This Strategic Framework re-affirms our commitment and mandate to work with and for the LGBTI movement in all its diversity. It examines and expands on the roles ILGA-Europe will play over the next five years, where the organisation has a unique value to add and where we’re uniquely placed to play those roles.

While building on the previous Framework (2019-2023), it expands on our growing understanding of the ecosystem and strategies, and more clearly defines what we hope to achieve under each pathway: empowered and inclusive LGBTI communities, strong and growing LGBTI movements, and laws and policies recognising and protecting LGBTI people’s human rights. It also puts much more focus on working, as a movement, towards deeply-rooted social acceptance and inclusion, and towards fair, just and equal societies and economies.

Every day of the year, ILGA-Europe is a hive of activity. Our 25 staff members are constantly working on a myriad of projects and initiatives to contribute to change for LGBTI people in Europe and Central Asia. Here’s an infographic of the highlights of the work done in 2023*. Not everything could be included but we hope it gives you a snapshot of the variety, depth and reach of our work!

*The information in this infographic encompasses our work from October 1, 2022 to September 30, 2023

In the almost 14 years since Evelyne Paradis became the Executive Director of ILGA-Europe it has grown to become the largest umbrella organisation for LGBTI activism in Europe and Central Asia, playing a key and essential role in resourcing and fostering the LGBTI movement, and influencing political systems towards ever greater consideration of LGBTI people’s equality, freedom and safety in decision making and legislation. The past two years in particular have been a time of unprecedented expansion for ILGA-Europe, both in terms of staff and funding, and in our capacity to support, represent and help build a strong and strategic LGBTI movement in the region.

In this episode of The Frontline, as Evelyne Paradis hands over the reins of leadership to our new Executive Director, Chaber, we sit down with them both to talk about how ILGA-Europe has evolved as an organisation alongside the LGBTI movement over the past decades, and what’s just around the corner, both for the organisation and for the queer activist movement.

For the past 18 years with ILGA-Europe, 15 of which she spent as the organisation’s Executive Director, Evelyne Paradis has worked closely alongside and on behalf of LGBTI activists and organisations in Europe and Central Asia.

As she gets ready to hand over the reins to our new Executive Director, in this episode of The Frontline, Evelyne talks about how the LGBTI movement in Europe and Central Asia has evolved over her time leading ILGA-Europe, and how ILGA-Europe’s work to build and enhance the movement has evolved and grown too.

What have been the rising priorities in queer activism, and how has ILGA-Europe been both supporting and helping lead the charge? What have been the pitfalls along the way and what are the challenges ahead? And as LGBTI communities and activists face growing opposition from powerful right wing forces across the region, how can the movement still push forward for equality, freedom and safety?

At ILGA-Europe we are looking for a brand new Finance Director. We talked to the current Finance Director about why the position is such an exciting one, and why it might just be the right fit for you!

Why is being a Financial Director at ILGA-Europe such a unique and exciting position?

It’s a job that’s not only about managing money. It’s about making real change for human rights in Europe and Central Asia, and that means it comes with a level of passion and cross-team engagement that is unparalleled. If you are as passionate about positive change, as you are about managing finances, this job is for you.

Currently ILGA-Europe is going through a period of steady growth and diversification of funding, and this is happening at a turbulent time for the LGBTI movement in the region. From limitations being put on receiving funding by civil society in some of the more hostile countries we work in, to the fact that we are processing double the finances we did just a few years ago, the job goes beyond sheer money management – it allows the Finance Director to find new and creative ways to structure finances and operations, and design internal policies and controls that balance sound financial management with the fact we need to be responsive, agile and adaptable. The Finance Director, together with ILGA-Europe’s committed and highly skilled finance team, will manage an exciting puzzle of pieces of funding, but they will also contribute to our overall strategic impact.

People often read job descriptions and think they would not be considered for the position. What kind of person are we looking for?

Most of all, we are searching for someone who is passionate about using their financial skills to keep our work solid, smooth and impactful. This job is a lot about finding solutions, and about making it easier to do the important work ILGA-Europe carries out daily. We know there is no one perfect candidate, so while there is a wide list of tasks and competences, we always leave space for learning – and a willingness to grow within and along with ILGA-Europe is crucial to us.

If you are interested in this position, here are some questions you can ask yourself:

• Can I manage organisational budgets with multiple sources of funding in a way that shows flexibility and a systemic approach at the same time?
• Am I able to design adequate operating and control systems to ensure our money doesn’t get lost or misreported?
• Can I manage a team with a diverse portfolio of tasks and ensure ILGA-Europe’s values are put into practice in operations?

What’s it like to work with the ILGA-Europe team?

The ILGA-Europe team are a dynamic bunch, who all enjoy the work that goes into building a strong movement for the human rights of LGBTI people. Not everyone on our team is from the LGBTI community, but everyone is committed to the essential freedom, safety and equality of all LGBTI people. There is a clear commitment from everyone in the team to quality and impact, and there’s a lot of cross-team cooperation.

Our new Finance Director will not only work within the finance team but will directly interact on project financial management with staff from other teams, will work with the Executive Board on our governance, with the Management Team on overall strategic implementation, policies, practices and maintaining a healthy organisational culture. The team offers a lot of support – both in terms of settling in Brussels and finding your way around our movement and work, and in terms of working out problems together. This is a type of approach we also expect from the person who fills the Finance Director positon, because our team as a whole is important to us. Plus, the ILGA-Europe team are a lot of fun to be with!

What is life in Brussels like, in terms of how far your wage goes, accommodation etc?

