Healthcare professionals in Bosnia and Herzegovina now have a new resource to support more inclusive and equitable healthcare for LGBTI people. Launched in Banja Luka on 26 May, the guide “Equal Access of LGBTI people to Healthcare in Bosnia and Herzegovina” provides practical tools and guidance for delivering gender-sensitive and rights-based healthcare services.

The launch event brought together 25 participants, including representatives from the Institution of the Ombudsperson, the Agency for Gender Equality of the Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees, healthcare professionals, experts, and community and civil society representatives. The event provided a platform to present the main content of the guide related to trans-specific healthcare, minority stress and mental healthcare, and medical protocols to prevent the pathologisation of SOGIESC identities and harmful practices. Participants also explored practical strategies for implementing inclusive, LGBTI-sensitive and respectful medical practices.

Universal access to the highest attainable standard of health without discrimination is a fundamental human right, as emphasised by the human rights standards of the Council of Europe and the guidelines of the World Health Organisation (WHO). However, despite these standards, gaps in legislative frameworks and discriminatory institutional practices often breed mistrust, leaving LGBTI patients marginalised and unable to access appropriate healthcare and support. The Guide has been developed in response to the need for systematic training of healthcare professionals in inclusive healthcare practices, in line with international and Council of Europe standards. It follows on from the recommendations stemming from the national thematic review process of the Council of Europe’s Recommendation (2010)5 on measures to combat discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity.

Dr Nera Zivlak-Radulović, Head of the Psychiatry Clinic at the University Clinical Centre of the Republic of Srpska, stated “A better understanding of the barriers and increased knowledge are prerequisites for changing behaviour within the healthcare system in order to provide quality and non-discriminatory healthcare for all members of the society, including LGBTI people.”

Special focus was also paid to the recently adopted Recommendation CM/Rec(2025)7 of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers on Equal Rights for Intersex Persons. The Recommendation along with its Explanatory Memorandum, represent the first comprehensive international standard specifically dedicated to the rights of individuals born with variations in sex characteristics, now are available in Bosnian language. The Recommendation emphasises the legal prohibition of medical and surgical interventions on the sex characteristics of intersex minors without their prior, free, and informed consent.   

During the event, participants discussed the harmful effects of conversion practices on the well-being of LGBTI individuals. They also heard the testimonies of two people who had experienced such practices in their youth in an attempt to change or repress their sexual orientation. In January the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) passed Resolution 2643 (2026), calling on member states to adopt legislation prohibiting and sanctioning conversion practices based on a clear and comprehensive definition.

The discussion is organised as part of the action "Towards an Equal, Inclusive and Tolerant Bosnia and Herzegovina", which is implemented within the framework of the Joint Programme of the European Union and the Council of Europe "Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey" and the Council of Europe project "Fighting Discrimination, Hatred and Promoting Inclusion in Bosnia and Herzegovina - Phase II." It is organised in co-operation with the Council of Europe’s Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Gender Expression, and Sex Characteristics (SOGIESC) Unit.