News
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Statement

Georgia: political manipulation and harassment of LGBTI people and human rights defenders have no place in a democratic society

27/03/2024 Strasbourg

“I am concerned about the present political discourse in Georgia, as illustrated by the announcement made by the Georgian Dream Party of their initiative to amend the Constitution and to adopt a new constitutional law on ‘Protection of Family Values and Underaged Persons’. It is reflective of...

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Issue Paper

Human rights of trans people: increased visibility and legal recognition contrast with lived experience of discrimination, violence

14/03/2024 Strasbourg

“Realising the rights of trans people is a matter of applying human rights equally to everyone, and states have the primary responsibility to lift the barriers trans people are facing in exercising their human rights”, said today the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja...

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Country visit report

Italy should improve legislation and practice on migration and asylum, women’s rights and gender equality

14/12/2023 Strasbourg

In a report published today, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, recommends adopting a number of measures to better uphold the rights of migrants, asylum seekers and women. The Commissioner also raises certain issues concerning journalists and the legal...

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Statement

Russia: decision to label the ‘international LGBTI movement’ as extremist is a grave attack against LGBTI people and human rights defenders

01/12/2023 Strasbourg

“The Russian Supreme Court’s labeling of the 'international LGBTI movement' as extremist is a grave attack on LGBTI people and those who defend their human rights”, said today the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatovic. “This stance goes against the fundamental principle...

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Rule 9

Georgian authorities should address the underlying reasons behind the discrimination and intolerance towards LGBTI people, and religious and other minority groups

14/11/2023 Strasbourg

The Commissioner published today her submission to the Committee of Ministers in the context of the supervision of the execution of the Identoba and Others group of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights. This group of judgments relates to discrimination and manifestations of intolerance...

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Speech

ILGA Europe Annual Conference 2023: the resilience of the movement for LGBTI equality hinges on solidarity

27/10/2023 Strasbourg

Opening speech by the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović at ILGA Europe Annual Conference Ljubljana 2023 “Rising to the moment” - Plenary and panel discussion: The practice of solidarity – Reflections on unity, trust and true connections. Good morning, it is a...

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Letter

North Macedonia: Parliament should seize opportunity to protect the human rights of trans people and execute the European Court’s judgment on legal gender recognition

07/07/2023 Strasbourg

In a letter addressed to the Macedonian Parliament published today, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatović strongly encourages ongoing efforts to bring the Macedonian legal framework in line with Council of Europe standards in the field of legal gender recognition for...

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Speech

IDAHOT+ Forum 2023: member states should build on momentum to end conversion practices targeting LGBTI people

11/05/2023 Strasbourg

Address to the European IDAHOT+ Forum 2023, hosted in the framework of Iceland’s Presidency of the Council of Europe in Reykjavik, Iceland Dear Ministers and state representatives, dear activists, dear friends, Each year, the IDAHOT forum is an important opportunity to take stock of progress and...

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Letter

Slovak Republic: Parliamentarians should reject a bill undermining trans people’s human rights and ensure equality for LGBTI people

25/04/2023 Strasbourg

“Parliamentarians in the Slovak Republic should reject a bill that would effectively prevent trans people from having their gender identity legally recognised. This legislation would put the Slovak Republic in conflict with its obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights,” said the...

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Annual report 2022

Annual Report 2022: Commissioner Mijatović calls for renewed commitment to human rights protection to address numerous systemic problems

24/04/2023 Strasbourg

“The protection of human rights in Europe has suffered serious setbacks in 2022,” said the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, presenting her Annual Report today. “A renewed commitment to human rights is needed to reverse the trend.” The report largely focuses on the...

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Statement

High time for the authorities to accept LGBTI people and their rights, the perpetrators of the attack in Banja Luka must be sanctioned

21/03/2023 Strasbourg

"The violence unleashed against LGBTI people, human rights defenders and journalists in Banja Luka last Saturday is a worrying and dangerous development and violation of the rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression. The authorities must condemn and investigate the incident, and...

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Human Rights Comment

Nothing to cure: putting an end to so-called “conversion therapies” for LGBTI people

16/02/2023 Strasbourg

There is nothing therapeutic about so-called conversion therapies. These are the words of a transgender (trans) person and activist who spoke with me at a recent gathering for civil society. This simple sentence reveals the insidious nature of interventions which claim that one can, and should,...

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Speech

The human rights challenges faced by intersex people need to be urgently addressed

26/01/2023 Strasbourg

At the Conference on Advancing the human rights of intersex people. High-Level session: launching the work on the drafting of a new Committee of Ministers Recommendation on equality of rights of intersex people, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, gave the...

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Country visit report

United Kingdom: Commissioner warns against regression on human rights, calls for concrete steps to protect children’s rights and to tackle human rights issues in Northern Ireland

09/12/2022 Strasbourg

“Both the overall system for protecting human rights, and the rights of specific groups, are currently under pressure in the United Kingdom (UK). The authorities should spare no effort to reverse this trend”, warns today the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, while...

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Speech

Europride 2022 - closing remarks by Dunja Mijatović

16/09/2022 Belgrade

At the closing session of the International Human Rights Conference held in Belgrade for Europride 2022, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, gave the following speech: "Dear colleagues, dear Europride organisers, dear activists, dear friends, This Europride has...

