ILGA-Europe Welcomes European Commission Commitment to End Conversion Practices

Europe’s leading LGBTI organisation, ILGA-Europe today welcomed the European Commission’s commitment to a Recommendation on ending conversion practices, describing it as a decisive step forward in the protection of LGBTI people across Europe.

ILGA-Europe also welcomed the firm commitment to inclusion of sexual orientation and gender identity/expression as grounds in the Communication and planning Recommendation, as it is critical that all persons, including trans and non-binary persons, vulnerable to coercive changes of their SOGIE be protected and have access to support services.

The announcement comes as ILGA-Europe’s Rainbow Map, launched yesterday, underlines the urgency of this moment. Currently, only eight EU countries (Belgium, Cyprus, France, Germany, Greece, Malta, Portugal and Spain) have enacted bans on conversion practices, leaving millions of LGBTI people exposed to harm disguised as help.

“Ending conversion practices cannot be reduced to symbolism or fragmented national action,” said Katrin Hugendubel, Deputy Director at ILGA-Europe. “It requires clear EU-wide direction, and that is what the Commission commits to today: support for national legislative bans in every Member State, proper training for professionals, and survivor-centred support systems that recognise the scale of the harm.

“Conversion practices are not a matter of belief or therapy, but a form of violence disguised as care that Europe can and should end. We have high expectations that this Recommendation will be swiftly translated into national bans, professional accountability, and real protection for survivors across Europe.”

ILGA-Europe calls on the Commission to ensure this Recommendation is swiftly translated into national bans, professional accountability, and real protection for survivors across Europe.