In mid-October a Fact Finding Mission to Belarus has been undertaken by ILGA-Europe. LGBTI movement in a this country remains rather invisible, resulting in poor reporting to international organisations and thus limited pressure brought to national governments to improve the human rights situation. The main goals of the mission were to strengthen the links with the local human rights organisations, to identify opportunities to strengthen national LGBTI movement, and to gather information that can provide a way for advocacy work at the international level.

On 7 November 2013, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) delivered a judgment in the case X, Y, Z v Minister voor Immigratie en Asiel related to claiming asylum in the EU on the basis of fear for persecution because of individuals’ sexual orientation in countries where homosexuality is criminalised. Later in November, EUObserver brought an Op-Ed from ILGA-Europe following the important judgment.

Numerous violent attacks and threats have occured within the last month against the Russian LGBT community. A few incidents among others: The Side By Side LGBT film festival has found itself the target of numerous bomb threats in St. Petersburg. A Moscow gay club “Central Station” have been attacked twice with gas. A LGBT community center in St. Petersburg of the project LaSky was attacked by two assailiants with a pneumatic gun and a baseball bat.

On 20 November, ILGA-Europe added its voice to the International Transgender Day of Remembrance.

On 13 November, the European Parliament's Intergroup on LGBT Rights hosted a discussion on the topic of sexual orientation, gender identity and religion. The event discussed progressive approached by some religious leaders towards LGBT persons.

On 20 November, the European Parliament adopted a regulation defining the priorities of the European Social Fund (ESF) - EU’s major fund for employment and social inclusion. It made clear that the Fund also includes non-discrimination with the explicit mentioning of sexual orientation as a ground of discrimination. Discrimination against trans people has also been clarified as being within the scope of the Fund with a reference to EU case-law providing a wide understanding of discrimination on the ground of sex (gender reassignment). All 28 EU Member States, Turkey and FYR Macedonia are covered by the Fund.
Read more about the new scope of the Fund here

On 7 November, the European Court of Human Rights found that Austria discriminated against four gay men when it refused to delete from their criminal record convictions under its discriminatory age of consent law.

In a judgment in the joint cases of Vallianatos and Mylonas v. Greece and C.S. and others v. Greece delivered today, the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Greece had violated the European Convention on Human Rights by excluding same-sex couples from a “civil union”, restricted in Greece to heterosexual couples.

Prior the referendum in Croatia on 1 December, ILGA-Europe sent a message to Croatian citizens calling to vote NO. The refendum seeks to limit marriage as a union between a man and a woman - making it impossible for marriage equality.

The Peace Institute in Ljubljana is organising a Training of Trainers on "Rainbow Families in Europe". The main goal of the training is to share skills and knowledge to equip individuals and institutions with a solid legal background on protection of rights of rainbow families exercising their right to free movement within the EU member states. Deadline of applications: 23 December.

On 5 November, the United Nations' Human Rights Committee adopted its view point on the ban of Moscow Pride. The Committee strongly condemned the clear restriction of freedom assembly, and noted that the sole reason for the ban was due to the issue of homosexuality, which the Committee considered not to be a valid reason of the ban.
Read the view point from the Human Rights Committee here

Minsk Pride 2013 is planned to take place between 6-10 December. The organisers are asking for solidarity/support letters/video statements from abroad - if you want to contribute, then contact them by sending an email to belarus.pride@gmail.com.

1 December is the World AIDS Day. This year, ILGA-Europe together with over 400 other governmental agencies and non-governmental organisations across Europe, expressed its support to the European HIV Testing Week which takes place in advance of the World AIDS Day (22-29 November 2013).

ILGA-Europe announces 12th call for proposals within its Documentation and Advocacy fund. This call will specifically focus on data-collection of LGBTI discrimination in the area of health supported by the government of the Netherlands and an anonymous donor.

Deadline for applications: 2 December 2013.

On 6 November, ILGA-Europe, LGBT Intergroup and UNAIDS co-hosted a high-level hearing on the challenges and obstacles lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people face in the field of health and healthcare, with a particular focus on HIV/AIDS. Speakers included among others Tonio Borg, Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy, Luiz Loures, UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director and Laurette Onkelinx, Minister of Social Affairs and Public Health, Belgium.

The Arcus Foundation, the Council for Global Equality and the Open Society Foundations have established the Russia Freedom Fund to provide financial support directly to groups working to end discrimination and violence in Russia based on sexual orientation and gender identity.Grant decisions will be made by a committee comprising representatives from the Arcus Foundation, the Open Society Foundations, representatives of the Russian LGBT community, and NGOs including ILGA-Europe.

Follow up to a series of consultation meetings concerning the OSCE/ODIHR Recommendations on the protection of human rights defenders, this Open Call for input is reaching out to human rights defenders who could not participate in the meetings themselves and give them an opportunity to contribute to this process. Deadline for input: 20 December.

Transgender Europe is looking for a part time (50%) Project Manager for their ProTrans project “Protecting trans victims of violence in Eastern Europe”. Closing date for applications: 11 December, noon (CET)

On 20 November, COFACE (Confederation of Family Organisations in the European Union) marked the Universal Children’s Day with a video to help parents, teachers and teenagers to identify Cyberbullying, and to provide advice and tips for a way out.

The European Women’s Lobby has launched the publication Women’s Watch 2012-2013.The report looks at women’s situation and gender equality in three main areas: women in decision-making, women’s economic independence and care responsibilities, and violence against women and women’s sexual and reproductive rights, while also looking at the links between those areas.