I am Dina Bajrektarević (28) from Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina. I grew up in Tuzla, but I currently live in Pančevo and work in Belgrade. I hold a degree in Special Education and Rehabilitation from the Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Tuzla. I work as a program manager at Kolektiv MANA, where I focus on improving inclusivity in youth work and empowering marginalized groups, with a special focus on young LGBTIQ+ individuals. For more than ten years, I have been actively engaged in the field of human rights, with a particular emphasis on protecting and empowering the LGBTIQ+ community. My activism began through my work at the Tuzla Open Center, where I provided support to LGBTIQ+ individuals and advocated for their rights within the local community. In parallel with my work in organizations, I was active in the Youth Council of the City of Tuzla, where, over three terms and a total of five years, I worked on improving youth sector policies, with a special emphasis on the rights and needs of LGBTIQ+ youth. Additionally, I was part of the organizing committee for the Bosnia and Herzegovina Pride March. Since 2016, I have been organizing the International Women’s Day March in Tuzla, and for the past two years, I have been actively involved in organizing the march in Belgrade through the Female Street Drummers (Bubnjarke sa ulice) collective. Through this program, I want to focus on the issue of conversion therapy, which most often affects young LGBTIQ+ individuals. This practice, although widely present in our region, remains hidden and insufficiently researched. Through a forum theater performance and an online campaign, I plan to share the experiences of survivors, expose the mechanisms of this harmful practice, and open a dialogue about its prohibition. My goal is to create space for systemic change so that such practices can be completely eliminated in the future.
