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| Formation | 1996 |
|---|---|
| Purpose | lesbian,gay,bisexual,trans andintersex (LGBTI) rights |
| Headquarters | Brussels,Belgium |
Region served | 47 countries in theCouncil of Europe;Belarus,Kosovo &Central Asia |
| Membership | 500+ member organisations[1] |
Executive Director | Evelyne Paradis |
Main organ | ILGA |
| Staff | 24 |
| Website | ilga-europe.org |
ILGA-Europe is the European region of theInternational Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association. It is an advocacy group promoting the interests oflesbian,gay,bisexual,trans andintersex (LGBTI) people, at the European level. Its membership comprises more than 500 organisations from throughout Europe and Central Asia. The association enjoys consultative status at theUnited Nations Economic and Social Council[2] and participatory status at theCouncil of Europe.[3]
ILGA-Europe was founded in 1996, when its parent organisation, theInternational Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association, established separate regions.[1] It took over responsibility for supporting the development of theLGBT movement in Europe includingTransgender Europe,Inter-LGBT, and for relationships with theEuropean Union,Council of Europe and theOrganization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.[1]
Initially ILGA-Europe worked entirely on the basis of volunteer resources. However, in 2001, its potential contribution to the European Union's anti-discrimination policies (established under Article 13 of theTreaty of Amsterdam) was recognised through the provision of core funding, currently through the PROGRESS Programme.[4] This enabled ILGA-Europe to set up an office in Brussels, to recruit permanent staff, and to conduct an extensive programme of work in relation to sexual orientation discrimination within theEU Member States and theaccession countries.[4] Financial support from the Sigrid Rausing Trust, the Open Society Institute,Freedom House, theUS State Department and theMinistry of Education, Culture and Science of theNetherlands allows ILGA-Europe to extend its work in areas not covered by EU funding, including Eastern Europe and Central Asia, and on transgender issues.[4]
ILGA-Europe has hosted its annual conference at the end of October, since 2000, where member organisations elect the executive board and decide on the next year's working priorities.[5]
ILGA-Europe works to promote equality and non-discrimination for LGBTI people inasylum,education,employment,family law,freedom of assembly,hate crime,hate speech andhealth; and works worldwide to protecthuman rights defenders, trans people and intersex people.[6] The Association provides funding and training for its 500 member organisations, "to maximise efficiency and the use of resources by LGBTI organisations in working towards achievement of their goals; to maximise the impact of advocacy work at the European level; to ensure sustainability of the LGBTI movement in Europe."[7]
ILGA-Europe works withEU Institutions, theCouncil of Europe and theOrganization for Security and Co-operation in Europe to promote equality by lobbying and advocacy, including supporting the adoption of the proposedEU Anti-Discrimination Directive, that would ban discrimination on the grounds of age, disability, religion or belief and sexual orientation in all areas ofEU competence.[8] It also uses strategic litigation at theEuropean Court of Human Rights and theEuropean Court of Justice to end discrimination, by identifying gaps in protections, encouraging organisations and individuals to develop court cases, and support such cases with legal resources andamicus curiae briefs.[9]
For the2014 European Parliament election, ILGA-Europe promoted itsCome Out 2014 European Election Pledge to candidateMEPs, which focused on priority LGBTI issues for the 2014–2019 Parliament: an EU roadmap on LGBTI equality; EU human rights enforcement; completing the EU Anti-Discrimination directive; combating homophobic and transphobic violence; an inclusive definition of 'family'; trans rights anddepatholigisation; action against school bullying; health discrimination and inequalities; LGBTIasylum seekers; and making the EU champion LGBTI rights worldwide.[10] 187 electedMEPs (25 percent) signed the pledge, including 83 members of thePES, 14ALDE members and 14 from theEPP.[11]
Today ILGA-Europe has more than 20 staff who work in four areas: Advocacy, Communications, Finance and Administration, and Programmes. All are based at the organisation's office in theEuropean Quarter in Brussels.
