ILGA-Europe welcome Belgium’s decision to put an end to the sterilisation requirements and the mental health diagnosis previously required in order to have access to legal gender recognition. Today’s vote in parliament means that Belgium will have a new law governing the legal gender recognition process. The fact that the new procedure is largely based
News / Human Rights
On May 24th, 2017 the working group on legal gender recognition of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Lithuania concluded its first official meeting. The working group includes Tomas Vytautas Raskevičius, the Policy Coordinator (Human Rights) of the National LGBT* Rights Organization LGL. The working group is preparing a draft bill with the
Court says ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional; unless law is amended within two years, marriage equality becomes legal. Taiwan is set to be the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage.A top court in the country today ruled that the current law, banning same-sex marriage, is unconstitutional. Marriage equality can become law in two years
Each year 17th of May is commemorated as an International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOT) in order to raise awareness of the LGBT* issues worldwide. This year the occasion inspired the members of the European Parliament to take action and issue a resolution regarding the gross violation of human rights in Chechnya, where
Lebanon’s first-ever Pride celebration is underway in Beirut, despite national laws that deem homosexual acts a crime and security threats at the start of the festivities. Organizers planned to kick off Pride with an event run by Pride Lebanon, but they received threats from the Association of Muslim Scholars in Lebanon, a Salafist group. ‘On Saturday
Ieva Ruzgytė, member of the National LGBT* rights organization LGL participated in an international LGBT* forum, held on 14th-19th May, 2017 in Salzburg (Austria). LGL member shares her experience regarding the fifth international LGBT* forum in Salzburg, held to commemorate the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT). By participating in the forum, LGL member
Since the discussions at the Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania regarding the possibility of legislating same-sex partnerships in Lithuania has been renewed, the Lithuanian state leaders were asked whether they would support such move. The comments by the President of the Republic of Lithuania, the Speaker of the Lithuanian Parliament and the Prime Minister
Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union Political Group of the Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania together with other members of the Lithuanian Parliament have registered a draft amendment to the Civil Code of the Republic of Lithuania proposing to regulate partnerships by way of cohabitation agreement. According to the members of Lithuanian Farmers and Greens
Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen, Aušrinė Armonaitė and Simonas Gentvilas, members of the Liberal Movement Party and the Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania, have registered a proposal to amend the Civil Code of the Republic of Lithuania, aiming to recognize the legal status of both different-sex and same-sex couples. “A couple of reasons encouraged us to propose
Students faced death threats for choosing to hold the event during Ramadan. A Pride march scheduled for next month in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, was canceled on May 17. The three-day LGBTI public awareness campaign was organized by a group of students at Taylor University. Pro-Islamist blogs were outraged the event would have been held on
On May 20th-21st, 2017 the National LGBT* rights organization LGL and the Office of Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson of the Republic of Lithuania invited to the “Rainbow Days” 2017 Quizzes in Klaipėda and Kaunas. Who are the “famous” LGBT* people? What is the history of the LGBT* human rights movement? What is the legal reality of
Parliamentarians in Romania will soon be asked whether or not to support the organisation of a referendum to constitutionally define family as being based solely upon the marriage between a man and a woman. On the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, Members of the LGBTI Intergroup write to Romanian Parliamentarians, urging them not to