face additional obstacles, invisibility, and distrust when they decide to engage politically. Precisely for this reason, the manual has two parts, a theoretical one and a practical one with the experiences of our participants.

This manual does not offer ready-made solutions or universal recipes for political action. Instead, it offers a framework for thinking, understanding the system and recognizing the space in which it is possible to act. Its value lies in the combination of theoretical knowledge, practical guidelines and experiences of those who have passed the Academy, because it is precisely this combination that shows that political activism is not reserved for the “chosen ones”, but is available to everyone who is ready to recognize the problem, name it and act.

Authors: Selma Mustačević, Merisa Okanović, Bojana Jovanović, Meliha Sendić, Duška Andrić, Admir Adilović, Nejra Suljić, Dženana Đonlagić, Samira, Ferida Osmić, Hava Sakić, Azijada Adilović, Amina Moranjkić

Editor: Admir Adilović

Proofreading: Alija Osmić, Umihana Mrković

Design and layout: Lana Kulić, Emina Sarvan

Publisher: Tuzla Open Center

You can download the publication below - the English version of the research is included in the PDF document.

Moj glas, moja prava - priručnik za bavljenje političkim aktivizmom za žene i LGBTI+ osobe.

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The publication “A Handbook for Political Activism for Women and LGBTI+ Persons” was produced with the support of the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives through the project “Building Political Power in the Margins: Strengthening Civic Participation of Rural Women and LGBTI+ People in Tuzla Canton through Education, Skills Training, and Community-Based Advocacy.” We are grateful to Canada for its contribution to this project through the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives. The content of the publication “A Handbook for Political Activism for Women and LGBTI+ Persons” is the sole responsibility of the Tuzla Open Center and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives.