Want to contribute to the creation of the ILGA-Europe Annual Conference 2018 programme? Are there topics you would like us to discuss? Would you like to be part of the programme? ILGA-Europe invite you to propose a workshop, consultation, recommend research and project presentations, or suggest another, more informal, programme contribution. Help us shape the programme of this year’s conference in Brussels with the theme ‘Politics for Change: from Words into Action!’
Send us your proposals before Tuesday 5 June. [3]

 

Are you an activist for the LGBTI community and want to represent your organisation at the ILGA-Europe Annual Conference 2018? Be a voice for your organisation and apply for our scholarship programme. Your application needs to reach us before 5 June – looking forward to hearing from you!
Apply and read more about the scholarship programme. [4]

Thank you to Sarajevo Open Centre for making a generous donation to the Diversity Fund this month. Their support means an activist with fewer opportunities can attend ILGA-Europe’s Annual Conference. Could you or your organisation do the same? Organise a fundraiser or collection and raise the cost of bringing an activist to Brussels this October.
Donate to the Diversity Fund. [5]

As member organisation, we need you to tell us how you would like ILGA-Europe to be governed, so that we can continue be an effective, representative organisation for LGBTI people across Europe and Central Asia. The board launched an online consultation on the proposed changes, which will be available to the members until 7 June. Please check your organisational e-mails for the invitation to an online consultation and the webinars on particular changes. If you have any queries, please contact the chairs at chairs@ilga-europe.org [7]

ILGA-Europe will host the third online panel discussion of the strategic communications series on 29 June 2018 from 11.00 to 12.30 CEST. The webinar will focus on tools for audience research and message testing. We will discuss different methodologies for message testing and hear from experts and activists’ direct experience on the use of testing for campaigning purposes.
Register for the webinar on 29 June. [8]
Check our website to know about ILGA-Europe’s work on strategic communication and our most recent publications. [9]

 

Creating Opportunities now provides dedicated financial and strategic support for audience research and message testing (surveys, focus groups, deep interviews, etc.) for campaigns organised by LGBTI organisations and groups in Europe and Central Asia. Check out Creating Opportunities webpage for additional information and contact ILGA-Europe Senior Campaign and Programmes Officer Laura Piazza laura@ilga-europe.org [11] if you wish to apply.
Read more here. [10] 

 

ILGA-Europe invite LGBTI activists to the upcoming webinars on the Funding for LGBTI Activism in Europe and Central Asia – Priorities and Access to Resources. The first webinar “Community Organising – Why is it a Priority?” will be hold on Monday 4 June at 16.00 CEST; the second one “Fighting opposition – what does it entail?” on Thursday 7 June at 16.00 CEST.
Read more about the webinars. [12]
Register for the webinar “Community Organising – Why is it a Priority?” [13]
Register for the webinar “Fighting opposition – what does it entail?” [14]

 

Do you have your ticket to the European Equality Gala yet? Book now to attend the party of the season on 27 June at Bozar, Brussels. A new exciting venue, fantastic entertainment, charity auction, plenty of bubbly. And, even better, your support goes towards funding the work of ILGA-Europe, allowing us to continue advocating for the rights of LGBTI people and strengthening the movement across Europe and Central Asia.
Read more about the Gala and get your tickets. [15]

 

On 14 May, ILGA-Europe launched our benchmarking tool – Rainbow Europe 2018 - at the annual Forum in Lisbon to mark IDAHOBIT. Stagnation on LGBTI equality is a worrying picture considering the current political climate of rising levels of populism, nationalism and civil society scapegoating, which have a particularly high negative impact on more vulnerable groups, like LGBTI people. The Rainbow Map and Index (which highlight the legal and policy situation for LGBTI people in Europe), plus recommendations for policymakers, are available at www.rainbow-europe.org [17].
Read the full press release following the launch. [16]

The Rainbow colours were certainly seen around many European buildings this year, and the ILGA-Europe team actively took part to the rapidly growing number of events organised in the EU quarter in Brussels. We spoke at numerous events, including the European Union Commission, European Parliament, European Committee of the Regions, and European Economic and Social Committee, discussing LGBTI asylum seekers, the importance of Pride events, HIV and sexual health, rainbow families, and much more. ILGA-Europe also met with European Commissioner Věra Jourová and EC Vice-President Frans Timmermans to discuss how to keep momentum of the work on LGBTI rights in the EU Commission over the next year.

During the week of IDAHOBIT, TGEU (Transgender Europe) published the 2018 edition of the Trans Rights Europe Map & Index which reflects the requirement for a mental health diagnosis in gender recognition procedures in Europe and detailed country information in 25 legal categories. According to the 2018 findings, 34 countries in Europe require a mental health diagnosis before adapting identity documents and 14 countries require sterility in legal gender recognition.
Check out the map and index. [19]

Another important resource for LGBTI rights in IDAHOBIT week came from IGLYO – The International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer & Intersex (LGBTQI) Youth and Student Organisation, with the first edition of the LGBTQI Inclusive Education Index and Report. These much-needed resources provide a comprehensive account of LGBTQI inclusion within state schools in each Council of Europe Member State (and Belarus and Kosovo).
Check out the map and report. [20]

ILGA has announced a full-time in-house position on research and a short term consultancy for ILGA’s new visual identity. The Senior Research Officer will head-up their research work, specifically State-Sponsored Homophobia Report and the ILGA-RIWI Global Attitudes Survey; and the deadline to apply is 11 June. They are also seeking to procure the services of a consultant to develop and produce a new visual identity for the organisation because ILGA will turn 40 years old in 2018. Deadline for the position is 24 June.
Apply for the jobs at ILGA. [34]

Is your organisation working in a country where the space for civil society is shrinking? The newly established fund Civitates has announced its first call focused on encouraging civil society organisations from EU member states and EFTA countries to come together and create national coalitions to address issues related to the shrinking space for civil society in their country. Deadline for applications is 15 June.
Read more about the fund. [36]

Are you qualified in Austrian, Belgian, Dutch or German law? Then you can apply for this lawyer-linguists position to join the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg. You must be an EU citizen with a university degree in Austrian, Belgian (from a Dutch speaking university), Dutch or German law and a perfect command of either Dutch or German. Additionally, you must have a good command of two other EU languages, one of which must be French. Don’t miss the deadline on 19 June.
Apply for the position. [37]