Brussels is a really fun and affordable city to live in, with a huge cultural life and a wide variety of activities and amenities. We provide one of the bests sets of compensation and benefits among similar organisations in Brussels, which means living in the city is very comfortable. Our insurance coverage is sensitive to medical needs of LGBTI people, our policies cover non-formal partners and dependants. Beyond that, the housing market is much more forgiving than in many other capitals, which means even the starting salaries even at the lowest grade allow for independent and comfortable living, with a convenient and short commute to work. There are plenty of houses and apartments to choose from, and they are generally significantly cheaper and more spacious than in London, Berlin, Paris, Dublin or Amsterdam. We believe in providing remuneration and benefit packages that allow people to thrive in their lives.   

If there was one thing you could say to encourage people who might think this job could be a fit for them, what would it be?

We are an organisation leading real positive change for people at a time when this is much needed in our world. As an employer, we assess people for their competences built on past experience, but also for their potential, and we invest in the people we work with. Our approach to recruitment is about fairness, respect, and sensitivity to how different experiences impact people’s professional careers and build their skills. And we welcome and encourage applicants from all backgrounds, because we actively work towards and believe in diversity and inclusion.

With a decade and half of experience leading Europe’s largest LGBTI umbrella organisation, which is a driving force for political, legal and social change in Europe and Central Asia, Evelyne has had a helicopter view of the growing place of LGBTI rights on political agendas and how all of this has filtered down in the everyday lives of LGBTI people across the regions.

In this episode, Evelyne talks about how politics have evolved over her time leading ILGA-Europe, which included the dawn and global spreading of social media, and how Europe’s political institutions have progressed to include LGBTI people across a broad range of portfolios and initiatives. Is the current EU political system working well to shore up and promote LGBTI equality, or are rainbow rights a victim to an advancing populism across the political spectrum? And what does it take to be a great politician? All these questions and more are answered in this, the first of the Evelyne Paradis interviews on The Frontline.

On October 1, Chaber will become the next Executive Director of ILGA-Europe. As they get ready to step into those shoes, let’s take a little time to get to know them, where they come from, how their activism progressed to this moment, and what they envisage for ILGA-Europe and the LGBTI movement in Europe and Central Asia in the coming years.

Hi Chaber! To begin with, tell us how and when did you first become involved in LGBTI activism?

I went to university in Warsaw to study psychology when I was 18. It was around the same time that I was coming out, so I started emailing LGBT organisations and asking for volunteer opportunities. No one really responded to my emails, so I went to the offices of KPH and asked if they needed anyone. There happened to be a meeting of a youth group that day, so I stayed for the meeting and then ended up staying in the youth group for the next couple of years.

What did LGBTI activism look like in Poland at the time?

Prides were met with violent opposition at the time. There were maybe two or three thousand people max at Pride in Warsaw, rather than the tens of thousands that go nowadays. The government was shifting a little, but there was no actual room for legislative progress or anything of that sort. As a youth group we were really focused on community organising and beginning to enter the public sphere for media campaigning, but in a very subtle way.

And what were you doing at the KPH youth group?

The work of the group was largely around the bringing together community members and creating a space for young people. It was done through organising exhibitions and parties, meetings, youth exchanges, things like that. So that’s what I was doing at the very beginning of it, organising spaces for young queer people to meet in the belief that sexual orientation was not a private issue. In that sense, it was politicising private lives to a certain extent. I think that also the one of the objectives that was lying behind it was to kind of create this stronger, more self-aware, younger community.

So, how did you go from working at the youth group to becoming the Executive Director of KPH?

After about a year in the youth group, I became the volunteer coordinator for the entire organisation. There were 16 branches of KPH across Poland, and some of my job was also to coordinate a network of volunteers from all of those branches. I was still studying for my degree, and the work was not paid. Soon I started getting engaged in small projects, organising events, trainings, taking part in internal developments. I got a part time job that later changed into managing parts of financial affairs of the organisation.

I was 22 years old when the organisation was undergoing a leadership transition, and the general assembly vested the role of president on me. There was no set staff structure at the time, no separation between the staff and board. Over the coming two years, it developed into a much more clarified structure, and my role shifted from President to Executive Director. The work didn’t change really that much, apart from the fact it became a full-time job and a very intentional thing I was doing with my life.

Did you always have a personality that was leadership oriented? How would you describe yourself in that respect?

I don’t think I ever had a huge drive for the visibility aspect of it, but I always had a drive for organising things, planning, making things work. Seeing how organisations could grow or how the structures grow, how we could become better and more effective at what we do, really shaping that strategic vision element of where we should be going. I always managed to surround myself with brilliant groups of people with whom we could carry out very ambitious work: from mobilising communities to engage with politicians, fostering a movement of parents, to legislative campaigns. All throughout my time at KPH, the people I was working with way more experienced activists from whom I could learn a lot. It was really a group effort in that sense. I’ve also spent the last six years on the board of the International Trans Fund, including as its Treasurer and Co-Chair, and there had a chance to co-create the strategy, structures and systems of a global grant-maker. The role was also an opportunity to grow personally in navigating colonial and racial dynamics and other systemic injustices we need to deal with as a movement every day.

You also were elected on to the board of ILGA-Europe during that time?

I joined the board in 2014. KPH and ILGA-Europe always had a close relationship, dating back to the early 2000s. Prides were being banned in Poland as that decade progressed, and ILGA-Europe were heavily investing in the development of KPH because it was the first advocacy organisation in the country. There were older groups in place, but largely focusing on providing psychological and legal support and other types of community work. KPH was founded to be a political player that invests in legal and societal change. And we continued to do so, just in new and creative ways, for all the following years.

In 2018, you became ILGA-Europe’s Finance Director. What would you say you learned during your five years in that role?

