TGEU — Trans Europe and Central Asia ’s Post

We encourage you to read this joint statement on #TransDayofRememberance and consider the actions you can take as donors: ➡ Prioritise funding directly to trans, gender diverse, sex worker-led and youth-led organisations ➡ Provide long-term, flexible and unrestricted funding  ➡ Provide funding that allows our communities to prepare for crises and be able to respond to emergencies ➡ Assess potential anti-rights opposition, attacks or threats within potential and current grantees ➡ Publicly pushback on oppressive and criminalising laws. TGEU — Trans Europe and Central Asia GATE - Global Action for Trans Equality ILGA World APTN - Asia Pacific Transgender Network IGLYO — The International LGBTQI Youth & Student Organisation ESWA

📉 The UK’s Decline in LGBTQI+ Rights As a LGBT individual living in the UK with my wife, I am honestly troubled by these news. ILGA-Europe's latest report is showing the UK has fallen from 1st place in 2015 to 16th in 2024 for LGBTQI+ rights. The decline is due to setbacks in gender equality and rising transphobic hate crimes. And this troubling trend isn't isolated: we're seeing similar issues in other countries like the US and Spain. Read more about it here 👇 https://lnkd.in/exAkrbTP #LGBTQIRights #EqualityMatters #LGBTQIA #UnitedKingdom

The Scottish Parliament held its first debate on 18 May 1999, 25 years ago almost to the day. And the question of humanism was central to the first debate, on whether daily prayers should be held. John McAllion MSP pointed out that people of no faith "have every right to hold that principle and to have their views respected. Later that year, MSPs established a non-denominational "Time for Reflection" in place of prayer. Since then, we've seen Scotland become a more secular, tolerant, and humane country. The repeal of Section 2A that banned the "promotion" of homosexuality in schools in 2000. The extension of fostering and adoption rights to same-sex couples in 2009. The introduction of civil partnerships and, later, full marriage equality for LGBT+ people in 2014. These are all significant milestones. But there's still so much more to be done to build on the promise of our humanist parliament. Women and pregnant people continue to face harassment and intimidation from anti-abortion protesters when exercising their right to healthcare. And the LGBT+ community still has no legal or civic protection against harmful attempts to ‘cure’ them of their sexuality or gender identity. These are the issues we’ll be asking MSPs to reflect on as they look forward to the next 25 years of the Scottish Parliament.

The Eastern European Coalition for LGBT+ Equality strongly condemns Georgia's new anti-LGBT+ law introduced by the ruling Georgian Dream party. 📍The "Family Values and Protection of Minors" package threatens fundamental human rights and democratic values by criminalizing the LGBT+ community and imposing censorship on media, science and the arts, thus undermining freedom of expression. 📍This repressive legislation is a severe attack on the already vulnerable Georgian LGBT+ community and shows open hostility toward basic freedoms and universal human dignity. It is further proof that the Georgian Dream party is shifting dramatically towards the Russian vector. ❗️The timing of this bill - coming after the recent law on the transparency of foreign influence and just before elections - suggests a deliberate effort by the ruling party to advance a repressive and anti-democratic agenda. 🇬🇪We stand in solidarity with Georgian civil society in their fight against these threats. ❗️We urge the European Council and the State Department to impose sanctions on Georgian leaders responsible for these human rights violations and for jeopardizing Georgia's European future.

🇧🇷🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ Today, marking the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia, Brazil proudly stands with LGBTQIA+ communities around the world to reaffirm our commitment to equality, dignity, and respect for all. Since 2023, Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has taken significant steps in solidarity with LGBTQIA+ individuals, condemning intolerance and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, while implementing new foreign policy initiatives to protect and promote LGBTQIA+ rights. 🌈✊ Last October, Brazil joined the Equal Rights Coalition, a global alliance of 42 states committed to ending violence and discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and other identities and sexual orientations around the world. Embracing multilateral engagement, Brazil also became part of the Group of Friends of the Independent Expert on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (IE-SOGI) at the The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in June 2023. Moreover, within the Organization of American States (OAS), Brazil actively advocates for the LGBTQIA+ agenda, with a special focus on combatting conversion therapies and strengthening the capacity of public security forces. 🌍🤝 As we move forward, Brazil remains steadfast in our commitment to policies that celebrate diversity and uphold the dignity of every individual. Together, we envision a future where every person's inherent worth and uniqueness are cherished and respected. 🌟💖 #IDAHOBIT2024