Each May, ILGA-Europe releases itsRainbow Europe review, to mark theInternational Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia. It reviews the human rights situation and assesses what life is like for LGBTI people in every European country, covering discrimination, family recognition, hate speech/crimes, gender recognition, freedom of assembly, association and express, and asylum laws. Since 2016 Malta has topped the rankings; in 2021 it was rated to have 94% progress toward respect of human rights and full equality, and in 2024 sits 5 percentage points ahead of Iceland in second place. In 2024 Azerbaijan and Russia were ranked as the worst for LGBTI equality, scoring just 2%, closely followed by Turkey, Armenia and Belarus. The biggest increase since the 2013 review, was that of Malta - increasing by 53 percentage points, followed by Greece with a 43 point gain.[12] A summary of allRainbow Europe scores since 2013 (when scores were standardised as a %) are given in the table below, as well as a comparison with the scores as released in 2013 and 2024.[13] The most significant deterioration in LGBTI rights is that of the UK, that has decreased 33 percentage points from a peak of 86% in 2015.[14][15]
| Country | Overall by Year | Change from 2013 to current score (2024)[16][17] | Change from previous peak year(s) to current score (2024) | Rankings | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013[18] | 2014[17] | 2015[19] | 2016[20] | 2017[21] | 2018[22] | 2019[23] | 2020[24] | 2021[25] | 2022[26] | 2023[27] | 2024[28] | Peak Year(s) | Change from Peak | Current | Highest | Lowest | ||
 Albania | 38% | 38% | 42% | 34% | 33% | 33% | 31% | 31% | 33% | 32% | 35% | 36% | -2% | 2015 | -6% | 26 | 16 | 28 |
 Andorra | 21% | 21% | 31% | 32% | 35% | 35% | 28% | 35% | 35% | 32% | 37% | 44% | 23% | 2024 | 0% | 23 | 22 | 34 |
 Armenia | 8% | 9% | 9% | 7% | 7% | 7% | 7% | 8% | 8% | 8% | 8% | 9% | 1% | 2014-15, 2024 | 0% | 46 | 46 | 48 |
 Austria | 43% | 52% | 52% | 64% | 56% | 56% | 50% | 50% | 50% | 48% | 49% | 50% | 7% | 2016 | -14% | 20 | 12 | 20 |
 Azerbaijan | 8% | 7% | 5% | 5% | 5% | 5% | 3% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% | -6% | 2013 | -6% | 48 | 47 | 49 |
 Belarus | 14% | 14% | 14% | 13% | 13% | 13% | 13% | 13% | 12% | 12% | 12% | 11% | -3% | 2013-15 | -3% | 45 | 39 | 45 |
 Belgium | 67% | 78% | 83% | 82% | 72% | 79% | 73% | 73% | 74% | 72% | 76% | 78% | 11% | 2015 | -5% | 3 | 2 | 4 |
 Bosnia and Herzegovina | 20% | 20% | 29% | 39% | 31% | 31% | 31% | 37% | 40% | 38% | 40% | 40% | 20% | 2021, 2023-24 | 0% | 24 | 21 | 35 |
 Bulgaria | 18% | 30% | 27% | 24% | 23% | 24% | 13% | 20% | 20% | 18% | 20% | 23% | 5% | 2014 | -7% | 39 | 25 | 41 |
 Croatia | 48% | 56% | 71% | 67% | 62% | 51% | 47% | 46% | 46% | 45% | 49% | 50% | 2% | 2015 | -21% | 18 | 5 | 19 |
