| If the answer to the previous question is Yes, please give some details. |
"ACCEPT is a human rights organization and the first Romanian non-governmental organization that defends and promotes the rights of LGBT persons at national level. The Association’s mission is to improve the situation of LGBT people in the Romanian society, to decrease the level of discrimination and stigmatization for this group and, at the same time, to advocate for equal rights for all Romanian citizens.
In relation to ACCEPT Association's experience in managing projects at the national level, please see below:
Project title: ACCESS TO JUSTICE AND ADEQUATE REDRESS FOR PERSONS WHO ARE VICTIMS OF DISCRIMINATION
Funded by: EEA Grants and Norway Grants
Planned period of implementation: June 2014 – April 2016
Project’s scope, objective and main activities:
The project proposed by ACCEPT on behalf of Anti-Discrimination Coalition has the purpose to increase the access to justice and effective redress mechanisms / remedies for persons exposed to discrimination.
This project aims to address the issues of:
- The lack of legal consequences meant to discourage discrimination
- Lack of information of the general public, on existing remedies and redress mechanisms for discrimination situations.
The main objectives of the Project refer to:
- Strengthening the advocacy capacity of Anti-Discrimination coalition (a coalition of NGOs in Romania, dealing with anti-discrimination of various groups) in order to increase access to justice and specific remedies for vulnerable people facing discrimination
- Development and promotion of services, instruments and informative resources that could contribute to facilitating access to justice for persons and groups that are vulnerable to discrimination.
The target groups benefiting from the projects implementation include: at least 10 NGOs dealing with anti-discrimination in various fields, as well as around 600 persons who are potential victims of discrimination, and who will be provided with legal services.
A Report on Monitoring and Evaluation of Access to Justice and redress mechanisms for victims of discrimination will be produced and shared with relevant stakeholders in the framework of the Project.
In addition, the capacity of a number of at least 10 NGO will be increased through the Project activities, a workshop on Freedom of Expression versus the principle of Non Discrimination will be held in Bucharest. Another significant result of the Project is the re-launching of the antidiscriminare.ro (anti-discrimination-ro) website, which will be revamped (reorganized, all content will be redrafted) in view of establishing an updated, interactive portal for victims of discrimination interested in available redress mechanisms for their cases.
The advocacy actions will consist, among others, in the Coalition’s work concerning the multiannual anti-discrimination strategy proposed by the National Equality Body – CNCD as well as in the representation of strategic litigation cases.
SIALON projects: ACCEPT acted as a partner for two European projects funded by the European Commission, including HIV surveys on HIV prevalence among MSM, MSM’s sex behavior and MSM’s access to health services. Both projects have been implemented in partnership with the National Institute for Infectious Diseases, Matei Bals. Currently (October 2014) ACCEPT is involved in activities relating to the SIALON II Project.
Project title: SIALON II (2012-2014) - Capacity building in combining targeted prevention with meaningful HIV surveillance among Men who have Sex with Men.
Funded by: the European Commission
Planned period of implementation: 2012 - December 2014 (with ACCEPT’s involvement starting 2013)
Project’s scope, objective and main activities:
The aim of the Sialon II project is to estimate occurrence of HIV, Syphilis, HBV and HCV among MSM in the data collection sites and to study sexual behaviour risk patterns and prevention needs in the MSM population. At national level, it’s planned that the results of this research will help to improve prevention programs in Bucharest, Romania.
This research involved the collection of data on prevention needs and behaviour through an anonymous self-administered questionnaire to be filled in by participants, as well as the collection of a blood sample to analyse the presence of antibodies against HIV, Syphilis, HBV and HCV.
Project title: Documentation of discrimination in the field of LGBT health in Romania
Funded by: ILGA-Europe
Planned period of implementation:: January- December 2014
Project’s scope, objective and main activities:
The purpose of the project is to collect data on discriminatory practices in the area of LGBT health in Romania in order to develop realistic and practical guidelines for (1) medical personnel, (2) medical faculties and (3) health authorities, to assist them in developing health services that are adequate to LGBTI needs. The project was mainly focused on research (with an online survey, focus groups, qualitative interviews, written info requests to authorities and institutions) that led to the elaboration of guidelines regarding health services for LGBTI. Following data collection and analysis, ACCEPT will develop advocacy actions aiming at medicine and psychology faculties in Romania, inviting them to update the academic curricula so that homosexuality is no longer presented as a mental disease. Finally, ACCEPT will elaborate and disseminate guidelines/recommendations for (1) medical personnel, (2) medical faculties and (3) health authorities- as first info resources on how to increase accessibility and adequacy of health services for LGBTI people.
