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Prepared for the Annual Conference in Warsaw earlier this month, the Year in Review film highlights ILGA-Europe's work over the last twelve months, including both the highs of equal marriage, trans depathologisation and victories at the European Court of Human Rights, and lows of unfolding events in Chechnya and Azerbaijan. Watch the film here
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The Toolkit is ILGA-Europe's brand new publication, developed alongside the Public Interest Research Centre. It's designed to help LGBTI activists communicate equality messages more clearly and effectively. It's a short guide to strategic communications, based on extensive research and building on the experience of activists and communicators from around the globe. It aims to provide a framework rather than a blueprint; helping activists to ask the right questions rather than giving the right answers. Access it here |
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ILGA-Europe has launched a survey to assess the funding situation of LGBTI groups and organisations in Europe and Central Asia. We will be using the results to advocate for increased funding for LGBTI groups across Europe. Information resulting from the survey will also be shared with LGBTI organisations who wish to use the survey to inform their work. The survey closes on 15th December - so please complete it soon (and share it on your networks!). |
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More than 600 LGBTI activists from across Europe - and some from farther afield - gathered in Warsaw at the beginning of November for our Annual Conference. We know that not everyone could make it, and so we live streamed some key sessions on our Facebook page. You can watch them back here - including the inspiring QueerEd speech by Urszula Kuczynska.
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ILGA-Europe supporters have teamed up with Energise Records to produce a new version of the disco classic, 'Stronger Together', released to raise funds for our work supporting refugees from the crisis in Chechnya. With stunning vocals from the UK's X-Factor winner Sam Bailey and others, 50% of all proceeds come to ILGA-Europe. Find out more
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Hundreds of participants at our Annual Conference signed a staetment expressing concern regarding the situation of LGBTI people in Poland. The statement - in support of the Conference hosts KPH - demands that authorities legislate and work to create social acceptance for LGBTI people in Poland. Read more
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Nefes LGBT Azerbaijan Alliance reported that two teenagers had taken their own lives following bullying and pressure from family coming just weeks after government-supported arrests of LGBTI people in the capital, Baku. Read more
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Following a request from the Romanian Constitutional Court, the CJEU is being asked to interpret the word “spouse” in the context of EU law on freedom of movement. The Court will clarify whether same-sex spouses are included in the definition of the term, and as a result, if same-sex spouses have equal rights to reside in EU Member States. Read more
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Despite equal marriage legislation being approved almost four months ago, same-sex couple can not yet marry in Malta due to an administrative procedure seemingly being delayed. A government spokesperson has said that couples will be able to marry 'in a few weeks time'. Read more |
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'YP plus 10' was adopted earlier this month to supplement the ten year-old Yogyakarta Principles. The YP plus 10 document emerged from the intersection of the developments in international human rights law with the emerging understanding of violations suffered by persons on grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity and the recognition of the distinct and intersectional grounds of gender expression and sex characteristics.. Read more
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The Public Health Authority in Sweden commissioned a major study into the health and mental health of trans people in Sweden and the report, published earlier this week and running to almost 1,000 pages, contains a number of recommendations on issues such as living conditions, mental health, work, and gender recognition. Read more |
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The dating app Grindr has been updated to make its settings more inclusive of trans and gender non-conforming users. Users can now pick from a list of commonly used terms like “trans man,” “woman,” “cis man,” “non-binary,” “non-conforming” and “queer.” Read more |
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Ahead of Trans Day of Remembrance last week, Transgender Europe launched a new area of their website to highlight and pay tribute to those trans people who had been killed in the previous year. Take a look
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Following the decision of the governor of Ankara to ban such events, his office stated that events such as film screenings, plays and exhibitions on LGBTI issues could cause “reactions and provocations against the groups and individuals taking part in the organization due to certain social sensibilities”. ILGA-Europe has called for an immediate revokation of the ban. Read more
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Friday 1st December is World AIDS Day, and UNAIDS have launched the 'My right to health' campaign to highlight health inequalities around the world. The campaign aims 'to increase the visibility around the need to achieve the full realisation of the right to health by everyone, everywhere'. Find out more |
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The ECHOES survey is aimed at people who provide sexual health support including counselling, testing and psychological care to gay, bisexual and other MSM. The survey is available in 16 languages and is available here. Please share the survey amongst your networks! |
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The UK Council for Counselling & Psychotherapy published a Memorandum of Understanding on conversion therapy in the UK, supported by a number of organisations including senior figures from the National Health Service in England and Scotland, and supported by Stonewall. Read more
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| Legal Gender Recognition |
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The Court is demanding a new regulation of sex registration adnd has suggested either to introduce a third gender option besides “male” and “female” or to completely waive the registration. The Court clarified that the German constitution protects persons who do not identify as male or female or whose sex is not male or female. Read more |
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The European Parliament's Intergroup on LGBTI Rights is looking for a new Secretary, who'll be responsible for the day to day running of the secretariat. The closing date for applications is Monday 4th December. Find out more |
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This fresh guide, developed by ILGA-Europe and the Global Philanthropy Project, includes an overview of fundraising, frequently asked questions, 10 case studies, and guidance and resources to start or improve your fundraising. Read more |
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ILGA has published the SOGIESC UPR Advocacy Toolkit, a brand-new guide dedicated to activists working on sexual orientation, gender identity and expression and sex characteristics (SOGIESC) issues, who wish to engage with the United Nations Universal Periodic Review (UPR). You can download it from ILGA's new website here |
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The Culture Initiative invites five artists for artist-residencies in Amsterdam in the months leading up to the conference in July 2018. Their work should critically reflect on HIV/AIDS and its related topics (e.g. affected communities, stigma and discrimination, community health etc) and the relationship and dialogue between ‘The West and the East’ in tackling overarching global social and economic phenomena such as the HIV/AIDS crisis. Read more
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