03/12/2025 | Equality and Non-Discrimination
The Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination, meeting today in Paris, expressed concern that conversion practices persist across Council of Europe member states, often covertly.The report by Kate Osborne (United Kingdom, SOC), adopted unanimously by the committee, emphasises that these...
19/11/2025 | Equality and Non-Discrimination
"The stigmatisation of transgender persons in political discourse, holding them responsible for many ills, is not only discriminatory but also contributes to an increase in transphobia and transphobic violence around the world. Honouring the memory of transgender victims of transphobic crimes is...
24/10/2025 | Equality and Non-Discrimination
“Exclusion, multiple discrimination, stigmatisation and demands to conform to stereotypical gender norms from an early age are part of everyday life for many intersex persons. Their rights are still too often unheeded or overlooked and, as a result, poorly protected,” said Béatrice Fresko-Rolfo...
15/09/2025 | Equality and Non-Discrimination
Speakers at a parliamentary conference in Malta have urged changes in law and policy to ensure rainbow families enjoy equal rights across all 46 member states of the Council of Europe – and warned of the need to counter skepticism about their rights.Legal and NGO experts at the conference...
12/09/2025 | Equality and Non-Discrimination
A parliamentary conference on ensuring equality for rainbow families in Europe is to take place in Malta on Friday 12 September 2025. The conference – held in the context of Malta Pride – aims to build momentum for changes in law and policy so that all families, regardless of their composition...
13/06/2025 | Equality and Non-Discrimination
"In the coming days, the Slovak parliament will be called to vote on proposed constitutional amendments. I am deeply concerned about the content of some of these amendments with regard to the protection of the rights of LGBTI persons," said Béatrice Fresko-Rolfo (Monaco, ALDE), General Rapporteur...
16/05/2025 | Equality and Non-Discrimination
"In recent months, attacks against LGBTI persons have multiplied in a climate of hate. LGBTI persons have been targeted and stigmatised in certain political discourses that accuse them of various evils that have nothing to do with them. As parliamentarians, we have the responsibility to act and...
18/03/2025 | Equality and Non-Discrimination
Today’s adoption by the Hungarian Parliament by accelerated procedure of a law banning the organisation of the Pride march and similar events and prohibiting participation in this type of event, to enter into force at the beginning of April, is an important setback not only for LGBTI rights, but...
04/12/2024 | Equality and Non-Discrimination
“The Parliamentary Assembly has long been a leader in the promotion of the rights of LGBTI persons and in calling for their protection,” said PACE Secretary General Despina Chatzivassiliou-Tsovilis at the opening of a conference in Strasbourg on violence and discrimination against LBQ women...
20/11/2024 | Equality and Non-Discrimination
“Across the world, transgender persons face violence, discrimination, stigma and marginalisation. Today we honour the memory and lives of transgender persons who are victims of transphobic crimes,” said Béatrice Fresko-Rolfo (Monaco, ALDE), General Rapporteur on the rights of LGBTI people, on the...
25/10/2024 | Equality and Non-Discrimination
On the eve of the Intersex awareness day (26 October), PACE General Rapporteur on the rights of LGBTI people Béatrice Fresko-Rolfo (Monaco, ALDE) made the following statement: “The rights of intersex persons are not yet fully protected in Europe. They are frequently left out from policy-making...
13/09/2024 | Equality and Non-Discrimination
PACE’s Equality Committee has called for a series of measures to combat violence and discrimination against lesbian, bisexual and queer (LBQ) women in Europe, pointing out that these women are now “especially targeted by anti-gender movements” which attempt to silence them or deny them their...