For the first time in Lithuania’s history, three same-sex couples are going to court to defend their right to start a family and register their marriage in Lithuania. According to the Association of Tolerant Youth, which initiated these strategic cases, they aim to resolve the main obstacles in recognizing and regulating these couples’ relationships. “When

Hate crimes have become a global concern, posing significant social, political, and legal challenges. The act of violent behavior motivated by bias against a person’s race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, or disability is considered a severe expression of discrimination. The COUNTER HATE project, aimed at improving the assistance of victims of hate

The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) delivered its judgment in the case of Macatė v. Lithuania (application no. 61435/19) at a public hearing on 23 January 2023 in the Human Rights Building, Strasbourg. The applicant, Neringa Dangvydė Macatė (1975-2020) was an openly lesbian children’s author who wrote a book titled “Gintarinė širdis”

Baltic Pride 2022 Festival Starts on 31st of May in Vilnius

The National LGBT rights organization LGL informs about the most important events of the Baltic Pride 2022 festival, which will take place in Vilnius from 31st of May to 5th of June. On 31st of May, the Baltic Pride 2022 festival will be opened during a colorful Rainbow Bus trip in Vilnius. Representatives of the

Will 2022 Mark a Turning Point for all LGBTIQ Families in the EU ?

Lithuania, along with Latvia, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria and Slovakia to this day remaining the only European Union Member States without same-sex family rights recognition. Although these countries face multitude of social and political issues which often effectively demotes LGBTIQ equality  to political periphery, LGBTIQ communities and their supporters are becoming more vocal than ever before.

Family Diversity and Protection in a Democratic Society: Issues and Possibilities

R.I.S.E. project consortium seeks to discuss social and legal aspects of LGBTIQ+ family rights recognition in Lithuania, Latvia, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Romania and Poland as well as a wider international rainbow family context while reflecting on the negative psychological and economic effects of discrimination.  Register for online participation HERE Time:  September 29 10 AM – 3 PM EEST

R.I.S.E. Positive Role Model Campaign Encourages LGBTI Family Acceptance

R.I.S.E. invites all members of society to get to know and connect with LGBTI families and their daily struggles arising from the lack of both legal recognition and social acceptance. Personal stories allow to see the issues of family rights recognition through the eyes of LGBTI people and their loved ones while calling for development of the

On April 1, 2001, just a few seconds after midnight, Mayor of Amsterdam was the first registrar in the world to marry a gay couple. That night four same-sex couples tied the knot, followed by another 382 who married in the same month. Currently sixteen European countries fully recognize same-sex marriages, while thirteen recognize a

LGL and All Out Started a Petition to end LGBT content censorship in Lithuania

On December 16th, 2019 LGL and All Out started collecting signatures on a petition to put an end to LGBT content censorship in Lithuania. The target of the petition is the Law on the Protection of Minors Against the Detrimental Effect of Public Information, which for almost ten years makes Lithuania the only EU member

On Friday 13th of December 2019 the international conference “Combating homophobic, biphobic and transphobic stereotypes and prejudice by and through mainstream media” took place in the conference room of the Jurnalists’ Union of Daily Newspapers – ESIEA (Athens, Greece). The conference was organized by Colour Youth – Athens LGBTQ Youth Community, in co-operation with ΚΜΟP

Vladimir Simonko: Thank you for your Trust

Dear members of ILGA-Europe, I would like to kindly thank you for your trust in me and opportunity to work together with ILGA-Europe Board and staff in shaping the future of our organization. I hope that my work in ILGA-Europe Board gave me a chance to be a link between East and West, when genuine

“Baltic Pride” Festival Comes to Vilnius on 4th-9th June

“Baltic Pride” 2019 is the largest LGBT community event with the participants of the LGBT community and supporters from Lithuania, the Baltic states, Europe and the entire world. This year the “Baltic Pride” will be held in Vilnius for the fourth time. Various LGBT-themed events await the visitors on 4th-9th June, such as the International