LGBTI activist voices – is anyone in Europe listening?

Evelyne Paradis, Executive Director of ILGA-Europe Check your calendars. Infringements of fundamental rights, like freedom of expression, association, and assembly inside the European Union’s borders in 2015 – surely there is some mistake? No, unfortunately, that is not a misprint. LGBTI activists and human rights NGOs are being increasingly impeded in their daily work and

The National LGBT* Organization LGL, welcomes the fact that yesterday, Tuesday the 9th of June, 2015 the European Parliament loudly signaled its commitment to gender equality, and more specifically to an EU strategy beyond 2015.  In a landmark vote, the European Parliament has demanded to include LGBTI rights in a future EU gender equality strategy.

Invisible Shadow of Domestic and Dating Violence in the Lesbian Community

Data provided by the EuroBarometer Report by the European Commission showed that five years ago almost 43% of women in Lithuania were victims of domestic and dating violence. Despite the lack of research on the topic, the number of women victims of domestic and dating violence is expected to have increased in recent time. However,

On 19-22 February 2014 two LGL representatives participated in a Kick-Off Meeting in Warsaw (Poland) for the project ‘Accommodating the needs of the victims of homophobic and transphobic hate crimes – raising the competences of law-enforcement institutions’, co-funded by the European Commission. The project is aimed at diagnosing specific needs of the aforementioned victims in

EP Vice-President Criticizes Lithuania for Violating LGBT* Rights

Amid the European Commission’s (EC) analysis whether the Lithuanian Law on the Protection of Minors against the Detrimental Effect of Public Information is in line the EU acquis, a group of MEPs on February 26th, 2015 criticized the Baltic state for the continuing discrimination of LGBT* people, reports Lithuanian news agency BNS. “I think we

On the 26th of February, 2015 the Civil Liberties Committee of the European Parliament (LIBE) had a debate on the Lithuanian anti-propaganda law and the situation of the rights of LGBT* people in Lithuania. Dutch Member of the European Parliament Sophie in ‘t Veld (ALDE/D66) asked for a debate with the European Commissioners after the

Following a submission to the European Commission by the national LGBT* organization LGL, the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee of the European Parliament is preparing to discuss the ‘homosexual propaganda’ legislation in Lithuania, reports Lithuanian news agency BNS. Lithuania’s representatives in the European Parliament, however, claim that they do not see a problem

Lithuania’s Ban on ‘Homosexual Propaganda’ is under EU Scrutiny

Following a submission to the European Commission by the national LGBT* organization LGL, the EU institutions will follow closely the ‘homosexual propaganda’ legislation in Lithuania, reports Lithuanian news agency “BNS.” The Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee of the European Parliament will discuss the situation in Lithuanian situation on Thursday. The European Commission (EC)

EU report reveals alarming reality trans people face

On December 9, 2014, the EU Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) presented the largest comparative study on the experiences of trans people in all 28 EU Member States. The FRA calls the results “alarming”, but highlights that legal frameworks and good policies have a positive impact on trans people’s lives. The FRA study was launched at an

LGL Appealed to the European Commission under the EU Directive Infringement Process

On October 25th, 2014 the national LGBT* rights organization LGL applied to the European Commission (EC) under the European Union (EU) directive infringement process. A formal complaint, prepared in collaboration with the European LGBTI organization “ILGA-Europe”, states that the Lithuanian authorities have violated the EU Treaty, the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the Audiovisual