On Wednesday, 4 March, the Equal Rights Coalition Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2030 Agenda held a meeting with the aim of strengthening the inclusion of LGBTIQ+ rights in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

There was notable participation by the states of Spain, Australia, Canada, Italy, and Serbia, as well as civil society organisations from Nicaragua, Peru, Mexico, Argentina, Belize, and Ecuador. Currently, the group is made up of seven states, three multilateral organisations, and 41 civil society organisations.

During the meeting, the group presented a work plan structured around two main areas. The first, ‘Progress and non-discrimination,’ contemplates the explicit inclusion of LGBTIQ+ people in the generation of evidence, the strengthening of accountability with a differential approach, and the construction of specific indicators to measure concrete progress. The second pillar, ‘Inclusive societies,’ proposes strengthening coordination with civil society and promoting more just and peaceful societies. It was also specified that humanitarian issues will be addressed in a new specific space within the Coalition.

Among the activities agreed upon are:

• holding monthly meetings on the first Wednesday of each month;
• following up on member states’ commitments to the SDGs;
• recruiting new members to the group; and
• monitoring and dissemination of state reports related to these goals, for which The World Bank expressed its willingness to support the preparation of reports for states that request it.

The following tasks were identified as pending: strengthening the commitment to data production and use; expanding the influence of the ERC in multilateral spaces linked to the SDGs; bringing the work of the group closer to the Core Groups of States at the United Nations; and developing a strategic document to influence the preparation of Voluntary National Reviews and the Universal Periodic Review on LGBTIQ+ rights. Finally, the group proposed holding webinars on reports published by international organisations and influencing the agendas of international SDG forums to be held in Chile and the United States.

The Secretariat of the Equal Rights Coalition is ecstatic to announce the launch of our new website!

This new version of the website expands our ability to directly share relevant information with our stakeholders and the general public. It now features a revamped media center, which improves the way we communicate and share updates about the ongoing work of the Coalition.

The new website also features landing pages for each of our Thematic Working Groups to share information about their work. With a fresher look and improved navigation, we hope the website also becomes more attractive for users to learn more about the Equal Rights Coalition and get involved with our activities.

The good news do not end yet, as we will be launching a couple more features in the coming months, which are now possible thanks to a more functional and robust website. First, a brand-new membership portal will facilitate interactions between the different members of government, civil society, and multilaterals part of the ERC. Second, we will also be launching an e-learning center later this year where you will be able to access valuable information on human rights, advocacy, and strategic partnerships via educational modules.

Our new website was made possible thanks to the generous support of the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office of the United Kingdom, and the Federal Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany. We are also thankful to the members of the Executive Committee of the Equal Rights Coalition and the staff at ILGA World for their guidance, and Studio Lutalica, our web development partners, whose advice and participatory approach to collaboration shaped this new version of the website.

If you have any questions or comments about our website, kindly reach out to us via secretariat@equalrightscoalition.org.

The Equal Rights Coalition (ERC) notes with deep concern the recent legislative amendments introduced by the Government of Kazakhstan “banning propaganda of non-traditional sexual orientation”, and which will come into effect in March 2026. 

We note that these legislative amendments are not in keeping with Kazakhstan’s international human rights obligations and place limitations on fundamental freedoms, including freedom from discrimination, freedoms of opinion and expression, and freedoms of assembly and association. 

We also express concern about the risk of increased violence and discrimination to the LGBTIQ+ community in Kazakhstan stemming from this legislation. This builds on reported cases of violence, harassment, and failures in the administration of justice, including by the police and the courts, that already affect LGBTIQ+ activists and human rights defenders in Kazakhstan.  

The ERC strongly disagrees with the improper and highly objectionable links made in this legislation between sexual orientation and pedophilia, the latter being well-recognized globally as a serious crime. As a Coalition, we are concerned that this will foster an environment for stigma, intolerance, and misinformation towards individuals of diverse sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and sex characteristics in Kazakhstan.  

We strongly encourage the Government of Kazakhstan to abide by internationally agreed human rights standards and to repeal the so-called “Anti-LGBTQ Law” in order to respect the rights, dignity, and freedom of LGBTIQ+ individuals in the country.

However, failing to repeal the law, we expect that the forthcoming process of drafting secondary legislation and implementing regulations will uphold international obligations for the enjoyment of human rights and dignity for all.  

The Equal Rights Coalition of 44 member states, intergovernmental organisations and civil society organizations remains committed to safeguarding the human rights of LGBTIQ+ people, working in close cooperation with states and standing in solidarity with LGBTIQ+ persons globally.  

Statement by ERC Co-chairs Colombia and Spain. 

The Co-chairs of the Equal Rights Coalition welcomed its Executive Committee and Civil Society Core Group in Cartagena, Colombia, for a strategic in-person meeting to deliberate on their priorities for the Coalition for 2026.

