Event at the European Parliament on bullying and discrimination in schools

The event was opened by three Members of the European Parliament: Ulrika Lunacek (co-chair LGBTI Intergroup), Jill Evans (Greens, UK, member of Education and Culture Committee) and Petra Kammerevert (S&D coordinator in Education and Culture Committee). They all reiterated that school bullying must be addressed, as a key priority, by the EU.

Olivier Lelarge, from the Inter-LGBT, a French member of ILGA-Europe, and Sophie Aujean, in charge of the education portfolio within ILGA-Europe, presented the main issues faced by young LGBTI people in schools. The event did not only focus on homophobic and transphobic school bullying but on all forms of harassment and discrimination in schools. Therefore, we had also invited Marta Pinto, from the European Roma Information Office to present Roma children’s experiences of discrimination and segregation in schools.

Then, two representatives of the Council of Europe, Yuri de Boer, from the SOGI Unit and Michael Guet, Head of the I-CARE Unit (Inter-governmental Co-operation, Anti-Gypsyism and Roma Equality) presented the work of the Council of Europe in the field and challenges ahead.

Report of the event can be retrieved upon request by sending an email to Sophie Aujean, Senior Policy & Programmes Officer.