The 2021 map of LGBTIQ+ rights in Europe
The global health crisis has curtailed many of our basic rights, such as the right to assembly, for months. In addition, it has prioritized certain 'urgent' issues on the political agenda. Perhaps that is the reason why the rights of the LGBTIQ+ community have practically not improved at all in any country on the European continent during 2020, as stated in the Rainbow Europe 2021 report, prepared by the translational association Ilga Europe.
In Spain, for example, we have just missed the opportunity to extend the rights of part of this group due to the repeal of the project known as the 'trans law'. It seems to be a constant in the world: "After experiencing positive changes in bodily integrity or legal gender recognition for many years, no change this time for the rights of intersex and trans people ", they affirm from Ilga Europe. Only Iceland has made a move in this regard.
Nor has progress been made in other areas, according to the report: "Despite the clear commitments regarding the recognition of the rainbow family, no country has advanced in the recognition of paternity or association ", they add. The rankings are based on how the laws and policies of each country impact the lives of LGBTIQ+ people.
The countries that are closest to dark green are those that guarantee the greatest rights to the LGBTIQ+ community
Thus, the Ilga Europe ranking, which has been carried out since 2009, registers the legal standards of each State to compare them with their European neighbours, keeping track of each one. To do this, it uses a wide range of indicators that cover from equality, family problems and hate speech to legal gender recognition, freedom of expression and asylum rights.
THOSE WHO HAVE IMPROVED
In a stagnant scenario, countries like Albania, Finland and Portugal they have risen somewhat in the ranking, but only due to very minor changes in their legislation. Furthermore, states like Bosnia and Herzegovina and North Macedonia have scored points in the area of freedom of assembly, reflecting improvements in the security of LGBTIQ+ public events. These two, in fact, are the ones that have increased their total scores the most along with malt , which has added sexual characteristics as a protection ground in the Refugee Law and has published new policy guidelines for LGBTIQ+ asylum applications.
THE MOST RESPECTFUL EUROPEAN COUNTRIES WITH THE LGBTIQ+ COLLECTIVE
Precisely it is Malta that occupies the first place in the Rainbow Europe ranking, as during the previous six years, with a score of 94%, which gives an idea of their respect for the rights of this group. It follows at a distance, with 74%, Belgium , later Luxembourg (72%), both long-serving in those positions. then we find Portugal (68%, with a slight increase over the previous year) and Norway (67%).
With a score of 65% they are, in the same position, Finland , which has also risen somewhat this year, as well as Sweden and Spain , which remains in the same place as last year. 1% less have UK and Denmark , which, this year, drops 3.8 points "in relation to the irregularities of the depathologization criterion, with access to transspecific health care still linked to a mental health evaluation in the country", in the words of Ilga Europe.
THE LESS RESPECTFUL EUROPEAN COUNTRIES WITH THE LGBTIQ+ COLLECTIVE
The countries that score the lowest on the Ilga Europe scale are Azerbaijan (two%), Turkey (4%) and Armenia (8%), exactly the same as last year. Above are Russia (10%), Monaco (eleven%), Belarus (12%), Poland Y San Marino (13%).