Project title: Combating discrimination, standing up in solidarity
Funded by: Black Sea Trust
Implementation period:
Project’s scope, objective and main activities:
The project aimed to share best practices among human rights professionals from Romania, Moldova and Ukraine in order to combat discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. During the course of the project, a regional conference was organized in Kiev, Ukraine, following which a regional plan to combat the religiously-driven opposition to LGBT rights in Eastern Europe. Following this, ACCEPT developed a report mapping the discourse and practices of the religiously-driven opposition to LGBT rights, available at:
http://accept-romania.ro/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Traditional-values-religion-and-LGBT-rights-in-Eastern-Europe-no-bleed-40-pages-website1.pdf
Project title: Legal Gender Recognition in Romania a guide for magistrates and lawyers
Funded by: Open Society Institute Budapest
Implementation period: January 2013 – December 2013
Project’s scope, objective and main activities:
ACCEPT has produced a guide on steps to be followed by trans people in order to obtain legal gender recognition (LGR) in Romania. Moreover, the report maps and analyzes the transgender jurisprudence in Romania. The guide was elaborated in partnership with ECPI – the Euroregional Centre for Public Initiatives, who was responsible with elaborating the legal content, based on documentation collected by ACCEPT while assisting and providing juridical assistance for trans people during LGR process. The guide includes information about the situation of trans people in Romania, testimonials of trans persons, a glossary of terms, and recommendations issued by TGEU regarding legal provisions regulating LGR. The report mapped the administrative and legal barriers transgender persons face in legal gender recognition procedures, obstacles which expose them to discrimination and stigmatization. The report is an instrument destined for transgender individuals, considering it offers information about medical and legal means at their disposal, as well as institutions responsible in the filled, as it offers recommendations regarding equal and nondiscriminatory treatment on transgender issues. The report is available at: http://accept-romania.ro/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Recunoasterea-juridica-a-identitatii-de-gen-a-persoanelor-trans-in-Romania-page-by-page.pdf
Project title: Break the silence
Funded by: Royal Netherlands Embassy in Bucharest
Implementation period: August 2012- July 2013
Project’s scope, objective and main activities:
This project aimed to enhance the access of hate crime victims to information and support services. One of the main activities of this project consisted of awareness raising activities aimed at the general public regarding hate crime, specifically identifying the hate component in criminal activity, as well as the instruments for complaint and redress victims and witnesses have. Furthermore, another activity aimed to increase the access of victims to existing support services within the Antidiscrimination Coalition.
The project was implemented by ACCEPT in its role as the secretary of the Antidiscrimination Coalition in Romania in partnership with the National Council for Combating Discrimination, an autonomous state authority responsible for sanctioning discrimination in Romania, and with the Institute for Public Order Studies, an institution responsible to train and professionally enhance the skills and knowledge of police in Romania. ACCEPT, in partnership with these two institutions, created a specialized training for police officers in order to instruct them how to handle hate crime.
Project title: Monitoring the implementation of Recommendation CM/Rec(2010)5
Funded by: Open Society Institute Budapest, ILGA Europe,
Implementation period: January 2012 - June 2013
Project’s scope, objective and main activities:
The project’s goal was to monitor the implementation of Recommendation CM/Rec(2010)5 of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on measures to combat discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity by Romania. The main objectives included a situational evaluation in terms of awareness, understanding and implementation of the Recommendation at the level of relevant state authorities, monitoring the legislative developments in the area of hate crime and identifying the advocacy priorities for implementing said Recommendation in Romania. Among these, ACCEPT identified the necessity to advocate nondiscrimination of transgender individuals in their access to medical services, including LGBT issues in the sexual education curricula, and the necessity to improve the practices of central and local institutions in applying existing legislation on nondiscrimination. Following this mapping and analysis process, ACCEPT published a report on the implementation of Recommendation CM/Rec(2010)5. The report become the main advocacy tool of ACCEPT in 2013 – being used either as a complete radiography of Romanian steps to address homophobia and transphobia, or by selecting and disseminating specific sections, focusing on one of the themes covered by the Recommendation. In order to raise awareness among civil servants and other persons responsible for implementing the recommendation, the Romanian version of the report has been widely distributed to authorities and institutions. Printed copies of the report have been sent to all institutions and authorities (including at the level of various departments) that had been contacted during documentation phase. The report is available at: http://accept-romania.ro/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Raport_RecomandareCMCE_ROonline.pdf
Project title: Fight against homophobia in schools – It takes all kinds
Funded by: the European Commission, through the Fundamental Rights and Citizenship Program
Implementation period: December 2010 - November 2012
Project’s scope, objective and main activities:
ACCEPT, in partnership with the Danish Institute for Human Rights, organized awareness rising activities targeting high school students, professors and like-minded NGOs in order to combat homophobia, racism and xenophobia in schools. During the project, ACCEPT built an informative website page.
Project title: Engaging hearts and minds, changing attitudes
Funded by: the European Commission, through the Fundamental Rights and Citizenship Program
Implementation period: LGBT History Month 2011 and 2012
Project’s scope, objective and main activities:
ACCEPT started organizing the LGBT History Month alongside organizations from 8 EU member states, under a project initiated by LGBT Youth Scotland. The LGBT History Month has been held in February starting 2011 in order to promote LGBT rights through cultural activities, such as movie projections, LGBT art exhibits, debates, talks, lecture circles, etc. The overall goal of the project is to induce societal change at a wider European level regarding the LGBT community and break stereotypes. LGBT History Month Website: http://accept-romania.ro/lunaistorieilgbt/
Project title: Access to rights, access to services
Funded by: Royal Netherlands Embassy in Bucharest
Implementation period: 15 October 2009 – 15 October 2010
Project’s scope, objective and main activities:
The project’s objective was increasing the access of transgender individuals to information and medical and social services tailored for their needs. ACCEPT provided psychological and legal counseling to transgender individuals during the project, and organized awareness rising activities, including publishing the first Romanian website containing a wide array of information on transgender issues.
Project title: Adequate services for MSM
Funded by: The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria
Implementation period: July 2009 – June 2010
Project’s scope, objective and main activities:
The project aimed to raise awareness on good practices in providing health services to MSM, specifically services related to STDs and HIV/AIDS. One of the main activities focused on data collection regarding specific MSM health needs, while ensuring full confidentiality of the study. Another activity focused on mapping the current situation regarding MSM access to health services. Lastly, ACCEPT advocated international good practices on MSM health care.
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