Albanian activist Xheni Karaj has won an international award for her activism and involvement in the LGBTIQ community, awarded by the Sweden-based Civil Rights Defenders (CRD) organisation.
The award for the Protection of Human Rights, was awarded to Karaj and Ugandan activist Frank Mugisha who also defends LGBTIQ rights.
“Xheni Karaj from Albania and Frank Mugisha from Uganda are the two bravest LGBTI+ activists and human rights defenders in the world,” the CRD said in a press release adding that “despite working in environments where homophobia is rampant, they continue to fight with persistent resistance for the right of every individual to have their own sexual orientation or gender identity.”
The organisation noted that both have been instrumental in building LGBTI + movements in their countries and have inspired LGBTI + activists throughout the Balkan region and the African continent.
Karaj, along with activist Kristi Pinderi were among the first Albanian activists to launch the LGBTIQ movement through the creation of the LGBT Aleanca organisation. Karaj has also been a key part of organising Pride Parades in Tirana, as well as taking part in various protests for women’s rights, LGBTIQ rights, and against domestic and sexual violence.
She is also involved in various initiatives including STREHA, Albania’s first and only shelter for members of the LGBTIQ community, and the local branch of Civil Rights Defenders.
In addition, Karaj appears regularly on television and in the media to speak up for members of the LGBTIQ community, often being on the receiving end of hate speech, homophobia, sexism, and personal attacks.
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She has also been physically attacked while on the beach with her partner. The alleged attacker was a doctor who told her that he should have left “people like you” to die when he had the chance in hospital. It was reported to the police but the Prosecutor said there were no grounds for a hate crime and the case was dismissed.
“These 13 years of activism, although full of challenges, have been the most beautiful for me. Until the age of 21 I thought there was no place for people like me in this world. When I started activism at the age of 21, I realised the transformative force that a small group of people could have who, although without the privileges of the majority, had the ability to dream and fight for their freedom and rights,” Karaj said.
