Diversity in Adversity: Bart Staszewski, Poland
Channel: UN Human Rights
Date: 30/03/2022

Episode 1

People who work to end violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) face multiple forms of risk. They can be targeted for their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity, and for being human rights defenders as well.

Diversity in Adversity is a joint campaign by Mary Lawlor, UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, and Victor Madrigal-Borloz, UN Independent Expert on sexual orientation and gender identity. It will feature interviews with 10 SOGI rights defenders from all over the world; ordinary people engaged in extraordinary work.

Staszewski is one of the co-founders of the Equality March in Lublin, which has often been met with riots and protests from anti-rights groups. One of his most important projects is a photo series called “Zones” in which he briefly hung and photographed signs outside Polish towns that had passed symbolic resolutions declaring themselves to be “free from LGBT ideology”. Since then, he has been battling multiple court cases and smears from public officials.

For more on this campaign, visit: https://www.ohchr.org/en/special-procedures/ie-sexual-orientation-and-gender-identity/diversity-adversity-stories-sogi-rights-defenders
OHCHR | Diversity in Adversity: stories from SOGI rights defenders
People who work to end violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) face multiple forms of risk. They can be targeted for their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity, and for being human rights defenders (HRDs).
www.ohchr.org

Credits
Interviewee: Bart Staszewski
Camerawork: Przemysław Stefaniak
Video editing and post-production: Amina Muniz & Virginia Pitzer
Motion Design: Raquel Pinheiro
Interviewer: Fiachra Bourke
Campaign coordination: Alexandre Leal & Fiachra Bourke