Rainbow flag displayed on ombudsman building

Rainbow flag displayed on ombudsman building

The flag hanging ceremony was attended by Deputy Protector of Citizens Gordana Stevanovic, a representative of the technical service of the protector of citizens and members of the Ombudsman's Gender Equality Council.

Although some progress has been made in improving the legislative framework and practice when it comes to the protection of the rights of LGBTI people over the past few years, these people and those advocating their rights have been exposed to violence, including physical attacks and abuse, the Ombudsman's office said in a release.

It is therefore essential that the public authorities and society as a whole devote more attention to creating measures to help protect the physical and psychological integrity of LGBT people and prevent discrimination and hate speech.

International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia is marked on May 17, commemorating the date when the decision to remove homosexuality from the International Classification of Diseases of the World Health Organization was made in 1990.

Also on Tuesday, Commissioner for the Protection of Equality Brankica Jankovic noted that any discrimination, including the one over sexual orientation and gender identity, is punishable under the law and must not be tolerated.

"Besides the fact that two gay pride parades and a trans pride have been held without any incident, that the issues related to the rights of the LGBT community are more present in the public and that there is certain progress in improving the position of the population, homophobia and transphobia are still present in our society," she said in a statement.

Jankovic called on the media to report on transgender and all people of different sexual orientation without sensationalism and a discriminatory slant, protect their dignity and privacy and not to use humiliating and insulting phrases.

This is another opportunity to draw attention to the responsibility that the media have in shaping the public opinion, she underlined.