October 22, 2020
On October 21, 2020, paraphrasing the Democratic Party of Kosovo deputy, Mr. Mërgim Lushtaku, who from the podium of the Kosovo Assembly stated that: “Science has assessed that the legalization of same-sex marriage will lead to catastrophic social and familial effects…
Most scholars agree that children raised by the biological parents of a stable marriage are better off than children in other family forms… Marriage is inherently a heterosexual institution. Also, what we can derive from same-sex marriage is that children do not need mothers and fathers and that marriage is not meant to have babies. This model of marriage sees children as optional and unimportant.
Civil society organizations, the Center for Equality and Liberty (CEL), the Center for the Development of Social Groups (CSGD), the Youth Initiative for Human Rights – Kosovo (YIHR KS), the Kosovar Center for Gender Studies (QKSGj), and Civil Rights Defenders (CRD) believe that these statements are completely unacceptable and such actions only increase intolerance, hatred, and distrust among humans because offending, intolerance towards a certain social group does not represent any value.
Therefore, as defenders of human rights, the organizations have organized an action in front of the PDK headquarters in which 5 activists participated. Activists held banners with various messages as well as LGBTI flags. All COVID-19 safety measures were respected, including distancing and masks.
Additionally, the organizations have written to the Democratic Party of Kosovo requesting a response as to whether Mr. Mërgim Lushtaku’s statements in the Kosovo Assembly are also the positions of the PDK and how PDK will address intolerance and hate speech on social media by its members holding public positions and elected by the citizens of Kosovo. Furthermore, we have expressed our position that according to modern societies, family is defined as a group of people connected through marriage, cohabitation, and birth. Anthropologists and modern societies recognize various family arrangements. They can be husband, wife, and children or wife and children or husband and children as well as husband, husband, and children or wife, wife, and children.
Center for Equality and Liberty – CEL
Center for the Development of Social Groups – CSGD
Youth Initiative for Human Rights in Kosovo – YIHR KS
Kosovar Center for Gender Studies – QKSGJ
Civil Rights Defenders – CRD
