PES Manifesto

STOP discrimination!

Published Wednesday, June 4, 2008 at 14:20
by Editor (726 views and 1 comments)

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender’s (LGBT) rights are still to be recognised in many European countries. That is why ILGA Europe, the European Region of the International Lesbian and Gay Association, takes the floor today to present its ideas for the manifesto2009.



According to Patricia Prendiville, ILGA’ Executive Director, for LGBT people the specific issues to be discussed are:

- mutual recognition of same sex marriages and partnerships;- exclusion of recognition same sex partnership in so much of the employment directive has meant that many ‘pay’ elements are not gained by LGBT people - this needs to be changed

- freedom of movement of LGBT people in couples is restricted because of the lack of mutual recognition of same sex marriages and partnerships;

- immigration of 3rd country partners into EU countries is denied in many of the 27 countries;

- it would be useful for each member state to have National Equality Plans that requires strategic and operational plans for making equality more of a reality on all grounds;

- violence against LGBT people – as with all forms of discrimination based violence as against women, racist violence, violence against older people and people with disabilities needs to be addressed as hate crime, reported in crime statistics and integrated into police training;

- national equality plans should be monitored through the Open Method of Coordination (OMC), which will be integrating the reality of how discrimination leads to social exclusion and poverty;

- issues of health, education, housing, pensions and insurance should all be protected against discrimination – Horizontal Article 13 Anti-Discrimination Legislation is required to equalize protections in all member states and harmonise legislation at European level.
- at international level the EU’s trade agreements, neighbourhood policy, aid and development agreements and policies and accession acquis must all insist on human rights of LGBT people – death penalty, de-criminalisation issues, freedom of assembly and association issues must all be raised in the discussions around trade. For the EU to be taken seriously as a HR player at international level this insistence is essential…and the adoption and use of the Yogyakarta principles throughout that you can consult at www.yogyakartaprinciples.org

Tags: fundamental rights, LGBT