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EUROPE

 International Human Rights Day: How Much Is There To Celebrate for  Gays in Europe?

 
 

ILGA-Europe calls for continued work by Institutions

  


 


BRUSSELS, December 9, 2005  –  Tomorrow is International Human Rights Day when the world is marking the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.

During the past year Europe has witnessed many improvements regarding the human rights situation for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people.

Almost all 25 member states of the European Union implemented a requirement of the EU Employment Equality Directive and prohibited sexual orientation discrimination in employment.

More LGBT people across Europe won discrimination cases in the courts.  Spain introduced full equality to same-sex partners in terms of marriage and adoption.  Same-sex partners received legal recognition in Andorra, Slovenia, and the UK.

There are similar bills being introduced in Croatia, Ireland and Hungary.  The first ever national referendum approved same-sex partnership legislation in Switzerland.  Belgium is about to grant same-sex partners an entitlement to a joint adoption.

At the same time during the past year Europe witnessed some shocking developments and blatant violations of basic human rights of LGBT people.

Municipal authorities in such cities as Bucharest, Chisinau, Poznan, Riga and Warsaw hindered or banned peaceful Pride and Equality Marches.  Some Polish politicians openly incited hate campaigns against LGBT people and the country’s equality body has been closed. In Latvia, some politicians compared LGBT people to monkeys and the country is heading towards a ban of same-sex marriage in its constitution.

 
■  Poznan, Poland.  Riot police were called-in during the equality march last month.  A week later, protest marches in many Polish cities were allowed to go ahead following Europe-wide outrage. (photo courtesy KPH, Warsaw)		  

Right-wing politicians and Christian fundamentalists in Poland and Latvia provoked a huge wave of homophobia and intolerance during the summer of 2005.  A gay man was killed in one of London’s parks.  A Slovenian member of parliament suggested a compulsory genitalia test to identify the gender of another politician who supported LGBT rights.

A Swedish pastor was allowed by the court to call LGBT people a ‘society’s tumour’.

And these are just a few examples of the prejudice and discrimination that LGBT people still to face in Europe.

“Europe has made significant progress in terms of protecting and upholding the human rights of LGBT people and is the world’s leader in this respect,” commented Patricia Prendiville, ececutive director of International Lesbian and Gay Association - Europe.

“Europe was the first continent to be free of laws which criminalise sexual acts between consenting adults of the same gender.  Every year more and more countries in Europe grant legal recognition and protection against discrimination and respect to LGBT people and same-sex partners.

“Nevertheless LGBT people in Europe still face violations of their basic human rights,” she continued. “Unfortunately, discrimination, humiliation, prejudice and homophobic hate are still features of life for LGBT people in Europe.

“We welcome the support of European Institutions in the struggle for equality and the recognition of the human rights of LGBT people.  On this day, we call on the European Union, the Council of Europe and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe to continue their work in tackling discrimination and homophobia to ensure Europe is a continent where the human rights of each European are respected and protected.”

LINK

ILGA-Europe website

 
 

Recent Articles
(Please go to Archive main
page for full archive search)

December 8:
Africa:  Gays Call On Governments Not To Ignore Them.  Gay activists at an international conference on AIDS in Africa have called on governments to acknowledge the existence and specific needs of the gay community in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

UK:  Minister Hears First Hand of Homophobic Bullying in Schools and Receives Unusual Petition.  A 270foot long ‘petition’ of double sheets bearing thousands of footprints with the message “Stamp Out Homophobia in Our Schools” wound its way round Westminster yesterday afternoon.

World:  Worldwide Protest Tomorrow In Support of Incarcerated Turkish Gay, Mehmet Tarhan.  Gay and other human rights group, together with anti-war protesters and ‘refuseniks’ will take to the streets on tomorrow (December 9) demanding the release of conscientious objector Mehmet Tarhan from a Turkish jail.

USA:  Freeholders Walk Out of Meeting as Public Demand Pension Fairness for Dying Gay Cop.  The tragic case of the dying police officer, who has had her request that her lesbian ‘life partner’ be allowed to receive her pension rights turned down last month by county Freeholders, took a macabre turn this evening as the elected Freeholders stormed out of their meeting. 

December 6:
Latvia:   Latvia Moving Backwards, Say Gay and Lesbian Intergroup of MEPs.  Two leading Members of the European Parliament’s gay and lesbian rights ‘Intergroup’ have today expressed “serious concern” on the increased homophobia in Latvia.

Russia/UK:   Sir Elton John Has No Gay Wedding Plans in Russia: Russian media reports strenuously denied.  Recent press reports in Russia that Sir Elton John and his partner David Furnish were planning a wedding in St. Petersburg have been strenuously denied by the singer’s representatives in London.

December 5:
UK:   Timeline Of Gay and Lesbian Marriage, Partnership or Unions Worldwide.  From the Netherlands in 1979 to the UK's new law effective today, all the legislation - strong and weak - that recognises same-sex partnerships to some degree or another.

Diane Abbott Welcomes Civil Partnership Bill.  Member of Parliament Diane Abbott today welcomed the coming into force of the new Civil Partnership Act.  She said it was a step forward for human rights and would bring Britain closer to eradicating discrimination based on sexual orientation.

December 4:
UK:    “Only Same-Sex Marriage Is Genuine Equality” – Outrage!  The legalisation of same-sex civil partnerships is a major milestone in the struggle for lesbian and gay rights in the UK, says Brett Lock of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender human rights group OutRage!

December 3: 
Jamaica:  Jamaican HIV Defender Murdered On Eve of World AIDS Day.  Steve Harvey from Christian Aid partner, Jamaica AIDS Support for Life (JASL), has been murdered in Jamaica.  He ran a programme providing support to gay men and sex workers. 

December 1:  
Latvia:  Block Put on Gay Marriage by Latvian Parliament.  A change in the constitution that will define marriage as being between a man and a woman, and blocks the way for “gay marriage”, became a virtual certainty today when the 100-seat Latvian parliament passed the proposal with a massive majority in the amendment’s second reading.

November 30:
UK:  Kerrang Radio Faces Rap for Gay Sex Prank.  Birmingham-based Kerrang Radio has been reported to airwaves regulator, OfCom, on charges that it tricked a gay man into revealing intimate details about his private life and later broadcast them without his knowledge or consent.

Latvia:  Gays in Latvia Have an Official Watchdog.  A new independent department that will keep an eye on discrimination has been set-up by the government in Latvia.  And the National Human Rights Office will be embracing the gay and lesbian community as well as other sections of society as well as racism and other forms of discrimination.

November 27:
Poland:  Thousands Back Gays in Peaceful Polish Demonstrations.  More than 1,000 protestors assembled in the centre of Warsaw today demanding tolerance, freedom of speech and the right of assembly, especially for gays.  Similar demonstrations were held over the weekend in other Polish cities – and outside the Polish Embassies in Berlin and London.


 

Posted: 9 December 2005 at 11:30 (UK time)
 

 

 
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