ILGA-Europe: Pandemic Exposes Fragility of LGBTI Rights

Hate speech is a continuous problem in Spain, according to the ILGA-Europe report

GAYLES.TV.- ILGA-Europe (organization that brings together more than 600 LGBT + advocacy groups), along with the LGBT + Equal Rights Association for the Western Balkans and Turkey, have published their documentation on the progress made in the recognition and respect of the human rights of people LGBT +in each country adhering to the EU during 2020. The pandemic and its consequences have highlighted the fragility of people's human rights LGBT +.

In 2020, the community LGBT + was strongly affected by the pandemic of COVID-19, and state support services were unable to reach people LGBT + most vulnerable. As a result, LGBT + NGO have had to adapt their previous plans and budgets to fill humanitarian aid gaps within the state's response to the crisis, providing food, hygiene kits and shelter to people LGBT + who have lost their job or have become homeless.

In addition to this, the reality experienced by the people of the group continues to be markedly different from the legal protections that exist on paper. The implementation of existing legislation remains a prominent issue, while hate crimes and hate speech against people LGBT + they remain widespread.

Hate speech is widespread

«Progress that has been taken for granted is not only increasingly fragile, it is particularly vulnerable to exploitation by anti-human rights forces.«Concluded the tenth annual review of the situation of human rights of people LGBT + en Europe y Central Asia. The report brings together data from 54 countries. The unprecedented events of 2020 brought communities LGBT + en Europe «at the border", He said ILGA-Europe.

Evelyne paradis, executive director of ILGA-Europe, said there has been a «marked increase»On abuse and hate speech against people LGBT +. Many in the community LGBT + «WhatThose who have become vulnerable to homelessness have been forced to return to hostile family and community situations«He added. "There has been a resurgence of authorities and officials using LGBT people as scapegoats, while authoritarian regimes have the power to isolate and legislate without due process.", He said Paradis.

The tendency of politicians to verbally attacking people LGBT + has grown considerably and has spread in countries of the EU-27, included Bulgaria, Czechia, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Poland and Slovakia.

Hate speech on social media has increased by Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia and Malta, and in the media in general in Slovenia y Ukraine, showed the report, adding that hate speech is an ongoing problem in Ireland, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania. Slovakia y Spain. Many courts and government institutions are beginning to become more aware of this growing trend and are beginning to talk about the regulation of hate speech online, including at the level of the law. UEadded ILGA-Europe.

Trans rights

With regard to the rights of transgender people, there have been setbacks in Austria, Croatia, Finland, Hungary, Lithuania, Slovakia and Slovenia. The report shows a «significant growth in opposition to trans rights across Europe«, Which generates a broad and negative impact on the legal recognition of gender. There is regression and stagnation in 19 countries, according to the report. Hungary made headlines last May when its parliament voted to end legal recognition of people tranny.

En Poland, the number of local governments that declared themselves «free zones LGBT +»Increased to 94, and protests against people LGBT + and against abortion were frequent.

The equality strategy LGBT + 2020-2025 full EU Commission, published last November, was the first strategy to protect the rights LGBT + en Europe. By ILGA-Europe «It is a step in the right direction, but it must be followed by similar actions at the national level", and must be "implemented significantly«.

Here you can download the report