One thing that is most precious to me is being in an organisation that has such a vast and engaged membership. The membership of KPH was made up of individuals, many spread out around the country, and to make the organisation more cohesive and effective, we also limited the membership to a smaller number.

Working in ILGA-Europe is a different reality. It’s working in organisation that really puts a lot of effort into being driven by its membership, but also into directing where the membership and movement needs to go, where it needs to develop. From a Finance Director perspective, that was all around governance, around accountability, around helping to shape our programmatic work and regranting in a way that actually responds to needs and is conscious of realities of our members, and also building an ability to source information on the needs of the movement to funnel into the work. That was really a great piece of learning and something that I knew I wanted to learn when I was taking the job.

You’ve come from one of ILGA-Europe’s member organisations to the top role at ILGA-Europe. How important is that for you?

It makes me feel very lucky for all the opportunities for development I’ve had, because looking at our movement, I know that it’s very hard for people to progress and develop because of a lack of resources. The majority of our members do not have staff, do not have executive directors, do not have what they so badly need to do the work. It can be a much harder journey for some people than it was for me, with all the opportunities that I have had. But yet there’s also a feeling of being honoured and proud, because I’ve been involved and the LGBTI movement and different shapes and forms for 15 years. I’ve managed to do a lot of things outside of KPH, and ILGA-Europe as well. I have managed to interact with very many different organisations, both in Europe and globally, provide strategic direction and shift the way things are done.

It has been hard work to get here. It’s been 15 years of commitment and really putting all the energy, learning and capacities I have into the organisations I’ve worked with, to see them grow and develop and progress on their goals. The task of learning has been a continuous part of this journey and will continue for me. I think that’s the only way we build ourselves as professionals, by being continuously open to that learning and searching for new ways of doing things.

With all that experience and learning behind you, what do you see as the way forward ILGA-Europe’s work?

I think we’re in a moment in time where on one hand we have a mounting opposition against LGBTI rights across the region, taking different shapes and forms. We have weakened democracies and weak political systems in many countries, and upcoming elections that may limit our opportunities in the coming years. And at the same time, we have a movement that is extremely stretched, where we see many organisations undergoing leadership transitions, where we see a lot of burnout. The role of ILGA-Europe is to navigate and bridge that gap, driving the movement to the progress that is possible, and pushing the policy changes and improvements that make a difference. Which means that we need to surround ourselves with a movement full of vibrant and well-resourced and organisations that have the capacity to make use of the opportunities that arise occasionally, and develop strategies that actually work in the current context.

We live in a very, very different reality than we did five years ago and many of the ways and methods of work that we see organisations doing are just not working anymore. So, there is a big piece of our role in being that strategic thought, leader and figuring out where the highway of change can happen in the current context.

That is not a small ask.

No, it’s not, but we have a lot of building blocks in place because of the way that ILGA-Europe have been working and shaping its work through being really rooted in the movement, but at the same time having a bird’s eye view on different approaches and strategies. With more consolidation and internal learning and more connectedness with the movement, we are able to shape more effective work with the movement or for the movement.

We also have the power to mobilise significant resources and carrying out our work in a way where we can make best use of those resources and focusing them on, for example, development of specific organisations and different ways where they can achieve the most is a way in which we can really kind of harness the power.

You mentioned the changing landscape, and the landscape is also changing in Brussels. What are your thoughts about working forward?

I think we will have to put a lot of effort into making sure the issues of the LGBTI movement are still high on the agendas during elections. Obviously in the upcoming European Parliament elections, but also in the longer-term process around political participation of LGBTI communities and the public discourse in national elections. Whether it is around gender based violence, whether it’s about self-determination, bodily integrity and intersex rights, there are still elements of our political agenda and our benchmarks where we see there is an uptick on both regional and national level and that is something we need to continue to be pushing for.

What is your message for the movement as you get ready to take over the role?

It’s a message of unwavering commitment. I am looking forward to working together to strengthen our bonds and adapt so we can seize all the moments and opportunities that are, and will become available to us as we move forward as a diverse, vibrant and well-resourced movement able not only to withstand any opposition, but to adapt, work together, and through that forge sustainable progress. I can’t wait for my work in this respect to begin.

After a detailed recruitment process, the board of ILGA-Europe have announced the organisation’s new Executive Director.

The board of ILGA-Europe have announced that Chaber, a previous Executive Director of the Polish LGBT organisation, KPH (Campaign Against Homophobia), will step into the role from 1 October. They have also worked as ILGA-Europe’s Finance Director for the past five years. Their appointment to lead ILGA-Europe comes after a recruitment process that began in May of this year.

According to Co-chairs Natia Gvianishvili and Yves Aerts Jacobs, “During the recruitment process, the ILGA-Europe Executive Board had the luxury of having several strong candidates, whose time and commitment to the process we appreciate and are grateful for. 

“While the value-alignment and engagement with and care for the communities in Europe and Central Asia was something that the shortlisted candidates definitely had in common, Chaber stood out with their ability to be both visionary and practical in their approach. Chaber showed skills and experiences important for a strong leader and a strong manager. They showed the thinking and ability to navigate difficult political situations, that an organisation like ILGA-Europe might be, and has been, faced with, and proposed solutions that put the movements on the ground at the centre, respecting their safety, agency and integrity as well as being a strong advocate for better resourcing of their work.

“ILGA-Europe is an organisation that has been open to growth and change, but a lot more work needs to be done to support the under-resourced segments of our communities, finding new strategies, holding difficult conversations that will move our collective work forward. The next stages of our work will be outlined in our new Strategic Framework and our expectation is that Chaber, together with the amazing team at ILGA-Europe, will find meaningful and maybe even new and interesting ways of achieving the goals we and our membership set for the organisation.”

