Support the European LGBTI movement

As the year comes to a close, we want to take a moment to say a heartfelt thank you for your support for ILGA-Europe’s vital work on with and on behalf of the LGBTI activist movement across Europe and Central Asia.

2024 has been a turbulent year in which LGBTI human rights were both challenged and secured.

Across Europe and beyond, anti-LGBTI measures highlighted the fragility of hard-won freedoms. Georgia adopted both a “foreign agent” law and an “anti-LGBTI propaganda” law, Bulgaria introduced laws targeting the discussion of LGBTI issues in schools, marking another attack on both education and freedom of expression. In Russia, the international LGBTI movement was branded as “extremist” in late 2023, but 2024 saw the first convictions under this extremist label, intensifying the risks for activists and organisations. 

PROGRESS, DESPITE SETBACKS

Despite these setbacks, 2024 was also a year of hope and progress. Germany’s adoption of a self-determination law marked a major step forward for trans and non-binary people, simplifying legal gender recognition. Greece joined the growing list of European countries recognising equal marriage, while Malta’s introduction of non-binary markers on official documents underscored its commitment to inclusivity.

WHAT YOU HELPED ACHIEVE

Thanks to your support, the work for freedom and equality continued and strengthened. Here are some highlights from ILGA-Europe’s work over the past year.

• We supported 88 frontline LGBTI groups in 29 countries with funding and learning. 42 of these groups work in high-risk countries.
• We provided emergency support to 11 LGBTI organisations in 9 countries.
• 1,100 candidates signed ILGA-Europe’s European Elections pledge, committing to protect and advance LGBTI rights if elected. 164 of them were elected, a quarter of the new European Parliament.
• We brought 50 LGBTI activists to Brussels and Strasbourg to meet with key policy-makers.
• We supported 20 strategic litigation cases
• We launched the 2024 Rainbow Map, providingmore user-friendly features and improved visualisation of data.

This year’s developments—both the setbacks and the victories—show that progress is possible, but it requires vigilance, solidarity, and collective action. Thank you for being part of this collective journey towards equality for all, and a world in which no one is left behind.

Links:

• https://www.ilga-europe.org/blog/lgbti-rights-are-human-rights/
• ILGA-Europe's Activity Report 2024