Tomorrow, October 15th, marks the start of the final session of Ghana’s historic 8th Parliament. Over this period, Parliament has introduced new Standing Orders and reforms that modernized its procedures, streamlined debates, and strengthened legislative oversight, making the House more efficient and responsive to the needs of citizens. The 8th Parliament has also passed groundbreaking bills, including those on gender equity and anti-LGBTQ legislation, and established climate and disability caucuses, all of which hold great potential for the nation’s future growth. Additionally, the 8th Parliament stood firmly against several excesses and policies of the Nana Addo-led government, notably the contentious e-levy debate and the strong opposition to LGBTQ rights. Despite challenges, many Ghanaians believe that the unique composition and leadership of this Parliament curtailed the government’s tendency to make harmful decisions. As we enter the final session, we pray for God’s grace and the continued support of Ghanaians to bring this chapter to a successful close.

Living free from discrimination is a fundamental human right. Queer rights are human rights, and when basic freedoms are denied, everyone suffers. Across Eastern Europe, these rights are being systematically eroded. The violations of human rights in our region are unmistakable: 🇬🇪In Georgia, freedom of speech and assembly—key pillars of any democratic society—are under threat, with peaceful gatherings often met with violence and intimidation. We witness every day massive violation of fundamental rights and backsliding of democracy and establishment of authoritarian regime 🇺🇦In Ukraine, Russia’s war crimes represent a profound violation of human rights, with civilians bearing the brunt of atrocities in a brutal, unjust war. 🇵🇱In Poland, a highly restrictive abortion law strips individuals of their bodily autonomy, denying them the ability to make critical decisions about their own lives and futures. 🇷🇺And, of course, in Russia and Belarus, authoritarian regimes relentlessly suppress fundamental rights, from freedom of speech to the right to live without fear—a grim reality that has become synonymous with these regimes. These are not isolated events; they are part of a broader pattern of disregard for human dignity and fundamental freedoms in Eastern Europe. We at the Eastern European Coalition for LGBT+ Equality believe in the universality of human rights. LGBT rights are human rights, and the fight for justice will not end until every person in our region can live free, safe, and equal. #standupforhumanrights

This insightful article by colleague, Tenesha Myrie really lays out the legal position of women and LGBTQ+ people in the Caribbean, our barriers to equal citizenship, current movements and recommended directions. Solid!

🔊Today is #TransDayofVisibility #TDoV and we say loud and clear: gender justice beyond borders means gender justice beyond binaries! 🚨It is this message that we emphasize throughout our research, education, and advocacy! 🙌🏽 Two weeks ago, we partnered with Migrants' Rights Network for an IG live discussion on “Queerness, Gender, and Migration” in light of the EU Anti-Racism Week. 🗣Gowinda Ama A., our Anti-Racism Focal Point, who led the event, shared the following take-aways fron the conversation: ▪️Histories of migration from the Global South to the Global North are marked by violence against queer communities, perpetuated by colonial attitudes and laws. ▪️Homonationalism and Femonationalism weaponize queer rights, reinforce racism, and incite division within migrant groups. ▪️Colonialism has shaped migration policies and systems, legitimizing power dynamics and erasing racialized queer bodies. 📺 Missed the event? No worries. Here is the recording: https://lnkd.in/eBbVDW2h #migration #gender #justice

To elaborate further, I would like to emphasize that this is perhaps the most anti-democratic law ever adopted in Georgian history. Far from protecting anyone, it actively endangers the lives and freedom of expression of our community members. This is a textbook example of a tactic used by conservative parties globally, where public attention is diverted away from real issues that could genuinely improve the quality of life for minorities. It is no coincidence that this law, along with the foreign agents law, was implemented back-to-back, right before the elections.