Speaking about their appointment, Chaber said, “I am deeply honoured to become the leader of an organisation that is so fundamental to the advancement of equality, freedom, strength and safety of LGBTI movements in Europe and Central Asia. Having been part of the ILGA-Europe team since 2018, and sat on its board for three years before that, I have a deep and nuanced understanding of our role working with and on behalf our 700-plus member organisations, and LGBTI activists across Europe and Central Asia.

‘The LGBTI movement and ILGA-Europe have been central to my life for over a decade, so my message to members as I look forward to becoming its new Executive Director is that of unwavering commitment – we will strengthen our bonds and adapt so we can seize all the moments and opportunities to come.

‘We are all navigating through time of turbulent and transformative change, marked both by the unique challenges and victories of LGBTI communities in the region and the remarkable growth of ILGA-Europe. We must further build our reach, impact and ability to drive change and amplify voices on a regional level, but we also must become surrounded by a diverse, vibrant and well-resourced movement able not only to withstand any opposition, but to adapt, work together, and through that forge sustainable progress. My goal for the coming years as ILGA-Europe’s Executive Director will be just that.”

Congratulating Chaber on their appointment, ILGA-Europe’s outgoing Executive Director, Evelyne Paradis said: “The world around us is in flux, and more than ever, ILGA-Europe’s role is to offer a steady point of reference for the movement as it continues to move forward. Activists also need the ILGA-Europe to be by their side and guide them as they navigate challenging times. In the next few years, the organisation will need to continue to grow, finding the balance between remaining solid and steady, and being dynamic and agile as the world around us changes so quickly.

“Chaber has truly unique combination skills:  strategic and creative thinking, capacity to bring people along, an enormous ability and dedication to learning, calm and grit, commitment to creating collective spaces that elevate everyone. Beyond everything else, they care so deeply. About activists, about their colleagues, about ILGA-Europe. It is with immense faith and serenity that I’ll be handing over the reins of ILGA-Europe to Chaber.”

The board’s co-chairs concluded: “We look forward as Chaber begins the interesting next chapter in ILGA-Europe’s life, building on legacy of Evelyne Paradis and taking the organisation forward, maintaining its strength and stability, and making its role as a pillar and voice for the movements in Europe and Central Asia even stronger.”

In the financial year 2022 ILGA-Europe obtained and recognized 3 687 082 € in revenues, which is approx. an 11% (over 365 000 €) increase from the 2021 revenues. Another 200 000 € in donations and approx. 600 000 € in core grants were received in the course of 2022 but carried over to 2023 and further, to secure more operational budgets in the nearest future. The majority of funding recognized in 2022 was sourced from long-term projects and grants, raised in the preceding years.

The 2016 – 2022 comparison (see chart below) of proportions of core funding, unrestricted funding (donations and sponsorships), operating funding (European Commission) and project funding recognized in each year shows that in 2022 ILGA-Europe continued to prioritize flexible resources. The share of unrestricted funding (core grants, unrestricted donations and sponsorships) increased significantly over the past years, but it should be noted that in 2022 the amount of unrestricted donations received was lower than expected (480 000 € in 2021 and 280 000 € in 2022). The income of the European Commission operating grant was increased slightly in 2022, and will further increase in 2023. 2022 marked the beginning of a new Framework Partnership with the EC, under which ILGA-Europe will soon begin re-granting.

The two core grants used throughout the year (Wellspring Philanthropic Fund – 417 670 € and Open Society Foundations – 200 000 €) corresponded to 24% of the total budget. The share of project funding (over 1.7M € in 2022) increased to 66% of the total budget, with more resources mobilized to answer specific needs, and in lieu of higher unrestricted incomes. Within this category of project funding ILGA-Europe included two grants which in their nature were core, but were earmarked for providing funding in response to the war in Ukraine.

In terms of project financing, the majority of projects active in 2021 continued into 2022, with only one stream of programmatic funding (Anonymous) was closed and not renewed, but replaced with a project from another funder. The highest non-flexible revenues recognized were issued by:

• European Commission (Operating Grant) – 1 000 000.00 €
• Global Equality Fund – 464 301.41 €
• Anonymous – 315 561.55 €
• The Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands – 210 000.00 €.

While the previous financial years have been heavily affected by Covid-19 in terms of both revenues and our ability to process funds and carry out activities, 2022 cannot be analysed without the mention of the impact of the invasion of Ukraine. ILGA-Europe quickly shifted its work and budget to enable as much coordination and support as possible be offered to the movement in Ukraine and neighbouring countries. No active fundraising was carried out – given the significant number of ongoing fundraisers, ILGA-Europe prioritized mapping existing efforts and needs, in order to be able to channel donors to where resources were needed, where gaps occurred (especially keeping in mind wider reach and distribution of resources, in particular to groups with less access to donors).

At the same time, significant amounts of ILGA-Europe’s resources were earmarked for financial and other support to groups operating in and around Ukraine. Two core grants (with the total value of 210 688 €) were received and assigned to the purpose of supporting the LGBTI movement in those areas with subgrants.

Additionally, just over 9 000 € in extraordinary revenues was recorded from write offs, unreconciled refunds and round up differences. These are income items recognized largely at year-end. While they constitute unrestricted funding, ILGA-Europe limits their generation through internal controls, and they serve to balance any negative write offs, currency exchange balances and other similar losses.

The total of expenditures registered in financial year 2022 amounted to 3 606 265 €.

