ILGA-Europe
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This year's conference was documented in a series of videos. Check out the first ever Queer-Ed talk with Jordi Vaquer, the year in review-video, greetings from Conchita and European Commission; and both panel discussions.
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ILGA-Europe is organising a working seminar titled “Stepping up the fight against hate crimes. Towards an inclusive response to homophobic and transphobic crimes”on the EU legislation framework to combat hate crime on Wednesday 10 December 2014 in Brussels. Read more about the event, and learn how you can participate.
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On 25 November, the United Nations launched their 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence Campaign to galvanise action to end violence against women and girls around the world.
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On 19–22 November, ILGA-Europe organised a training on Community and organisational development to lead sustainable change in Ljubljana with the support of Društvo informacijski center Legebitra.
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Asylum
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The Organization for Refuge, Asylum & Migration (ORAM) has just published a new tool - “Country of Origin Report: Sexual and Gender Minorities – Uganda” - to help adjudicators and protection experts better assess and adjudicate LGBTI asylum and refugee claims from Uganda. The publication's target audience is refugee lawyers, asylum authorities, and LGBTI and refugee organisations working with LGBTI asylum seekers and refugees.
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Bias motivated violence
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On 20 November, Transgender Day of Remembrance was marked all over the world. The day aims to memorialise and honour trans people who have been victims of homicide, and to raise public awareness of hate crimes against trans people.
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The Greek ILGA-Europe member, Colour Youth - Athens LGBTQ Youth Community, has launched the "Tell Us" project, which focuses on combating violence and discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation, gender identity and/or gender expression. "Tell Us” concerns the recording of incidents of homophobic and transphobic violence and discrimination against LGBTQ people, as well as the provision of psychological and legal support for those targeted.
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On 10 November, a trans woman was killed in Tbilisi, Georgia. Investigators are not classifying the murder as a hate crime, but the Georgian LGBT organisation Identoba has called on the Interior Ministry to make clear whether this was a hate crime or not. They stressed in a statement that the police are not qualified to solve homophobic crimes and investigate them as crimes without aggravating circumstances.
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Education
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The project Rainbow Has recently launched a new tool to present in a short and accessible format ongoing initiatives in Europe within education. The collaborative map is a tool to point the different work being carried out and by what organisations, so it is easier to share knowledge and to advocate together.
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Equality and non-discrimination
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Monday 3 November was the first working day of the new European Commission under the leadership of Jean-Claude Juncker. During the European Parliament hearings of the new Commissioners, ILGA-Europe watched carefully and noted the key outcomes from a LGBTI rights perspective for the next 5 years.
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On 6 November, high-level EU Member States’ representatives met to discuss how to make equality a reality for all. Equality and anti-discrimination organisations used the opportunity to call on them to show a real commitment to equality by finally adopting an EU law on equal treatment.
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Family
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On 28 November, the Finnish members of parliament voted in favour of proposed marriage equality legislation. The proposal, which aims to define marriage in gender-neutral terms, was supported by 105 members of parliament during plenary session. 92 MP’s voted against.
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Foreign policy
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On 25 November, the European Parliament voted for a report defining its input into the global future development policy. The report contains strong wording on LGBTI rights and sexual and reproductive health and rights.
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Freedom of assembly
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On 2 November, the Podgorica Pride took place. The peaceful demonstration by around 200 LGBT activists marched in the capital of Montenegro to demand equality. In this year's event, demonstrators were outnumbered by police 100 to 1.
Read more about the Pride event here
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ILGA-Europe and the International Commission of Jurists submitted earlier this month a third party intervention to the European Court of Human Rights on four separate cases relate to the banning of the 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013 Belgrade Pride marches. Amongst other things because of the supposed danger of violent counter demonstrations.
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Freedom of expression
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The Union of Lithuanian Psychologists has issued a statement, criticizing a ban on airing a social video ad about LGBT equality on television. Broadcasters have refused to air the video, saying it would violate a controversial minors protection law, but psychologists claim censorship of this kind is what does harm to children rather than messages on LGBT people.
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Health
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On 21 November, the second European HIV testing week was kicked off. The testing week ended on the 28 November. ILGA-Europe proudly supported the initiative.
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Legal gender recognition
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Amnesty International is currently running a campaign on legal gender recognition in Norway and is asking for support by way of emails and letters to the Ministry of Health in Norway that call on the government to remove compulsory medical interventions and diagnosis.
Read more about the campaign here
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Notice board
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Polish member of ILGA-Europe, Kampania Przeciw Homofobii (KPH / Campaign Against Homophobia) located in Warsaw, is seeking a permanent staff member for the position of an International Programme Coordinator. Note the deadline: 30 November 2014.
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