Summary of organization’s strategic orientation
Association Spektra is a feminist non-governmental organization led by transgender, gender variant, and intersex (TIGV) people, founded to contribute to achieving gender equality, respect for human rights and democratic values. The vision of Spektra organization is a society in which everyone has equal rights, all identities and bodies are respected, and all of our differences are celebrated. Our mission is fighting gender-based violence in Montenegro through building a strong and visible movement, public lobbying, education and active engagement of trans, gender-diverse and intersex persons in creating and implementing politics which ensure equality and respect of differences. In the next two years, Spektra plans to contribute the following advocacy goals:
- Adoption of the Law on legal recognition of gender based on self-determination will allow transgender people the right to change the gender marking in personal documents without prerequisites for performing medical interventions. The adoption of this law will be significant to contribute to respect for the general right to self-determination, respect for the physical and personal integrity of all citizens, and the process of EU integration and respect for democratic principles;
- Greater inclusion of marginalized groups in gender equality policies which include people of different gender identities, experiences and personal characteristics;
- Creating a strong regional strategic response to the anti-gender movement through empowerment civil society organizations, raising awareness among donors focused on gender equality and democracy, and the formation of adequate communication strategies;
- Improving health care (through improving access to hormone therapy, surgical interventions, and primary, secondary and tertiary health care for everyone TIRV persons and women), and social protection (through licensing and developing psychosocial support services for TIRV persons and women), educational and youth policies (which include persons of different gender identities);
- Contribution to the monitoring of the implementation and development of new policies by active, empowered and educated transgender, gender variant and intersex persons.
Beneficiaries
Spektra is the only organization led by transgender, gender-variant and intersex persons in Montenegro, and at the same time one of the few in the region which advocates not only the protection and promotion of human rights of the community they represent but also the strengthening of the overall civic and political participation of marginalized communities in socio-political life. This approach to the work gives us a unique position among CSOs at the national and regional level, in relation to the specific gender, but also other perspectives that we give from the position of the TIRV community. Spektra fosters an intersectional approach to policymaking and activities, prioritizing the needs of different marginalized communities, thus strengthening their active participation.