	Total 2021 Actual	Total 2022 Budget	Total 2022 Actual
Staff costs	1,762,609	1,867,737	1,844,873
Office Costs	277,169	324,087	335,052
Gathering Online / Annual Conference	60,009	408,600	398,980
Board Meetings	45	22,000	28,130
Work Programme Costs	266,038	340,700	264,652
ILGA-Europe Capacity Dev.	25,998	40,000	47,376
Fundraising	6,247	30,000	18,761
Re-granting	749,885	1,262,000	654,856
Other and losses	4,160	24,640	13,584
TOTAL EXPENSES	3,152,160	4,319,765	3,606,265

The audit of financial year 2022 took place in January 2023 and found no issues. It confirms recognized income of 3 687 082 €, expenses of 3 606 265 €, and a year-end result of 80 817 €. This year-end result was primarily sourced from unrestricted funds and extraordinary income.

While the projections for the financial year 2022 assumed a steady growth of the budget, new programmes, and a slow but steady turn to regular post-pandemic operations, ILGA-Europe did not anticipate that Russia would launch a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. As a result, the work became a delicate balancing act, one which we had been in many ways prepared for by the COVID-19 pandemic two years earlier. ILGA-Europe understood from the outset that the war was not going to be a short-term situation for people in Ukraine, Russia, and neighbouring countries.

The team recognised that there would be particular vulnerabilities experienced by LGBTI refugees, and those LGBTI people who were either forced, or chose to remain in Ukraine and Russia. With this understanding, a significant amount of immediate time, resources and energy was required to respond – practically, financially and strategically – to the needs of LGBTI organisations both in Ukraine and across the region ILGA-Europe work in.

Resources were shifted and workplans were adjusted to align with these needs and realities. Some previously planned programmes and activities were delayed further into 2022 or, in some cases, into 2023. ILGA-Europe proved to be able to adapt to the context and make best use of existing resources. Significant funds were used for re-granting and providing other types of support to affected groups and organisations.

Have a look at ILGA-Europe’s zine of ‘speculative futures’ interviews, set in the year 2040, with powerful LGBTI activists from across the region.

“Although we are deeply sad that we will have to say goodbye to Evelyne, her departure will also present an opportunity, both for the organisation and for whoever takes on the role.

After having Evelyne as part of the movement for so long, and also leading ILGA-Europe itself for so many years, it came as a bit of a shock when she announced to the board her intention to step down. But having spoken to Evelyne at length, both individually and in a collective setting, it is clear that she has decided to take this step, both out of consideration for herself, and considering the future and innovation of the organisation.

As members of the board, we fully respect and applaud Evelyne’s decision. Of course, we are emotional too. Evelyne has been right there since all of us on the board became activists in the movement. She has been a level-headed, clear-sighted constant in an ever-changing world. Her consistency of vision, combined with highly-intelligent and informed adaptability, has provided a core, calm underpinning as we navigated huge change as a movement during the years of her tenure.

The world may continue to be in flux, but Evelyne is leaving ILGA-Europe at a time when the organisation is in a more stable position than it has ever been, not only in financial terms, but in the strength of its staff team, which is solid, cohesive, engaged and ready to step up where necessary. This is a testament to both Evelyne’s leadership, the leadership of other managers in the organisation, and the commitment and passion of every team member. Knowing this as a board, we are calm about the transition because we know whoever is appointed will be leading a holistically healthy organisation.

A strong mandate

Amid such organisational strength and stability, this change in leadership will not put ILGA-Europe in a vulnerable position. Although we are very sad to that we will have to say goodbye to Evelyne, her departure will also present an opportunity both for the organisation and for whoever takes on the role.

That person will not only get to lead a structurally sound organisation, but one that is cohesive in its values, and which has grown over recent years, not only in terms of finance and staff, but also in approaches to the work, such as increased flexibility, expanded connection with the movements in different countries, and deeper connections to institutions, politicians and policy makers, both in Brussels and nationally across the region. There is a very strong mandate from the membership for ILGA-Europe, and there is a definite opportunity for whoever takes over the role to develop their own vision alongside the team, to see how this can be further delivered upon. To see how we further develop an organisation that constantly adapts to meet what is relevant to the movement in circumstances and an environment that is changing, shifting and becoming more and more critical.

It’s a lot of responsibility – Evelyne will be the first to tell you that! –  but it’s also an opportunity to lead an organisation that encourages and embraces innovation and creativity.

Working directly with Evelyne, the entire board has taken on the task of ensuring that the recruitment of ILGA-Europe’s next Executive Director is done in a timely and proper fashion and ensuring that everyone who needs to be involved in the process has a place at the table. We will be having a General Meeting in June and we encourage members to join and ask any questions they may have, which we will be more than happy to answer. 

Smooth and easy transition

Our goal is to make this transition in leadership as easy and smooth as possible. We are working with a recruitment company who will assist us at every stage. We have appointed a selection committee of six members from the board, and the staff have all been consulted about what they think is needed in terms of both soft and hard skills for the position. The role will be advertised this week and recruitment will happen in early summer.

There will be several more occasions for us to express our gratitude for Evelyne’s commitment, consistency, tireless work and frankly great company over the years, and for us to wish her well in her future endeavours, which we know will be of benefit to the world. But at this juncture we want to express our deep appreciation for how involved and considerate Evelyne has been in her process of departure. That she is leaving in such a structured and well-thought out way is a testament to her leadership. There were tears from the board when she told us of her plan to leave, and I know from the staff too. It is hard to imagine an ILGA-Europe without Evelyne, but we know her work has ensured that it will continue to thrive in its crucial role working for a world in which each and every LGBTI person in their everyday lives is free, equal and safe.