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Statement

Serbian authorities should withdraw the ban on Europride march and protect participants

13/09/2022 Strasbourg

“It is highly regrettable that the Serbian authorities have decided to ban the Europride march scheduled for 17 September. Weeks of uncertainty concerning the holding of this march have sent a wrong message to the public and made space for hateful rhetoric and more threats against LGBTI people,...

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Country visit report

Georgia should ensure effective implementation of the anti-discrimination legislation and improve protection of human rights in the fields of labour and the environment

15/07/2022 Strasbourg

The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, published today the report following her visit to Georgia in February 2022, with recommendations on combating discrimination against LGBTI people and those belonging to religious minorities, as well as protecting human rights...

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Country visit

United Kingdom: backsliding on human rights must be prevented

04/07/2022 Strasbourg

“Legal reforms should not weaken human rights protections in the United Kingdom”, said today the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, following a five-day visit to the country (27 June to 1 July), which focused on the system for human rights protection, the situation...

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Statement

LGBTI people affected by the war in Ukraine need protection

17/05/2022 Strasbourg

“On the occasion of this year’s International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, I call on all member states to pay attention to the situation of LGBTI people who are either still in Ukraine or are fleeing the war, so that their vulnerability and needs are fully taken into account...

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Third party intervention

Commissioner publishes observations on the absence of legal recognition of same-sex relationships in Russia

24/03/2022 Strasbourg

Today the Commissioner published her written observations to the European Court of Human Rights on the case of Irina Borisovna FEDOTOVA and Irina Vladimirovna SHIPITKO and 2 other applications v. Russia, which is pending before the Grand Chamber, concerning the absence of legal recognition of...

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Country visit

Georgia should step up the fight against discrimination and better ensure labour rights and the human right to a healthy environment

28/02/2022 Strasbourg

“Georgia has taken significant steps to reinforce labour rights including by adopting broad legislation and setting up the labour inspectorate. However, increased efforts and additional measures are required to address the negative impact of a decade of deregulation on occupational safety and...

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Statement

Hungarian government must stop instrumentalising and weakening the human rights of LGBTI people

13/01/2022 Strasbourg

“The decision of the Hungarian government to conduct a national referendum regarding children’s access to information concerning sexual orientation and gender identity issues on the same day as the parliamentary elections is deeply regrettable as it furthers the instrumentalisation of the human...

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Report

Human rights of LGBTI people in Europe: current threats to equal rights, challenges faced by defenders, and the way forward

09/12/2021 Strasbourg

“LGBTI human rights defenders are facing an increasingly hostile environment in many European countries. Member states of the Council of Europe must do more to protect them”, said the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, upon releasing the report of an online...

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Speech

ECRI 2021 annual seminar with Equality Bodies

18/10/2021 Strasbourg

Joining Forces to Promote and Protect the Human Rights of LGBTI Persons. Opening statement by Dunja Mijatović. Dear all, dear friends, It is a real pleasure for me to be here this morning with you for this seminar organised by ECRI, an essential partner in the fight against all forms of...

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Statement

In their response to Afghans seeking safety, Council of Europe member states should not undermine human rights protections

30/08/2021 Strasbourg

“Member states should unequivocally commit to handling the arrival of persons fleeing the horrendous situation in Afghanistan in accordance with their human rights obligations”, said the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, today. “Various governments and local...

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Human Rights Comment

Pride vs. indignity: political manipulation of homophobia and transphobia in Europe

16/08/2021 Strasbourg

World Pride is being celebrated on our continent this week, but a surge in intolerance towards LGBTI people in Europe is nothing to be proud about. In more and more European countries, politicians and public officials are shamelessly targeting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex...

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Letter

Turkish authorities should stop the stigmatisation of LGBTI people

24/06/2021 Strasbourg

In a letter addressed to the Minister of Interior and the Minister of Justice of Turkey, published today, the Commissioner calls on the authorities to fulfil the commitments enshrined in the national Action Plan on Human Rights, stop the stigmatisation of LGBTI people, and uphold their freedoms...

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EN RU

Statement

Commissioner Mijatović urges Hungary’s Parliamentarians to reject draft amendments banning discussion about sexual and gender identity and diversity

14/06/2021 Strasbourg

“I call on all Hungarian Members of Parliament to reject the proposal to ban the "portrayal and the promotion of gender identity different from sex at birth, the change of sex and homosexuality" aimed at children, said Dunja Mijatović, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights today. “I...

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Speech

Exchange of views with the European Committee of Social Rights

17/05/2021 Strasbourg

Good afternoon to you all and thank you very much for the invitation to this exchange of views! This is the first time that we meet, and the timing is certainly good. Even though there are signs of relief now, at least in Europe, the Covid-19 pandemic has been much more than just a health crisis:...

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Joint statement

The right to freedom of religion or belief and the right to live free from violence and discrimina-tion based on SOGI are both built on a promise of human freedom LGBT persons deserve that promise fulfilled

14/05/2021 Geneva/Washington D.C./Strasbourg

Statement by human rights experts on the International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia On the eve of the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOBIT), which will be held on 17 May 2021, a group of United Nations and international human rights experts*...

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