This is a blog is related to my academic work in the International Academic Forum on SOGIESC Law but meant to serve anyone who wants to contribute to improve the protection of human rights worldwide. It is intended to keep interested readers informed about legal developments relating to sexual orientation, gender expression and identity and sex characteristics (SOGIESC). Hopefully, it will make it easier to find correct legal information about the developments in all regions of the world and, in particular, with regard to international law.
Switzerland: More cases of violence against LGBT reported Attacks against members of sexual minority groups in Switzerland increased dramatically last year, LGBTI communities say. The number of reported incidents, including physical assaults, rose to 66 from 42 in the previous year according to a statement by Pink Cross, the Lesbian Organisation and the Transgender Network […]
Iraq: Dispute over rainbow flag at EU representation
The Iraqi government accuses the EU of hurting the religious feelings of many citizens. The EU representation in Baghdad had previously raised a rainbow flag.
Albanian psychologists ban so-called conversion therapy
TIRANA, Albania (AP) — Gay rights organizations on Saturday welcomed a decision by the governing body of psychologists in Albania to prohibit the so-called conversion therapy, which attempts to change a person’s sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expressions.
A statement from the Pink Embassy in Albania, the country’s main LGBT organization, said the decision “places the Order of Psychologists in Albania in the forefront of the institutions respecting LGBTI rights,” making Albania the sixth European country to apply such a ban following Spain, Switzerland, Malta, Britain and Germany.
All registered therapists in Albania must be members of the Order of Psychologists.
The move is “significantly important for LGBTI adolescents, whose parents often force them to undergo conversion therapy, in the hope of changing their sexual orientation or gender identity,” the Pink Embassy said.
A day earlier, LGBT organizations held a virtual Tirana Pride 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. In a separate activity they distributed their multicolored flag to ministries and other top public institutions as part of their motto “Be proud! Raise the flag!”
Albania passed an anti-discrimination law in 2010 that grants legal rights to homosexuals but does not allow same-sex weddings. There is still widespread anti-gay prejudice, discrimination and reports of violence against gays within families, though there have been no attacks on pride parades.
“Social attitudes toward the LGBT community are generally negative and among the most unfavorable at the European level,” the statement said.
Search for Astraea’s next Executive Director or Co-Directors
The new Executive Director or Co-Directors will build on Astraea’s proud radical history to create a nimble, thriving, and resilient organization that effectively and efficiently shifts power to LGBTQI people.
Switzerland ranks mid-table in Europe for gay rights (ILGA Rainbow Index 2020)
Switzerland is far from the vanguard when it comes to the legal rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people, according to an international interest group. In a European comparison by ILGA Europe, Switzerland ranks 23rd among 49 countries. IGLA Europe cites a lack of protection for those who are transgender or intersex, as well as a lack of measures for equality at the workplace and in marriage and family matters. In addition, the group says Switzerland doesn’t do enough to combat hate crimes. This “rainbow map”, published on Thursday, shows the comparison at a glance: The ranking reflects an improvement on the previous year, when Switzerland came 27th. In February, 63.1% of voters backed extending anti-racism legislation to make it illegal to discriminate against people based on their sexual orientation. Rainbow Europe 2020 was topped by Malta, followed by Belgium and Luxembourg. Azerbaijan came 49th, below Turkey and Armenia. Unfinished …
Anti-LGBT violence and discrimination ‘remain high’: EU report
Gay couple Dawid Mycek and Jakub Kwiecinski pose with the rainbow-patterned face masks on a street in Gdansk, Poland, on April 8. | JAKUB KWIECINSKI AND DAWID MYCEK / VIA REUTERS
VIENNA – Levels of “fear, violence and discrimination remain high” for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people in Europe, according to a survey published Thursday by the EU’s Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA).
Even though more LGBT people feel able to be open about their identities, 43 percent of those asked felt discriminated against in the 12 months before the survey was conducted in 2019.
That represents a rise of six points since the FRA carried out a similar survey in 2012.
The difference is even starker among transgender respondents, 60 percent of whom felt discriminated against in 2019 as opposed to only 43 percent in 2012.
In the largest survey of its kind, FRA questioned 140,000 LGBT people in the 27 EU member states, as well as Britain, Serbia and North Macedonia.
For the first time, respondents included intersex people and 15- to 17-year-olds.
The Vienna-based agency says discrimination is exacerbated when negative messages about LGBT people are relayed by the media, politicians and other public figures.
EU Equality Commissioner Helena Dalli said it was “worrying” that “we have recently witnessed within the EU anti-LGBTI incidents such as attacks on prides, the adoption of ‘LGBTI ideology-free zone’ declarations, fines for LGBTI-friendly advertisements and others.”
However her statement stopped short of naming Poland, where such incidents have occurred.
The report cites Malta and Ireland as examples of places where respondents have perceived an increase in tolerance since 2012.
However, six out of 10 “often or always avoid holding hands in public with same-sex partners”.
This masks wide variation across the continent, from more than eight out of 10 in Poland avoiding hand-holding to fewer than four in ten in Luxembourg.
The survey also found that 11 percent of respondents reported experiencing a physical or sexual attack in the five years before the survey, with higher rates for trans and intersex people.
When it comes to their economic situation, one in three LGBT people said they have difficulties in making ends meet.
The situation is again worse for intersex and trans where the rate of those in difficulty goes up to around half.
FRA director Michael O’Flaherty said that LGBT people’s “job and health care difficulties may worsen due to COVID-19”.
There are encouraging signs, with 48 percent of respondents aged 15 to 17 saying that in school someone has always or often supported, defended or protected them and their rights.
The trend was in part explained by the fact that younger respondents were much more likely to indicate that LGBT issues had been discussed during their time at school.
The FRA saw a need for member states to “build a culture of zero tolerance towards violence and harassment of the LGBTI community,” as well as training for police to ensure they detect and investigate hate crimes.
Webinar: UN Treaty Bodies strategic litigation on SOGIESC
On 20 May 2020, ILGA World hosts a webinar on strategic litigation on SOGIESC cases before the UN Treaty Bodies. I thought it may be of interest to some of you. If so, would be happy to have you there!
Date: Wednesday 20 May 2020 Time: 3:00 PM Central European Summer Time
Do you know that LGBTI activists from most countries in the world can bring individual cases to the United Nations Treaty Bodies? Have you heard about 31 LGBT cases already reviewed by these bodies? Join us for this webinar to know more about strategic litigation on SOGIESC cases before this human right forum! We will present to you a toolkit on strategic litigation published by ILGA World in four languages. ILGA-Europe and ISHR will talk about third-party interventions, the importance of Treaty Bodies cases for human rights defenders and the comparison between the United Nations Treaty Bodies and regional human rights courts. You will also learn about strategic litigation efforts organised on local level, including a programme and cases brought to the United Nations against Russia, as well as the first case on criminalisation of same-sex sexual relations between women in Sri Lanka. Join us and ask any questions you may have about strategic litigation and Treaty Bodies!
You can register here. Read more about the webinar, speakers and the programme here.
This event is part of ILGA World’s #inthistogether: CONNECTED, our series of online roundtables and advocacy webinars on the queer world during and after COVID-19.
International and Comparative SOGIESC Law - Professor Andreas R Ziegler 