Combating rising hate against LGBTI people in Europe
Reply to Recommendation
| Doc. 15659
| 18 November 2022
- Author(s):
- Committee of Ministers
- Origin
- Adopted at the 1447th meeting
of the Ministers’ Deputies (3 November 2022). 2022 - November Standing Committee
- Reply to Recommendation
- : Recommendation 2220
(2022)
1. The Committee of
Ministers has carefully examined Parliamentary Assembly
Recommendation 2220 (2022) “Combating rising hate against LGBTI people in Europe”
and forwarded the text to the Steering Committee on Anti-Discrimination,
Diversity and Inclusion (CDADI), the European Committee on Crime Problems
(CDPC) and the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance
(ECRI), for information and possible comments.
2. The Committee deplores the increase in hate speech, violence
and hate crime against LGBTI people, communities and organisations
across many member States, as well as the backsliding in progress
towards LGBTI equality, as set out in Assembly
Resolution 2417 (2022) and in the Opinion of the Venice Commission to which
the Assembly refers in paragraph 3.1 of its recommendation. The
Committee agrees with the Assembly that governments and parliaments
in Council of Europe member States should tackle hatred and discrimination
against LGBTI people with renewed energy and urgency.
3. For this reason, the Committee has taken numerous steps to
strengthen its own activities to protect and promote the rights
of LGBTI persons in Europe and to ensure that adequate resources
are allocated to this work (paragraphs 2 and 3.2 of the Assembly’s
recommendation). At its Ministerial Session in Turin on 20 May 2022,
the Committee of Ministers adopted Recommendation
CM/Rec(2022)16 to member States on combating hate speech, which includes
a particular focus on the online environment. Building on this,
the Committee of Ministers has tasked the CDPC and the CDADI with
preparing a draft recommendation to member States on combating hate
crime including its investigation and victim support by the end
of 2023.
4. Moreover, the Committee has entrusted the CDADI with a significant
number of tasks related to the equality of LGBTI persons over the
next four years. A new Working Group on sexual orientation, gender identity,
gender expression and sex characteristics (GT-ADI-SOGI) will undertake
a comprehensive review of implementation of Recommendation
CM/Rec(2010)5 on measures to combat discrimination on grounds of sexual
orientation or gender identity, including an annual thematic dimension
(paragraph 3.3 of the Assembly’s recommendation). The Committee
informs the Assembly that it took note of a first thematic implementation review
on the subject of legal gender recognition in July 2022.
Note A draft Committee of Ministers’ recommendation
on the equality of rights of intersex persons should also be prepared
by 2025. The possible setting up of a SOGI-related sub-committee
is under consideration in the framework of the Programme and Budget
2022-2025 – adjustments to 2023.
5. The Committee also notes that, in the context of its standard-setting
work, and following ten years of monitoring the situation of LGBT(I)
people, ECRI has committed to adopting a new General Policy Recommendation
on combating intolerance and discrimination against LGBTI persons
in 2023. The Committee of Ministers looks forward to the results
of the important endeavours highlighted above.
6. Finally, the Committee takes this opportunity to recall that
the Council of Europe is implementing a range of co-operation programmes
to support member States in combating discrimination, hate speech
and hate crime on grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity.
It encourages member States to take part in these programmes on
a voluntary basis and to continue providing support to them.
