Publication
International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia 2025: Statement by the Co-Chairs on behalf of the Equal Rights Coalition
16 May 2025
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.