ILGA-Europe
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1 December is World AIDS Day. The theme of the Day is Getting to Zero: zero HIV infections, zero AIDS related deaths, zero barriers in accessing treatment and services, zero discrimination and zero prejudice towards people living with HIV.
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Bias motivated speech
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A Court in Moldova has ruled that a website has violated the right to private life and abetted hatred after it published a “black list” of public figures who allegedly promote homosexuality.
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Bias motivated violence
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On the 20 November ILGA-Europe added its voice to the International Transgender Day of Remembrance: "...shocking violation of the fundamental right to life remains a European concern as well and therefore requires a European response."
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On Friday 23 November, the United Nation's Committee against Torture published its concluding observations on the consideration of the periodic report of the Russian Federation on the implementation of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. A set of recommendations by the Committee concerned the need to combat hate crimes against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in Russia.
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The Brussels based university HUB sent out the warning after a student that was on his way to an initiation evening dressed as a woman was set upon by a group of youths. They took him to a car park before robbing him of his mobile and gang raping him. Bruno de Lille, State Secretary of the Brussels-Capital Region for Equal Opportunities, condemned the universities action:
"I feel that HUB is sending out completely the wrong signal. By reacting in this way they are at least implying that the rape was the victim’s fault. “He should have known that this is provocative to certain people”, What? And so this justifies someone being attacked of rape? What about transgender men and women then? Should they also “adapt””?
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Several Greek LGBTI organisations and anti-fascist organisations are extremely alarmed at the escalating number and intensity of incidents of homophobic violence being reported in central Athens.
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Hate crime is a daily reality throughout the European Union two new reports by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights confirm. Violence and offences motivated by racism, xenophobia, religious intolerance, or by a person’s disability, sexual orientation or gender identity are all examples of hate crime, which harm not only those targeted but also strike at the heart of EU commitments to democracy and the fundamental rights of equality and non-discrimination.
Read more about the two new reports here
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The report 'Hate Crimes in the OSCE Region – Incidents and Responses for 2011' was published earlier this month from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights. The section 'Crimes and incidents based on other motivations' include data on hate crimes against LGBT people in 30 different countries.
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The Italian association "Avvocatura per i Diritti LGBT - Rete Lenford" is calling for papers aiming at submissions of a legal and academic nature relating to homophobic and transphobic hate crimes. The deadline for submissions of abstracts is 30 December 2012.
Read more about the call here
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Criminalisation
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During the Cypriot Presidency's Equality Summit ILGA-Europe met with a range of representatives from the Northern part of Cyprus. The aim of the meetings was to discuss the on-going criminalisation of male homosexual conduct and other serious human rights violations of LGBT people which have been documented in a study launched last week.
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Data collection
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A special edition of the Eurobarometer on Discrimination in the EU in 2012 was released yesterday during the Equality Summit in Cyprus by the European Commission. For the first time gender identity was included in the EU wide major survey.
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Diversity
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In the framework of the 2012 European Year for Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations, AGE Platform Europe and ILGA-Europe have decided to focus on the situation of older LGBTI people in Europe. In a joint policy paper, the two NGOs suggest best practices and policy recommendations to help older LGBTI people going through those life stage transitions.
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Education
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The ILGA-Europe member organisation ANSO (Association of Nordic and Pol-Balt Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Student Organizations) is organising a study session called "TransForming Universities: Inclusion in Higher Education", which will be held in the European Youth Centre in Strasbourg, 28 January - 3 February 2013. Deadline for applications: 10 December 2012.
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Equality and non-discrimination
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ILGA-Europe congratulates the coalition of NGOs who worked to make an historic First Condemnation of Killings Based on Gender Identity happen. Read the media release from the coalition here.
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The Civil Liberties Committee of the European Parliament criticised violations of the basic rights of migrants, LGBT people, women and national minorities, among others, in its annual resolution on fundamental rights in the EU, which was adopted earlier this month. It urges Member States and the Commission to do more to ensure that fundamental rights are fully respected in Europe.
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Family
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Spain's highest court upheld the country's gender neutral marriage legislation by rejecting an appeal lodged by the ruling People's Party seven years ago and confirming the legality of same-sex unions.
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The Slovakian parliament rejected a proposal to introduce same-sex registered partnerships. The draft law contained several measures supporting cohabitation of same-sex couples. Partners would, for example, have been able to learn about each other’s health conditions, represent each other in court, or become one of the first heirs in the case of the other partner’s death. However the draft was backed by only 14 MPs out of 150 MPs.
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The European Court of Human Rights issued a judgment in H v Finland (Appl. no. 37359/09). The case concerned a trans woman who was refused to legally change her gender since she did not want to divorce her wife and enter a registered partnership instead.
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Since the launch on the 5 November, over 220,000 people have seen the campaign video, Invisible Parents. The campaign on the discrimination of same-sex families and their children experience in the EU. ILGA-Europe is a proud partner of the campaign.
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Freedom of expression
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The Moscow regional Duma dismissed a bill prohibiting the promotion of homosexuality, saying it was contradictory to Russia’s existing legislation.
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The Russian State Duma will consider the first reading of a federal level bill banning so-called “propaganda of homosexualism” on 19 December 2012.
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The Armenian government has been criticised for failing to ensure that a film about LGBT rights could be shown, despite hostility from nationalist groups. The European Union mission in Armenia, together with the German embassy, was hoping to show an award-winning Serbian film called “The Parade” at venues in Yerevan, to raise awareness about human rights.
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Health
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The European Parliament endorsed Tonio Borg as the next EU Commissioner for Health on the 21 November 2012.
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Human rights defenders
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The 2013 David Kato Vision & Voice Award has been awarded to Ali Erol, founder of Kaos GL. Kaos GL was the first LGBT organisation in Turkey, and at a time when homosexuality was taboo and ‘coming out’ could lead to death threats. The award will be announced at the International Planned Parenthood Federation’s 60th anniversary celebrations in South Africa.
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Legal gender recognition
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The representative of the ‘Homeland Union’ Antanas Matulas, the Deputy Chairman of Committee on Health Affairs, has resubmitted a draft amendment to the Civil Code, prohibiting gender reassignment surgeries, five days after the beginning of the new parliamentary tenure. An identical draft amendment was submitted in 2011, but failed to be adopted. Therefore it could be presumed that the current motion seeks to test the new Parliament’s attitudes towards trans issues.
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Public opinion
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A new Italian study showed that seventy-three percent of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) population has experienced some form of discrimination or prejudice, predominantly in the academic environment.
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Notice board
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The Alexia Foundation offers production grants to students and professional photographers to give them the financial ability to produce substantial stories that drive change in the effort to make the world a better place. Students also get scholarship opportunities. Deadlines: The application deadline for the professional grant is 18 January 18 2013 at 17.00 (Eastern time). The deadline for the student grants is 1 February 2013 at 17.00 (Eastern time).
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Lithuanian Gay League (LGL) is looking for a film director to shoot a promotional Baltic Pride 2013 video. In order to secure public awareness and to promote participation, the LGL is shooting a promotional Baltic Pride 2013 video. While the conceptual idea of the video is currently under consideration, the main thematic focus is likely to be placed on the principles of non-discrimination, equal opportunities and civic engagement.
Read more about the opportunity here
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