Out Spotlight LI

Today's Spotlight is on the International Lesbian and Gay Association.

The International Lesbian and Gay Association is a world-wide network of national and local groups dedicated to achieving equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people everywhere.

ILGA held its 24th world conference Nov 3 – 6 in Vienna, Austria. 200 lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex activists from over 80 countries attended the event, to celebrate ILGA’s 30-year-long history. 120 are scholars from Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Central and Eastern Europe.

Founded in 1978, it now has more than 600 member organizations. Every continent and over 90 countries are represented. ILGA member groups range from small collectives to national groups and entire cities.

ILGA is the only international non-profit and non-governmental community-based federation focused on presenting discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation as a global issue.

Their aim is to work for the equality of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people and their liberation from all forms of discrimination. Seeking to achieve this through the world-wide cooperation and mutual support of our members.
Focusing public and government attention on cases of discrimination against LGBT people by supporting programs and protest actions, asserting diplomatic pressure, providing information and working with international organizations and the international media.

“Activists are using ILGA as a platform to exchange and strengthen their campaigns to fight discrimination and achieve equality. This was particularly important before internet eased communication for groups which were isolated. The conference is still the place where the association interacts with its network which can discuss the movement’s agenda and elects its representatives.

ILGA has campaigned to have Human Rights groups such as Amnesty include sexual orientation in their work and to have the World Health Organization delete homosexuality off of its list of mental illnesses. ILGA was also the first group to speak openly at the United Nations of the many human rights violations faced by lesbians, gays, Trans and intersex people. 86 countries still criminalize same sex relationships between consenting adults in the world.

“Decriminalization is of utmost importance in countries such as mine so that our brothers and sisters can live freely and with dignity as wholesome citizens,” says Rosanna Flamer-Caldera. “Our work at the UN aims at highlighting the many atrocities carried out against LGBTI communities worldwide in the name of the law and to put and end to judicial persecution of LGBTI persons all over the world”.

ILGA is working with a coalition of international groups such as Amnesty International, Arc International, Global Rights, Human Rights Watch and the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission to make sure sexual orientation and gender identity stay on the UN agenda.

ILGA: International Lesbian and Gay Association