 Cyprus | 20% | 20% | 18% | 32% | 29% | 29% | 23% | 31% | 31% | 31% | 31% | 35% | 15% | 2024 | 0% | 29 | 26 | 37 |
 Czech Republic | 35% | 35% | 35% | 32% | 29% | 29% | 26% | 26% | 26% | 26% | 26% | 30% | -5% | 2013-15 | -4% | 33 | 18 | 33 |
 Denmark | 57% | 60% | 68% | 71% | 68% | 68% | 68% | 68% | 64% | 74% | 76% | 76% | 19% | 2023-24 | 0% | 5 | 2 | 10 |
 Estonia | 29% | 35% | 34% | 36% | 33% | 39% | 35% | 38% | 38% | 36% | 36% | 46% | 17% | 2024 | 0% | 22 | 19 | 25 |
 Finland | 47% | 45% | 62% | 75% | 68% | 73% | 69% | 66% | 65% | 60% | 70% | 71% | 24% | 2016 | -4% | 6 | 4 | 17 |
 France | 64% | 64% | 65% | 67% | 71% | 73% | 63% | 56% | 57% | 64% | 63% | 62% | -2% | 2018 | -11% | 13 | 4 | 13 |
 Georgia | 21% | 26% | 36% | 30% | 26% | 26% | 30% | 30% | 27% | 25% | 25% | 25% | 4% | 2015 | -11% | 37 | 22 | 37 |
 Germany | 54% | 56% | 56% | 55% | 54% | 59% | 47% | 51% | 52% | 53% | 55% | 66% | 12% | 2024 | 0% | 11 | 11 | 16 |
 Greece | 28% | 31% | 39% | 58% | 47% | 52% | 49% | 48% | 47% | 52% | 57% | 71% | 43% | 2024 | 0% | 7 | 7 | 24 |
 Hungary | 55% | 54% | 50% | 51% | 45% | 47% | 41% | 33% | 33% | 30% | 30% | 33% | -22% | 2013 | -22% | 30 | 11 | 30 |
 Iceland | 56% | 64% | 63% | 59% | 47% | 47% | 47% | 54% | 54% | 63% | 71% | 83% | 27% | 2024 | 0% | 2 | 2 | 18 |
 Ireland | 36% | 34% | 40% | 55% | 52% | 52% | 47% | 52% | 53% | 53% | 54% | 57% | 21% | 2024 | 0% | 15 | 14 | 22 |
 Italy | 19% | 25% | 22% | 29% | 27% | 27% | 22% | 23% | 22% | 25% | 25% | 25% | 6% | 2016 | -4% | 36 | 32 | 36 |
 Kosovo | 14% | 17% | 18% | 32% | 30% | 33% | 28% | 35% | 35% | 35% | 35% | 36% | 22% | 2024 | 0% | 28 | 24 | 39 |
 Latvia | 20% | 20% | 18% | 18% | 17% | 16% | 17% | 17% | 17% | 22% | 22% | 24% | 4% | 2024 | 0% | 38 | 33 | 41 |
 Liechtenstein | 16% | 18% | 19% | 18% | 18% | 18% | 14% | 18% | 19% | 20% | 20% | 28% | 12% | 2024 | 0% | 34 | 34 | 40 |
 Lithuania | 21% | 22% | 19% | 18% | 17% | 21% | 23% | 23% | 23% | 24% | 24% | 28% | 7% | 2024 | 0% | 35 | 30 | 39 |
 Luxembourg | 28% | 28% | 43% | 50% | 46% | 47% | 70% | 73% | 72% | 68% | 68% | 70% | 42% | 2020 | -3% | 8 | 2 | 28 |
 Malta | 35% | 57% | 77% | 88% | 88% | 91% | 90% | 89% | 94% | 92% | 89% | 88% | 53% | 2021 | -6% | 1 | 1 | 18 |
 Moldova | 10% | 17% | 16% | 11% | 13% | 13% | 14% | 19% | 20% | 21% | 39% | 39% | 29% | 2023-24 | 0% | 25 | 23 | 45 |
 Monaco | 10% | 10% | 11% | 11% | 10% | 10% | 11% | 11% | 11% | 13% | 13% | 14% | 4% | 2024 | 0% | 44 | 43 | 46 |
 Montenegro | 27% | 47% | 46% | 45% | 39% | 38% | 36% | 62% | 63% | 63% | 61% | 48% | 21% | 2021-22 | -15% | 21 | 8 | 26 |
 Netherlands | 60% | 70% | 69% | 66% | 64% | 60% | 50% | 62% | 61% | 56% | 56% | 59% | -1% | 2014 | -11% | 14 | 4 | 14 |
 North Macedonia | 13% | 13% | 13% | 18% | 16% | 14% | 11% | 25% | 27% | 27% | 29% | 31% | 18% | 2024 | 0% | 32 | 31 | 44 |