Natia Gvianishvili & Yves Aerts Jacobs, ILGA-Europe, Co-chairs

“I’ve come to my decision with great serenity and calm knowing that ILGA-Europe is in such a solid and healthy position and that everything is in place for the leadership transition to be done smoothly,” says Evelyne Paradis as she announces her decision to step down from her role at ILGA-Europe after 13 years.

Sustainability and a sense of stability are very important for any organisation. But I’ve always believed that renewal is just as important. And so, for many years now, there’s been that question in my head about the right timing to move on. It feels that after being a staff member in ILGA-Europe for 18 years and the Executive Director for 13, we’ve come to that point.

It is time for me to step down as Executive Director of this truly unique organisation that is ILGA-Europe, and to create space for someone new to come in.

I’ve come to my decision with great serenity and calm knowing that ILGA-Europe is in such a solid and healthy position and that everything is in place for the leadership transition to be done smoothly. It has an incredible team of professional and committed staff, a very engaged board, a consolidated financial footing, and despite the upheavals of our world, lots of clarity about what we’re about and what we can contribute.

The way in which I leave matters as much to me as how I have been doing the job. I care so deeply about ILGA-Europe, about all our staff, our board, our members and the work we do together, and I know that a leadership transition is a significant change.

This is why, alongside the board, I am working to ensure the process is as smooth as possible and that this change truly is an opportunity for the organisation. We have embarked on a process where we are allowing as much time and space needed for the transition to be a positive one for everyone involved, and especially for the ILGA-Europe team and board.

This is why I’m announcing my decision now, but I will be formally stepping down from my role at the end of September this year. I’ll be staying on in a different form to support the organisation for a few months afterwards, in whatever way I’m needed.

On a more personal level, my decision has also been about recognising that being the Executive Director of ILGA-Europe takes its toll and I need my own renewal. I know the level of personal dedication, energy and thinking it takes to do this job, and I realise I can’t continue to do that much longer.

For now, my only plans will be to take a few months to rest and reflect on my 18-year long journey with the organisation. Looking at the world around us, I feel drawn to explore how I can build on my immense learning from ILGA-Europe and from our movement to find new ways of contributing to bring change around me.

As I make this decision, I am truly excited about ILGA-Europe’s direction of travel, with our expanded ability to support the movement in flexible ways, deeper work on structural inequalities, growing reach and political impact. And it will be a real pleasure to support the next person in whatever way I can so they can step in the role with confidence and optimism.

There will be time in a few months for me to express my deep gratitude to the many, many people who’ve held me, encouraged me, taught me and trusted me throughout the years. For now, I am simply looking forward to six more months at ILGA-Europe and making the most of working with my ever-so committed, caring, joyful and smart team on a daily basis; of steering our beloved organisation with our inspiring and dedicated board members; and of continuing to learn for as long as I can from the resourceful, resilient, determined LGBTI activists across our region.

After 18 months of planning and work, the team at ILGA-Europe are proud to introduce our brand-new website. It shows the range of work we do and LGBTI activists and organisations can now easily find the information they need. Keep reading to learn more about how it was developed and how you can make the most of it.

What a journey it’s been! Almost two years ago, ILGA-Europe’s communications team took the first steps towards the renovation of the organisation’s website. The previous version dated from 2015 and so much has happened in the organisation and in the LGBTI movement ever since.

These changes had to be reflected in our digital home. The same way we take care of a house, our website desperately needed a spring cleaning, a rearrangement of the furniture, accessible rooms for all, and brighter colours on the walls. And there were thousands upon thousands of pages, which all had to find their own special place in our new digital house, with a new hierarchy, which made them easily to find.

Working together with SOLOS, a fabulous communication and image agency based in Portugal, we re-imagined the structure and design of our site to streamline the access to information, express in simpler but more dynamic ways the complex work we do, be closer to visitors and make them feel part of the ILGA-Europe community, and to be connected to and useful for our 600-plus membership organisations across Europe and Central Asia, and other LGBTI activists and allies.

Here is what LGBTI activists can find on our new website:

An expanded visual identity

We are happy with ILGA-Europe’s current logo and didn’t want to change it, but we wanted to find a way to extend it beyond the rainbow colours that feature prominently on it, so that our brand-new website would be able to represent the real diversity and intersectionality of our community. The solution the SOLOS design team came up with was to take the coloured dots on what we internally call ‘the tail’ of the ILGA-Europe logo and expand them into a series of animated circles that feature gradients of colours to represent everyone in and every part of our wonderful LGBTI community.

These gradient circles underpin the entire design of the site, and the colours used across its pages. We combined them with a lot of white space so that the website would feel light and accessible instead of dense and off-putting.

Less words, more colour

Remember our old website?

This is how the same page looks in the new website:

Words filled most of the screen in our old pages and while it’s mainly through language that we continue to share what we do and know, alongside resources that may be useful for you, the layout is now less dense and visual elements have more prominence.

Instead of receiving all the information at a first glance, now you can comfortably navigate it by scrolling.

Accessibility for all

A priority throughout the whole process was to make all the website accessible and inclusive for all. The needs of people with visual impairments were at the forefront when testing and selecting fonts, colours and composition. Furthermore, now users can choose the colour schemes and font sizes that work best for them in each and every page.

Finding what you need

The top menu consists of five sections:

• Under About us you will find everything you need to know about our organisation.
• Supporting the movement and Advocacy: These sections compile the work we do, on one hand, empowering LGBTI activists and organisations across Europe and Central Asia and on the other, advocating for the protection of the fundamental rights of LGBTI people in our regions.
• Under Rainbow Europe you will find two of our vital publications on the situation of LGBTI people, the Rainbow Map & Index and the Annual Review.
• Under News you will find our latest publications.

