July 2018

ILGA-Europe
	Job opportunity with ILGA-Europe - Programmes Officer We are looking for a new staff member to join us in Brussels! The Programmes Officer will coordinate parts of ILGA-Europe’s engagement in post-Soviet states, including Central Asia. ILGA-Europe programmes include regranting, capacity-building and advocacy activities as we seek to actively address the needs of activists in the region and contribute to the development of the movement. Closing date for receipt of applications is Sunday 9 September 2018 (23:59 CET). Please submit a signed electronic version by e-mail to recruitment@ilga-europe.org. Read more about the job opportunity.
	14 activists join workshop on campaigning for intersex rights From 25 to 27 June, ILGA-Europe hosted a workshop in Brussels on campaigning for intersex rights in the framework of our Creating Opportunities programme. The workshop, with 14 activists from France, Italy, Serbia, Switzerland, Austria and Russia, aimed to build campaign plans for their ongoing or forthcoming campaigns on intersex visibility. (Some of the intersex groups represented at the workshop are implementing campaigns supported financially and strategically by Creating Opportunities.) For three days, members of ILGA-Europe staff and intersex activists discussed elements of public campaigning, audience analysis, messaging, testing, as well as community organising and well-being. Read more about the Creating Opportunities programme. To the top
Annual Conference 2018
	Join us in Brussels – register before 11 September! The 2018 ILGA-Europe Annual Conference is approaching fast. The event focuses on ‘Politics for Change: from Words into Action’ and takes place from 24-27 October 2018. This year’s conference in Brussels provides a unique opportunity for the region’s LGBTI activists to send a loud call for action to politicians, EU institutions, partners and other allies. Make sure that you register before 11 September! Register now.
	Members - check your inboxes for the First Conference Mailing ILGA-Europe members should check their organisation’s inboxes because the First Conference mailing was sent out with lots of information on the Annual General Meeting, constitutional review, calls for candidates, call for the conference host, and much more… Read more. To the top
Funding and Resources for LGBTI Activism
	Thanks to John and Stephen from Belfast, Northern Ireland “The reason we chose ILGA-Europe as one of our wedding donation charities was that we want LGBTQI individuals who suffer hatred and denial of their rights to have hope that things can be better.” A huge congratulations and thank you to John and Stephen from Belfast in Northern Ireland. When they got married recently, they selected ILGA-Europe as one of their wedding donation charities. We rely on the generosity of our supporters to continue our work, so why not mark your celebration with a donation collection. Fundraise for ILGA-Europe.
	LGBTI rights highlighted at the 2018 European Championships in Glasgow The 2018 European Championships in Glasgow will feature Pride House, a human rights and equality hub run by LEAP Sports Scotland. Pride House is open from 1-12 August as is a space for the LGBTI community and allies to come together, grab a coffee, watch the Championships, and participate in a variety of events. Pride House will also display a special exhibition version of the ILGA-Europe Rainbow Europe Index, visually showing how the countries participating in the European Championships perform in relation to rights, equality and legal protections of LGBTI people. You can also grab your own copy of the Rainbow Europe Map and find out how to support the European LGBTI movement. Find out more. To the top
Equality and Non-Discrimination
	Joint NGO Statement on the 10th Anniversary of the Horizontal Directive 10 years on, the Horizontal Directive that planned to introduce an EU-wide minimum level of protection against discrimination on all grounds listed in Art. 19 of the European Treaties remains in cold storage. This directive could ban discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation in all areas of social life, including education, housing, and access to goods and services. ILGA-Europe and our NGO partners say that these legislative gaps need to be closed. Read the full statement published on 2 July. To the top
Family
	Rainbow families in Ireland one step closer to equality On 17 July, the Child and Family Relationships (Amendment) Bill was passed by both houses of the Irish parliament. The bill will update language in the existing Child and Family Relationships Act 2015 and means that some of the 2015 Act’s sections relating to donor-assisted reproduction can finally be commenced in autumn 2018. When this change comes into force, different-sex couples, female same-sex couples and single women will be able to register their parentage on their child’s birth certificate. Read the Irish government's press release. Watch the video reaction from LGBT Ireland. See Ireland on our Rainbow Europe module. To the top
Freedom of assembly
	Hundreds came together for Istanbul LGBTI+ Pride, despite ban On 29 June, the Istanbul Governorship banned the Pride march which was due to take place on 1 July. In spite of the ban, the local Pride Committee called on everyone to march. Hundreds of people gathered around Taksim Square for the event and read their press statements from different spots. The police attacked the activists, using tear gas and rubber bullets. In total, 11 people were taken into custody and released later in the day. Read 2018 Istanbul LGBTI+ Pride March press statement. See Turkey’s ranking on the Rainbow Europe module.
	New blog – Pride postcard from Dublin and Istanbul The ILGA-Europe Communications Team was present at both Pride events in Dublin and Istanbul on 30 June and 1 July. “You don’t need ILGA-Europe to tell you that the experiences of Pride goers in both cities varied considerably. However, the differing fortunes of human rights activists in both countries in recent times doesn’t mean that there isn’t rich learning to be shared… (Pride) will never stop being a protest, because progress doesn’t stop. Because equality isn’t something you wake up one morning and realise has come into existence seamlessly overnight.” Read the blog post. To the top