 Norway | 66% | 68% | 69% | 76% | 78% | 78% | 68% | 68% | 67% | 68% | 67% | 70% | 4% | 2017-18 | -8% | 9 | 2 | 9 |
 Poland | 22% | 28% | 26% | 18% | 18% | 18% | 18% | 16% | 13% | 13% | 15% | 18% | -4% | 2014 | -10% | 42 | 28 | 42 |
 Portugal | 65% | 67% | 67% | 76% | 69% | 69% | 66% | 66% | 68% | 62% | 62% | 67% | 2% | 2016 | -9% | 10 | 4 | 11 |
 Romania | 31% | 28% | 28% | 23% | 21% | 21% | 21% | 19% | 19% | 18% | 18% | 19% | -12% | 2013 | -12% | 40 | 21 | 41 |
 Russia | 7% | 6% | 8% | 7% | 6% | 11% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 8% | 8% | 2% | -5% | 2018 | -9% | 49 | 45 | 49 |
 San Marino | 14% | 14% | 14% | 14% | 12% | 12% | 13% | 13% | 13% | 14% | 14% | 15% | 1% | 2024 | 0% | 43 | 39 | 44 |
 Serbia | 25% | 30% | 29% | 32% | 30% | 30% | 28% | 33% | 33% | 37% | 35% | 36% | 11% | 2022 | -1% | 27 | 23 | 28 |
 Slovakia | 27% | 31% | 29% | 29% | 28% | 29% | 30% | 30% | 30% | 34% | 30% | 31% | 4% | 2022 | -3% | 31 | 23 | 32 |
 Slovenia | 35% | 35% | 32% | 43% | 44% | 48% | 40% | 42% | 42% | 42% | 46% | 50% | 15% | 2024 | 0% | 19 | 17 | 25 |
 Spain | 65% | 73% | 69% | 70% | 67% | 67% | 61% | 67% | 65% | 62% | 74% | 76% | 11% | 2024 | 0% | 4 | 3 | 11 |
 Sweden | 65% | 65% | 72% | 65% | 60% | 60% | 62% | 63% | 65% | 68% | 68% | 64% | -1% | 2015 | -8% | 12 | 4 | 12 |
 Switzerland | 29% | 29% | 28% | 33% | 31% | 38% | 31% | 36% | 39% | 42% | 47% | 50% | 21% | 2024 | 0% | 17 | 17 | 30 |
 Turkey | 14% | 14% | 12% | 9% | 9% | 9% | 5% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 5% | -9% | 2013-14 | -9% | 47 | 39 | 48 |
 Ukraine | 12% | 12% | 10% | 13% | 19% | 21% | 22% | 22% | 18% | 19% | 20% | 19% | 7% | 2019-20 | -3% | 41 | 34 | 46 |
 United Kingdom | 77% | 82% | 86% | 81% | 76% | 73% | 66% | 66% | 64% | 53% | 53% | 52% | -25% | 2015 | -34% | 16 | 1 | 16 |
To include intersex people in its remit, ILGA-Europe andILGA have jointly sponsored the only international gathering of intersex activists and organisations. TheInternational Intersex Forum has taken place in Europe annually since 2011.[29][30][31][32]
The third forum was held inMalta in 2013 with 34 people representing 30 organisations from all continents. The closing statement affirmed the existence of intersex people, reaffirmed "the principles of the First and Second International Intersex Fora and extend the demands aiming to end discrimination against intersex people and to ensure the right of bodily integrity, physical autonomy and self-determination". For the first time, participants made a statement onbirth registrations, in addition to other human rights issues.[32][33][34]
| Human rights andlegal issues |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Healthcare and biology | ||
| Society and culture | ||
| History and events | ||
| Rights by country | ||
| See also | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