In the “burger menu” (the circle button containing three horizontal lines) you will find the same sections in a dedicated page. There you will find the Donate button too, with which you can support the work we do!

The search function

Internet users have got used to the comfort of typing a word instead of combing section after section to find what they need. That’s why our website now has an optimised search button providing you with useful and meaningful results, which you can filter until you find exactly what you need.

Date, type, topic, tag

You can also navigate our content by date, type, topic or tag. Topics correspond to the areas of our advocacy work and here you will find the content organised by portfolio, while the tags describe what the content is about. There are many more tags than topics. You can combine different options from the date, type, topic and tags lists to target your search.

We hope you enjoy our new website! Here’s an image of a group of SOLOS team members with the ILGA-Europe’s communication’s team after three days of intense work in Brussels in April 2022. We want to thank SOLOS once again for coming along with us in this journey!

Creating and evolving organisations, groups, collectives and networks is at the core of social change work. There is no universal recipe for success here. A lot of this work is experimental and unique to each and every case.

We are here to support LGBTI activists in creating and developing organisations, groups, collectives and networks that make sense for their purpose and context. For example, along with our grants, LGBTI groups have our support and coaching in fine-tuning their strategies, strengthening financial management systems or practices, and in navigating crises.

We centre and expand this work through the programme – OrgMinds: Insights for Designing Purposeful and Resilient LGBTI organisations.

OrgMinds is a learning programme for LGBTI activists on designing and running organisations, groups, collectives or networks that are fit to advance their missions, bring people together, withstand troubles, and make the best of their resources.

OrgMinds is currently bringing together a group of around 20 LGBTI activists from 14 countries who are:

• Learning what organisational design is and how it can support their organisations’
• strategy and mission
• Getting hands-on tools and solutions for fine-tuning and strengthening their organisations through strategy, structure, and culture, and testing the relevant elements in practice
• Connecting with a supportive peer network of other LGBTI activists and organisations on this journey of growth and learning.

We are observing, documenting, and building up on the experience of OrgMinds participants to make sure that the rest of the LGBTI movement can access this learning.

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To find out more about our Organisational Development and Design programmatic work, contact Senior Programmes & Policy Officer, Anastasia here.

It goes without saying, that even without the perturbations of COVID-19, both financial and organisational, the year was a period of complex work to secure diverse funding required to cover the work carried out throughout the region. With several grants coming to an end both in 2020 and 2021, including some being the sole sources of funding for important elements of ILGA-Europe’s workplan, extreme efforts were put in since the beginning of the pandemic to mobilise sufficient funding for the growing and diversifying needs of the LGBTI movement in Europe and Central Asia.

In the financial year 2021 ILGA-Europe obtained and recognised €3,322,339 in revenues, which is approximately a 6% increase from the 2020 revenues. The share of unrestricted funding increased significantly over the past years (reaching over €500k in 2021), while the amount of available core funds was increased or at least maintained through the period. The European Commission operating grant remained at just under €1.2M (incl. 20% co-funding) – slightly less resources were used in 2020 due to COVID-19. The share of project funding, while still high (over €1.3M in 2021), was decreased by over 15% in terms of budget share, allowing for the work to be more tailored and responsive to needs, and for resources to be allocated more flexibly to emerging trends and activities, especially in re-granting.

The total of expenditures registered in financial year 2021 amounted to €3,152,160, outlined in the chart below.

The most significant cost category was ILGA-Europe’s re-granting. Overall, 60 new grants were awarded in 2021, for a total amount of €749,885. While these figures are lower than the new grants issued in 2020, the total number and value of active grants that ILGA-Europe managed within the year 2021 was significantly higher – 139 (for a total of €1,742,102), compared to 115 (for a total of €1,377,403) in 2020. What is important to note, is that as of 2020, when ILGA-Europe began raising sufficient amounts of unrestricted donations and sponsorships to cover activity costs beyond standard budget and co-funding gaps, our own funds have been allocated to re-granting in order to widen the scope of organisations funded. In 2021, nearly €200,000 of our donation funds were used for supporting subgrantees – that is over 25% of our total re-granting budget for the year.

The independent audit of the year was carried out in January 2022 and found no issues. A year-end result of €170,180 was recognised, primarily sourced from unrestricted funds and extraordinary income. With this, ILGA-Europe’s reserves stand at €428,476.

Revolut has today announced the launch of a new donations feature, allowing its five million customers to instantly round-up their card payments and donate the difference to charity partners, including ILGA-Europe. 

Revolut customers can also donate via one-off, weekly or monthly recurring payments. Revolut charges no fees and takes no cut from donations. There is no minimum donation amount and the feature can be turned on and off by customers at any time.

ILGA-Europe, Save the Children and WWF have been chosen as the first three charity recipients due to their appeal to Revolut’s global user base, each of them seeking to tackle injustices internationally. Revolut’s association with each charity will be ongoing and the fintech will be adding additional charities throughout the year as it rolls out this exciting new feature out.

Nik Storonsky, Founder & CEO of Revolut said: “Supporting social causes is really important to us and many of our users. A lack of transparency and time consuming processes are issues commonly experienced when donating to charity. So at Revolut we’ve decided to help make charitable donations simple by building an easy and secure tool to enable our community to give back, even if it’s only a little spare change. We’re excited to see how far Donations can go and the impact we can make together.”

Anna Shepherd, Fundraising Manager, ILGA-Europe said: ““Across Europe and Central Asia we’re seeing stagnation and rollback on LGBTI equality. Now’s the time to invest in lasting and real change in the lives of LGBTI people. This is why we’re thrilled to partner with Revolut to offer seamless giving solutions, allowing users to be part of the LGBTI movement and this transformative change through their everyday transactions.

