On 16 November (3pm to 5pm CET), the Council of Europe Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) Unit is organising an online event to launch its new publication Diversity in the Workplace, a Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity or Expression and Sex Characteristics approach (SOGIESC).
The publication is aimed at assisting member States not only to respect the employment-related measures highlighted in Recommendation CM/Rec(2010)5 of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers to member states on measures to combat discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity, but also to accompany and assist with the implementation of the European Commission’s LGBTIQ Equality Strategy 2020-2025.
LGBTI persons throughout Europe are the target of workplace discrimination and exclusion on the grounds of their real or perceived sexual orientation and/or gender identity or expression and sex characteristics (SOGIESC). Twenty years after the adoption of the Employment Equality Directive, 21 % of respondents to the FRA survey felt discriminated against at work. By comparison, 19 % said they did so in the 2012 survey. One in four (26 %) respondents hide being LGBTI at work. Significantly higher levels of transgender (35 %) and intersex respondents (32 %) felt discriminated at work.
The online launch event, will bring together a range of representatives from the Council of Europe, supportive employers and senior figures from European LGBTI NGOs. There will be a series of guest speakers including senior representatives from the UK and Cyprus, as a part of their year-long partnership promoting LGBTI persons’ equality together with European friends. This event will be the opportunity to showcase how the Council of Europe, employers across all member States and LGBTI persons can work together to bring about real change, by affording employment opportunities and conditions respectful of human rights on the grounds of sexual orientation, gender identity or expression and sex characteristics.
Date: 16 November, from 3pm to 5pm CET
Publication: Diversity in the workplace - a Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity or Expression and Sex Characteristics approach (2021)