Throughout this encounter, participants from Member States and civil society representatives from around the world discussed their vision for the ERC, as well as the Coalition’s work plan and those of its Thematic Working Groups. This meeting came at a critical time when we are witnessing increased backlash to LGBTQI+ rights worldwide.

While in Cartagena, attendees also marked Trans Day of Remembrance alongside local activists and civil society through a touching memorial event remembering those lost to transphobic violence.

Colombia and Spain, in their capacity as co-Chairs of the Equal Rights Coalition (ERC), express their deep concern about the adoption of legal frameworks that penalize consensual sexual relationships between people of the same sex in several states over the last two years. Such provisions, recently adopted, contravene international human rights that are universally applicable in all regions of the world.

The criminalization of sexual orientation or gender identity not only violates the principle of equality and non-discrimination, as well as the right to be protected against unreasonable interference with privacy and arbitrary detention, enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, but also exposes entire communities to greater persecution, violence, and social exclusion. These measures erode the rule of law and weaken respect for the inherent dignity of every human being.

From the Equal Rights Coalition, we make an emphatic call to all States to refrain from advancing criminalizing legislation and, on the contrary, to redouble efforts towards decriminalization and full protection of the rights of LGBTI+ individuals. The universality and indivisibility of human rights demand that these standards be respected without exception, in all regions, as an indispensable condition for more just, peaceful, and inclusive societies.

The Equal Rights Coalition (ERC) welcomes the landmark ruling by the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court to strike down sections 132 and 133 of the Criminal Code of Saint Lucia which criminalised buggery and gross indecency, as inconsistent with rights protected under the Bill of Rights of the Constitution of Saint Lucia.

We note that this important achievement is the result of sustained advocacy and activism by LGBTQI+ civil society in Saint Lucia over several years, underscoring the crucial role of collective action and strategic litigation in advancing equal rights and freedoms for all.

With this ruling, Saint Lucia has joined the growing number of Caribbean countries that, in recent years, have successfully removed criminal penalties for same-sex acts, in line with calls for decriminalisation by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.

As a Coalition of 44 Member States and over 100 civil society organisations, we hope this progress will inspire further action towards decriminalization in all remaining jurisdictions in the Caribbean and worldwide where same-sex relations are still criminalised. Decriminalisation is an important step in promoting the safety, health, and prosperity of all people.

Decriminalisation is a key priority for the Equal Rights Coalition which has a dedicated subworking group with representatives from both Member States and civil society organisations. For more information, kindly contact the ERC Secretariat via secretariat@equalrightscoalition.org.

Statement by the Co-chairs, Colombia and Spain, on behalf of the Equal Rights Coalition

For some time, Member States and civil society organisations of the Equal Rights Coalition (ERC) have wanted to address the humanitarian protection needs of LGBTQI+ people, and to acknowledge the growing impact of the anti-gender movement in generating crises that disproportionately affect this community.

At the most recent ERC Conference in 2024 in Berlin the issue of humanitarian protection was of keen interest. This initiative seeks to use the working group process of the ERC to address the critical protection challenges faced by LGBTQI+ individuals and communities in humanitarian crises, including armed conflicts, forced displacement, natural disasters, and climate-related emergencies.

This new Thematic Working Group on Humanitarian Protection aligns with the strategic objectives of the ERC, particularly:

• Eliminating violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, and sex characteristics.
• Ending the criminalization of LGBTQI+ persons.
• Expanding and strengthening the Coalition’s operational capacity.

With a structured approach, the group will focus on three interrelated areas:

1. Humanitarian Protection: The group will examine measures to ensure that humanitarian response mechanisms are inclusive and accessible to LGBTQI+ individuals at high risk, fostering collaboration between grassroots actors, UN agencies, multilateral institutions, and non-governmental organizations. Advocacy efforts will also be prioritized to effectively integrate SOGIESC-related considerations into traditional humanitarian response programs.
2. Crisis Response: The group will explore mechanisms for early identification and protection of highly vulnerable LGBTQI+ populations during crises, as well as ways to establish sustained collaboration with grassroots organizations. It will also address proactive planning strategies and post-crisis support, with the aim of facilitating reintegration and long-term safety.
3. Forced Displacement: The group will study how to improve access to legal documentation and durable solutions for displaced LGBTQI+ persons, asylum seekers, and refugees. Awareness-raising strategies for asylum adjudication bodies will be addressed, along with the identification of temporary and permanent protection measures — particularly for LGBTQI+ human rights defenders facing persecution.