Find out more at www.revolut.com

Who are ILGA-Europe’s members and what is their role?

ILGA-Europe is a membership-based organisation. Our members are 600-plus not-for-profit LGBTI organisations – national organisations, local branches or European networks.

As part of the governance of ILGA-Europe, member organisations can:

• Send Delegates to the General Meeting
  • Discuss and determine the strategy, the priorities and the policies of the organisation
  • Submit nominations for candidates to the Executive Board and for the Regional Representatives to ILGA World
  • Submit proposals and amendments to be dealt with at the General Meeting
  • Propose amendments to the Constitution and Standing Orders

How is ILGA-Europe governed?

The governance of ILGA-Europe is defined by the organisation’s Constitution. The main governance body of ILGA-Europe is the General Meeting.

The General Meeting is the gathering of all member organisations. It has the exclusive powers to:

• Elect or dismiss the Executive Board and Regional Representatives to ILGA World
• Approve the organisation’s annual budget and audited accounts
• Recommend changes to financial policies of the organisation
• Amend the Constitution and Standing Orders
• Dissolve the organisation

The General Meeting is held twice per year:

1. In June, to review and approve the audited annual accounts, discharge the Executive Board and discuss ad hoc items. This is usually a shorter General Meeting, which takes place in an online format.
2. In October, to review and approve the organisation’s activity report and budget, elect candidates, and discuss proposals submitted by members or the Executive Board. This is usually a longer General Meeting which take place in a hybrid format and in conjunction with our Annual Conference.

How does the General Meeting make decisions?

Member organisations and the Executive Board can submit proposals and amendments to be dealt with at the General Meeting.

Member organisations are represented by a Delegate or Proxy. Delegates meet in governance workshops and plenary sessions.

• Governance workshops are the space where members can discuss and amend proposals, recommend the approval or rejection of proposals to the plenary, and adopt declarations or resolutions.
• Plenary sessions are the space where the Executive Board reports to members, candidates stand for election, and members make decisions by voting.

Vote takes place by show of voting cards, by secret ballot or by means of remote electronic voting. Each member has two votes in decision-making, provided they have paid the annual membership fees to ILGA World.

The proceedings of the General Meeting are detailed in Standing Orders.

The Constitution and Standing Orders are amended periodically to integrated necessary changes for the efficient and transparent governance of the organisation.

From the landmark Coman Case to the ban on LGBTI events in Ankara ILGA-Europe’s 2019 Annual Review reveals both achievements gained and challenges ahead for the LGBTI movement across the region.

The ILGA-Euroope Annual Review’s presentation of the human rights situation of LGBTI people highlights the advancement and stagnation of equality laws and policies, while providing concrete examples of on-the-ground situations in each of the 51 countries documented.

Presented to high-level EU officials in Brussels this morning, it was noted as coming at a crucial time for reflection of political, legal and social developments, with the European elections just around the corner.

“While we celebrate achievements, our movement is all too aware of the multiple challenges that lie ahead. For example, too few European countries are taking the necessary measures to ensure that LGBTI refugees and asylum-seekers are treated with adequate rights, despite the increasing urgency to do so,” stated Evelyne Paradis, Executive Director for ILGA-Europe.

“We also see recurring trends including widespread hate speech by public figures and religious leaders, public authorities banning or failing to protect prides and other public events, and attacks against human rights defenders. With these challenges in mind, we call on political leaders to commit to supporting and furthering the advancement of human rights that LGBTI people both need and deserve.”

While the Review provides in-depth specific examples for each country, notable highlights include:

• Two Central Asian countries included in the Review for the first time: Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.
• A clarification by the EU Court of Justice on the term “spouse” as inclusive of same-sex couples in the Freedom of Movement Directive – meaning all couples must be treated equally across EU member states when exercising their right to freedom of movement
• Anti-gender and -LGBTI narratives in surrounding the Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence
• Increased safety and security risks for human rights defenders with targeted physical and verbal attacks, torture, deaths and infringements on freedom of assembly, association and expression reported across Europe
• A number of Universal Periodic Review recommendations issued including on hate speech, investigation into violence, detentions and killings of LGBTI people, banning unnecessary medical interventions on intersex children and protection of freedom of assembly

This year’s Annual Review marks the first to come preceding ILGA-Europe’s Rainbow Map & Index, which will reflect the review’s findings on its release this coming May.

• Now digital and newly formatted as country-by-country interactive factsheets, it is available to download here.

For a long time at ILGA-Europe there was a sense that we needed to be experts on a range of things, on specific topics, on a specific area of law, on specific types of capacity building, and so on. At the end of our previous strategic plan, what we really anchored at the core is that we do not need to be the experts, for there are many, many experts out there. We came to an understanding that our role is to harness the knowledge and capacity that exists in the wider movement and to make sure it’s amplified. Our role is to have this unique overview of everything that’s going on, and to connect those with expertise and resources, whether they’re in LGBTI movement or from other parts of society, to increase the overall ability of LGBTI activists to bring about change for their communities.

In addition to this shift in thinking, we wanted to have a tool that would guide us, keeping in mind the world we live in, where we need to be able to adapt quickly, to be agile, and to understand that different parts of the work are completely interconnected. 

This Strategic Framework examines and expands on the roles ILGA-Europe will play over the next five years, where the organisation has a unique value to add and where we’re uniquely placed to play those roles. It’s about how and where we complement others rather than reinventing the wheel or replicating what is already being done very well. It’s about our need for flexibility and adaptability in a rapidly evolving landscape, rather than focusing on specific thematic priorities or specific countries.