The 2024 edition of the European IDAHOT+ Forum under the theme of “The Future of Freedom and Equality in Europe” will take place on 15 May 2024, in The Hague. This much-anticipated annual gathering, bringing together representatives of member States, international organisations and civil society, will this year be hosted by The Netherlands, co- organised with the support of the Council of Europe’s SOGIESC Unit.
The Forum commemorates the International Day Against Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Biphobia, Transphobia and Intersexphobia marked on 17 May, while also promoting stronger European cooperation on SOGIESC (sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and sex characteristics) equality policies. The goals of the European IDAHOT+ Forum are to assess our collective progress, accomplishments, and the challenges, as well as to fortify alliances, in safeguarding the human rights of LGBTI people in Europe and worldwide.
The Forum programme comprises several keynote speeches alongside interactive sessions facilitated by international NGOs and the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. These sessions offer an opportunity to reflect on and discuss current trends concerning SOGIESC-based violence and discrimination in Europe, while also presenting best practices for effectively addressing these challenges.
Topics will encompass the pivotal role of local governments in advancing non-discrimination and equality based on SOGIESC, the establishment of a sustainable European equality infrastructure to safeguard the rights of LGBTI people, and strategies for reshaping the discourse surrounding related fundamental human rights. Furthermore, discussions will delve into safeguarding the rights of LGBTI individuals to gather and express themselves within the Council of Europe region, employing intersectional policymaking to foster inclusivity, and tackling the dissemination of anti-LGBTI misinformation, disinformation, and information manipulation.
As in previous editions, the Forum will feature much-awaited presentations by European civil society organisations on the current state of the rights of LGBTI persons in Europe. Current developments and ways to enhance collaborative strategies to improve the protection of the human rights of LGBTI persons will be discussed, alongside the annual release by specialised international NGOs of maps and indexes .
At the margins of the Forum, on 14 May, the Council of Europe Committee of experts on sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and sex characteristics (ADI-SOGIESC) will hold its inaugural meeting. This committee, reporting to the Council of Europe Steering Committee on Anti-Discrimination, Diversity, and Inclusion (CDADI), will discuss its aims and deliverables, that include reviewing the implementation of the Committee of Ministers’ Recommendation CM/Rec(2010)5 to member states on measures to combat discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity and developing a draft Council of Europe Recommendation to ensure equal rights for intersex people.
On 16 May, the ADI-SOGIESC, the European LGBTI Governmental Focal Points Network and the EU LGBTIQ Equality Subgroup will hold a joint meeting to share their experiences on European laws and policies concerning LGBTI persons and explore ways to further aligning their strategies and amplifying their impact.
Contact email: info@idahotforum2024.org
