ALDE greets international day against homophobia, 17 May 2008 - Main contents

in Nieuws

The ALDE group is backing the world day against homophobia (declared by the NGO IDAHO) taking place on the 17th of May every year. ALDE stands for the promotion of equality and of anti-discrimination of LGBT people and has taken a number of important initiatives in the field of human rights both in the European Parliament and outside. ALDE is the only parliamentary group in the European Parliament to have a campaign, "ALDE 4 Equality", to support the participation of MEPs in LGBT rights events and in Gay Prides around Europe.

Sophie in't Veld (D66, Netherlands) declared: "Tomorrow we urge the United Nations to push for decriminalisation of homosexuality around the world and we urge all Member Countries of the Council of Europe to fight discrimination and violence, and to end the bans on gay prides."

"This year, we will be in Riga, Zagreb and elsewhere for Gay Prides and conferences to support the promotion of LGBT rights concretely, to ensure that the law of oppression, discrimination and silence is broken. On the day against homophobia, it is also important to realise that although progress has been made in the field of equality and anti-discrimination in Europe, still a lot has to be done to grant equal rights for LGBT people to have their relationships recognised and to ensure free movement and mutual recognition, as well as to guarantee asylum to gay persons fleeing persecution on the basis of sexual orientation. Simply put: Gay rights are human rights." added Jeanine Hennis Plasschaert (VVD, Netherlands).

Liz Lynne (LibDem, UK), EP rapporteur on the progress report on fighting discrimination, said: "On the day against homophobia we call on the European Commission to ensure that all groups who face daily discrimination are protected in the same way. The European Parliament will vote next week on a report I have drafted, which calls on the European Commission to honour its commitment to bring forward a comprehensive directive to outlaw discrimination in access to goods and services, covering all areas presently not covered under existing EU laws, including disability, age, sexual orientation and religion or belief. If the report is approved, this will be the 9th time the Parliament has made such a request. Furthermore over 2250 people have now signed the on-line petition I have launched with ALDE www.signtostopdiscrimination.org calling for a fully fledged new directive. I appeal to colleagues and to the Commission to listen to the voice of those who are discriminated against and to provide all European citizens with the fundamental rights they are entitled to."