Hate speech
	Hateful leaflets distributed in several Turkish cities According to our members Kaos GL, leaflets containing hate speech directed at the LGBTI community were distributed at random in the cities of Ankara, Izmir and Osmaniye in July. In their press release reacting to the leaflets on 27 July, Kaos GL urged the authorities to take action against whoever is spreading this hateful content. Read more. Read more about Turkey on our Rainbow Europe module. To the top
Health
	The Health4LGBTI project: a key tool towards respectful and inclusive healthcare “A bit more than two years ago, ILGA-Europe embarked on a great project, Health4LGBTI. As part of a consortium… we published a state-of-the-art study on the health inequalities experienced by LGBTI people and set out to develop training modules to better equip health professionals to provide healthcare to LGBTI people. Throughout all project stages ILGA-Europe relied very much on member organisations’ expertise and input and this is another opportunity for us to warmly thank you all for the great work and involvement.” Read Sophie Aujean, ILGA Europe Senior Policy and Programmes Officer’s blog post. Read more about the project.
	Training modules and materials available for health professionals The dedicated Health4LGBTI training course for healthcare professionals (aiming to increase their skills, knowledge and competences when providing care for LGBTI people) is now available online. The training is formulated to facilitate replication on a large scale in many different European countries. Its content can be adapted to the local context and specific training needs. The training materials are available in Bulgarian, Dutch, English, Italian, Lithuanian, and Polish. Access the training modules. Read more about the project. To the top
Legal gender recognition
	We hoped for better, but new Portuguese law will change the lives of trans and intersex people On 12 July, the Portuguese parliament adopted a law establishing the right to self-determination for trans persons aged 18+ in the legal recognition of their gender identity. (The original law, approved by parliament in April this year, was vetoed by the president. As a result, self-determination is no longer the guiding principle for trans people between 16 and 18.)With this law, Portugal is also only the second country worldwide to take the important step of outlawing medically unnecessary treatments on intersex kids. Read more. Read more about Portugal on the Rainbow Europe module.
	Luxembourg in favour of self-determination for trans and intersex people Luxembourg's parliament voted on 25 July in favour of self-determination for trans and intersex people. When the new administrative procedure comes into legal effect, trans and intersex people will be able to change their name and sex on documents without needing to obtain a medical certificate, or have surgery or hormone treatment. 57 MPs backed the proposal in the Chamber of Deputies. The law will come into effect when published on the official gazette. Read more. See Luxembourg’s ranking on the Rainbow Europe module. To the top
Notice board
	ILGA World Conference: New Zealand, March 2019 The 2019 ILGA World Conference will take place in Wellington, New Zealand from 18-22 March 2019 with the support of their member organisations member organisations Intersex Trust Aotearoa New Zealand, Tīwhanawhana Trust, and Rainbow Youth. The theme of the conference will be ‘Celebrating the past to liberate the future’ and ILGA’s new logo and visual identity will be presented for the first time. Read more about the conference.
	Report on legal gender recognition in the Western Balkans and Turkey ERA – LGBTI Equal Rights Association for Western Balkans and Turkey, PINK Embassy Albania, Streha LGBT (Shelter), Pro LGBT, CEL Kosova, Subversive Front, The Coalition Margins, Association Spectra, Egal, Gayten – LGBT, Legebitra, TransAkcija Institute, Pembe Hayat and SPoD submitted a report about legal gender recognition to the UN Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. This report covers legal situation of trans people in the Western Balkans and Turkey up until June 2018. Read the report.
	The first LGBTI+ community centre opens in Sofia Sofia now has its own very first community centre dedicated to the LGBTI+ community. The new location in the Bulgarian capital city is called Rainbow Hub and is the result of the joint effort of Youth LGBT Organisation 'Deystvie', GLAS Foundation and Bilitis Resource Center Foundation as well as other independent activists. The location will serve as the Sofia Pride headquarters as well as the office of the three national LGBTI+ organisations. Read more.

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Job opportunity with ILGA-Europe - Programmes Officer

14 activists join workshop on campaigning for intersex rights

Join us in Brussels – register before 11 September!

Members - check your inboxes for the First Conference Mailing

Thanks to John and Stephen from Belfast, Northern Ireland

LGBTI rights highlighted at the 2018 European Championships in Glasgow

Joint NGO Statement on the 10th Anniversary of the Horizontal Directive

Rainbow families in Ireland one step closer to equality

Hundreds came together for Istanbul LGBTI+ Pride, despite ban

New blog – Pride postcard from Dublin and Istanbul

Hateful leaflets distributed in several Turkish cities

The Health4LGBTI project: a key tool towards respectful and inclusive healthcare

Training modules and materials available for health professionals

We hoped for better, but new Portuguese law will change the lives of trans and intersex people

Luxembourg in favour of self-determination for trans and intersex people

ILGA World Conference: New Zealand, March 2019

Report on legal gender recognition in the Western Balkans and Turkey

The first LGBTI+ community centre opens in Sofia

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