The European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) – now the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights – was a funding mechanism of the European Union to support civil society and international organizations, and the name speaks for itself in terms of themes. This was the largest source of funding for human rights in the world, having spent over 700 million Euros between 2000 and 2006, and supported 2410 projects. Of that, €28.6 million was spent on fighting racism, xenophobia and discrimination. However, LGBT projects did not qualify for the European Union support, even under the objective of combating racism and discrimination, because the objective itself was linked explicitly in the strategy document of the Initiative to the Durban Declaration adopted by the UN in September 2001. The Declaration left no room for LGBT concerns, as its construction uses the language of “Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and related Intolerance”. ‘Related Intolerance’ was interpreted as not including LGBT people.
Financial resources are very important for the global LGBT movement, and funding from the European Union, also carried with it a strong message of political support. ILGA-Europe was unhappy that this key human rights funding mechanism did not include LGBT issues, and decided to try to change it. Objective 5 of ILGA-Europe’s strategic plan – strengthening the capacity of member organizations – was the organisational objective which this work naturally fell under. To map out opportunities and agree on the organizational strategy, ILGA-Europe met with
EuropeAid staff (who manage EIDHR), and others who knew well how EIDHR works, for their advice beginning in 2004. ILGA-Europe learned that a new regulation was to be put in place by the EU by the end of 2006 for the period of 2007 – 2013, establishing the key principles of what is now called
European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights. ILGA-Europe’s advocacy goal was defined as making LGBT organizations eligible for funding from EIDHR through explicit inclusion of sexual orientation in the new regulation.
Next, ILGA-Europe identified the various stages of development of the new regulation. The regulation first had to be proposed by the European Commission, and then voted on by the European Parliament. In 2005 ILGA-Europe started to engage with the Commission (going to meetings, holding individual meetings with relevant Commission staff, sending letters expressing concerns and recommendations). The organization also joined the Brussels-based Human Rights and Democracy Network (HRDN), which consisted of NGOs working on development and human rights issues, and was the main civil society partner of the European Commission in providing input for the new strategy. ILGA-Europe made sure that every HRDN letter addressed to the Commission contained a recommendation on inclusion of sexual orientation, raised the same concern in large meetings with the European Commission, and urged partners to do the same.
The process of lobbying the European Commission took almost a year, but towards the end of 2006 the Commission made a proposal for the new Regulation, which did not include sexual orientation, although it made references to other grounds of discrimination. The next chance was to lobby for the introduction of an amendment to the proposal at the European Parliament.
ILGA-Europe contacted the Intergroup on LGBT Rights in the European Parliament and asked for their support in tabling the amendment, which was promised. Letters were also sent to key MEPs, such as the Chair of the Human Rights Sub-Committee, Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, etc. The recommendations and other advocacy correspondence between HRDN and the European Parliament also included the concerns related to exclusion of sexual orientation.
By the end of 2006 the amendment was passed. The new Regulation included in the scope of the Instrument: “Having regard to Articles 1 and 3, Community assistance shall relate to the following fields: … iii) the fight against racism and xenophobia, and discrimination based on any ground including sex, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, age or sexual orientation.”
In early 2009 ILGA-Europe launched a large project initiative to support the LGBT movement in an Eastern European country. This is the biggest international LGBT project the European Union has ever funded, and no other funder would be able to come up with the amount of resources necessary to implement such a project. The EU has also promised political support for the project. Other LGBT organizations throughout the world are also eligible to apply.
4.6 Personal safety when working in
public
Physical and personal attack is a risk that all LGBT advocates take when going before the public. Over the past decade – since homosexuality has been decriminalised – in some Eastern European and Central Asian countries understanding of discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity is increasing; however, it is also clear that the opposition to LGBT people’s inclusion in society has become more organized against such a ‘threat’. Fundamental to all LGBT advocacy work is the need to ensure your safety and that of the LGBT public you mobilise.