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

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

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

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’