As co-chairs, the government of Mexico and Rainbow Railroad are committed to the principles of equality, justice, and dignity for all people, and express confidence that this new thematic working group will strengthen the ERC’s capacity to respond to the humanitarian challenges faced by LGBTQI+ communities around the world.

The ERC Secretariat working in close collaboration with the co-chairs will soon call for expressions of interest for governments, civil society organisations and intermediaries to become active members of this new thematic working group.

Joint Statement read by the ERC Co-Chairs, Colombia and Spain, during the Interactive Dialogue with the IE on SOGI on Friday, June 20th, 2025. This statement welcomes his report on the protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in relation to forced displacement, and also calls for the renewal of the mandate of the IE on SOGI.

The governments of Colombia and Spain as co-chairs of the Equal Rights Coalition (ERC), a global coalition of 45 member states, intergovernmental organisations and more than 100 civil society organisations, welcome the 2025 theme of the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOBIT) emphasising the power of communities.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of IDAHOBIT, a grassroots initiative for equality that commemorates the depathologisation of homosexuality in 1990 by the World Health Organisation, followed by the depathologisation of transsexuality in 2018. This day commemorates the fight against hate, violence, and physical, verbal and symbolic aggressions against LGBTI people, as well as all kinds of exclusion, discrimination and harassment, whether social or institutional, suffered by sexually and gender diverse people in the world. Today we particularly highlight the importance of communities to confront all forms of hate committed against LGBTI people.

Colombia and Spain, as co-chairs of the ERC, express their concern about the increase in hate speech and retrogressive policies that have been advanced globally in recent years and draw attention to the increase in murders, criminalisation and penalisation against LGBTI people and especially trans men and women who are suffering from the attacks of anti-gender, anti-trans and anti-democratic forces that oppose their equality and rights.

In our daily work leading the ERC, we express our concern about the rise of hate speech, especially through new forms of communication and in different settings that are exacerbating violence and deepening inequality against LGBTI individuals and, in particular, against trans and non-binary people.

As attacks on LGBTI communities skyrocket, the resources available for the defence of their rights have drastically and suddenly dropped to levels where many LGBTI grassroots organisations will no longer be able to meet even their most basic needs.

Despite this, there is hope in the power of LGBTI communities. We salute and accompany the social mobilisation and collective action of LGBTI people, who are the driving force behind the advances in rights recently achieved in several countries around the world and who courageously stand up to the wave of setbacks in equality.

We also highlight how countries, within the framework of the ERC and other intergovernmental and multilateral initiatives, strengthen their commitment to the LGBTI community and the protection and promotion of their rights, through the exchange of good practices and cooperation. LGBTI communities are not alone.

We call on all States to make life with dignity for LGBTI people a reality, to reject and combat hate speech and to eliminate the structural causes that allow this violence to persist.

We reiterate our commitment and support for the equal rights of LGBTI people and the consolidation of the recognition of the diversity of sexual orientations, identities, gender expressions and diverse body types. It is more necessary than ever that State institutions work decisively to eradicate the violence suffered by LGBTI people and to advance as an international community towards the ultimate goal: real and effective equality of rights for LGBTI people.

The Equal Rights Coalition (ERC) expresses deep concerns about a legislative package on “family values and protection of minors” that was passed in third and final reading by the Georgian parliament on 17 September and assented into law on December 2, 2024. The law contains provisions that present risks to a broad range of human rights, undermining the fundamental rights of Georgian people and risking further stigmatization and discrimination of Georgian persons.

The ERC is deeply concerned that this law may encourage hate speech, lead to more incidents of violence, and reinforce stigma, intolerance and misinformation.

This law imposes discriminatory restrictions on education, public discussion and gatherings related to sexual orientation and gender identity. The law furthermore contains vague formulations and perpetuates negative stereotypes about LGBTIQ+ persons. It also hinders their access to healthcare and may negatively affect efforts to fight HIV/AIDS in Georgia.

In doing so, the law undermines Georgians’ rights to equality, non-discrimination, education, health, freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association, as well as privacy, liberty and security. More broadly, this law may contribute to a climate of fear and persecution which will also have a negative impact on Georgia’s efforts to attract foreign investment, encourage trade, and improve public health and development.

We encourage Georgia to uphold the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all Georgians, and its international obligations and commitments, including the recommendations Georgia accepted as part of the Universal Periodic Review of the Human Rights Council.

The ERC remains committed to safeguarding the equal rights of LGBTIQ+ communities around the world as well as in Georgia and the wider region.

Equal Rights Coalition members who are co-signatories,

• Albania
• Australia
• Austria
• Belgium
• Canada
• Chile
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Estonia
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Greece
• Iceland
• Ireland
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Malta
• Montenegro
• The Netherlands
• New Zealand
• North Macedonia
• Norway
• Portugal
• Slovenia
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• United Kingdom
• United States