On August 14, 2024, a joint meeting of the Committee on Youth and Sport and the Committee on Demographic Policy, Children, and Family was held. Representatives of the Bulgarian Fund for Women (BFW) participated with a speech during this session. The meeting was convened to address recent amendments to the Law on School and Pre-school Education, adopted on August 7, which prohibit discussions of LGBTI issues in schools.
The session was also attended by representatives of organizations advocating for further extreme measures, including the “deregistration” of certain civil society organizations, the introduction of a law on “foreign agents,” and even a referendum on Bulgaria’s exit from the European Union.
Our Response to the Amendments
The Bulgarian Fund for Women, alongside 75 other NGOs and 7,038 citizens, formally requested that President Rumen Radev veto the discriminatory law adopted on August 7. The request, submitted on August 12 by the LGBT Youth Organization Deystvie and the Wake-Up Foundation, calls attention to the law’s attack on the LGBTI+ community, civil society, democracy, European values, and basic human rights.
We categorically oppose this legislation and believe it undermines the constitutional rights of all Bulgarians.
Addressing the Parliamentary Committees
Dear Chairpersons, Vice-Chairpersons, Members, and Guests of the Committees,
The Bulgarian Fund for Women (BFW) is the leading organization in Bulgaria advocating for women’s rights and the rights of vulnerable groups. For over 20 years, we have worked to combat domestic and gender-based violence and promote gender equality in all spheres of life.
Through grant funding, we have supported over 350 civil society organizations across the country. In 2023 alone, we invested over BGN 2.5 million in initiatives helping marginalized groups—women, children, and men—irrespective of their race, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
We are appalled by the recent events in our country. Organizations like ours fill critical gaps where the state has abdicated its responsibilities. For example, in 2023, BFW provided £406,616 to combat domestic violence, surpassing the Ministry of Justice’s allocation of £340,000. This imbalance in funding highlights the state’s neglect of its duty to protect victims of violence and support vulnerable children.
A Divisive and Harmful Law
We firmly assert that the amendments to the Pre-School and School Education Act, adopted on August 7, violate fundamental human rights guaranteed by the Constitution of Bulgaria, the Law on Protection Against Discrimination, and numerous international agreements, including:
- European Union laws;
- The European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR);
- The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child;
- The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
The vague and discriminatory language of this bill contradicts Bulgaria’s legal and constitutional commitments. Furthermore, it exposes the country to potential international sanctions, the financial burden of which will ultimately fall on Bulgarian taxpayers.
Real Problems Facing Bulgarian Children
We urge policymakers to focus on the genuine and pressing issues affecting children in Bulgaria:
- Infant Mortality
Bulgaria has the highest infant mortality rate in the European Union. Despite years of advocacy for a National Children’s Hospital, the country still lacks such a facility, costing countless young lives.
- School Violence
According to data from the Ministry of Education and UNICEF, aggression and violence in schools have reached alarming levels. In 2022 alone, there were over 3,300 reported cases of physical and verbal abuse among children.
- Mental Health Crisis
Globally, young people are disproportionately affected by the ongoing mental health crisis. In Bulgaria, this issue remains insufficiently addressed.
Instead of addressing these critical issues, the government is enacting punitive laws that further stigmatize and isolate children, fostering fear and division within society.
False Justifications and Dangerous Precedents
The claim that these laws “protect children” from so-called “LGBT propaganda” is unfounded. Proponents of the amendments have failed to provide any concrete examples or definitions to justify such measures. Instead, the law divides children into categories: “normal” and “abnormal,” those deserving of rights and those subjected to humiliation, bullying, and exclusion.
This approach threatens the work of numerous civic organizations dedicated to safeguarding the dignity and rights of all Bulgarian citizens. By targeting these groups, the government undermines efforts to fill the void left by institutional inaction.
This witch-hunt against the LGBTI+ community and their allies has no place in a democratic society governed by the rule of law. To debate and deny the rights of an entire group of children is both cruel and undemocratic.
We categorically reject this divisive and harmful legislation.
WE WILL NOT STAND FOR IT! AND WE WILL NOT BE SILENT!
We call on lawmakers to redirect their efforts toward solving the real challenges faced by Bulgarian children and to abandon this unjust and unconstitutional legislation. Every child in Bulgaria deserves equal dignity, respect, and opportunity—without discrimination or fear.
Photo Credit: Radio Free Europe
