Countless people face discrimination for their sexual orientation and/or their gender identity. The rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersexual (LGBTQI+) people are violated in a large number of countries: inequality in status and civil rights, discrimination, intimidation, persecution, ill-treatment, torture, execution, including the application of the death penalty.
Close to 80 countries still criminalise homosexual relations. LGBTQI+ persons are often targeted for hate speech and crimes.
Besides personal attacks, they suffer from differences in treatment and legal status between them and heterosexual people especially in fields related to family, employment and freedom of association. FIDH documents LGBTQI+ rights violations based on sexual orientation and advocates for the adoption and implementation of egalitarian law.
FIDH, together with other NGOs, intervenes regularly in cases brought before the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).
FIDH thereby is contributing to the development of ECHR case law on LGBTQI+ rights, which often precipitates legal changes in the discriminating countries.