At this year’s ILGA-Europe Annual Conference, the National LGBT rights organisation LGL presented insights from the newly released transnational desk research report “Mapping Realities of Rainbow Families: Challenges and Needs.” The session, Rainbow Families: Stories of Resilience and Advocacy, brought together activists, researchers, and advocates from across Europe to discuss the lived realities of rainbow families and the urgent need for legal recognition and protection.

Moderated by Daniel Martinović (Rainbow Families Croatia / NELFA), the panel featured Eglė Kuktoraitė (LGL, Lithuania), Hinni Aarninsalo (Sateenkaariperheet ry, Finland), and Dominique Boren (APGL, France). Together, they explored common challenges faced by rainbow families in diverse social and legal contexts, from the Baltic and Nordic countries to Ukraine and beyond.

The discussion highlighted key findings from the research: widespread legal uncertainty, lack of family recognition, and persistent social prejudice, alongside powerful examples of resilience, solidarity, and advocacy. Panelists underscored the importance of cross-border collaboration and community-led initiatives in advancing equality and visibility for all families.

The event served as a vital space for sharing experiences, fostering mutual learning, and strengthening European solidarity in the ongoing fight for family rights and inclusion.

Photos from the session capture the energy and collaboration that continue to drive LGL’s work toward recognition, protection, and dignity for rainbow families everywhere.

© Augustas Didžgalvis photography

The session was organised as part of the project “Connecting families, educators and policymakers to combat violence and improve the well-being of LGBTIQ children in the Nordic-Baltic region and Ukraine,” co-funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers’ program “Prosperous Future.”