Euro parliamentarians against homophobic bullying
On 14 February 2007 a written declaration of the European Parliament on “Combating homophobic bullying” will be presented in Strasbourg during a joint meeting of the European Parliament’s Intergroup on Gay and Lesbian Rights and the Trade Union Coordination Group. The declaration strongly condemns homophobic bullying and calls on EU member states to implement a range of action to eradicate it.
Print HTMLRepresentatives of ILGA-Europe and IGLYO, who last year jointly conducted a research on social exclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) exclusion in Europe, are also taking part in this meeting.
According to this research, which was conducted with over 750 young LGBT people from 37 countries:
* 61% of respondents said to have experienced discrimination and prejudice in school
* 53% reported having experienced bullying in school.
The written declaration follows from a pledge made by the members of the Intergroup on Gay and Lesbian Rights at the launch of the research in September 2006, to make social exclusion of LGBT youth one of their priorities. The declaration is now open for signatures by MEPs; 393 signatures are needed for the declaration to be adopted.
Patricia Prendiville, Executive Director of ILGA-Europe, said:
“We welcome this initiative of the Gay and Lesbian Rights Intergroup. Enduring homophobic bullying in European schools continues to be a significant obstacle to young people’s safety and wellbeing, their transition into adulthood and their capacity to be active and equal citizens.
We call on MEPs to sign the declaration which will open up new opportunities for working with the EU institutions, national and local authorities, teachers and youth throughout Europe to raise awareness about homophobic bullying and to identify ways of addressing and eradicating it.”
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For more information please contact Evelyne Paradis, Policy Officer (Networks), + 32 2 609 54 13
Notes for editors:
(1) ILGA-Europe is the European Region of the International Lesbian and Gay Association and works for equality and human rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in Europe: www.ilga-europe.org
(2) IGLYO is the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer Youth and Student Organization and works to combat the discrimination and persecution of young lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth: www.iglyo.com.
(3) Text of the written declaration is available at:
www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//NONSGML+WDECL?DCL-2... &language=EN
(4) The report “Social Exclusion of young lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in Europe” is available from ILGA-Europe website: http://ilga-europe.org/europe/publications/non_periodical/social_exclusi...
