On 17 May, representatives of the international community, First Lady Elizabeta Gjorgjievska, Parliament, civil society, human rights defenders and media gathered at the EU residence in Skopje to mark IDAHOT - through a debate on how to promote and protect the rights of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, non-binary, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) persons in North Macedonia. 

Opening the debate, Ambassador David Geer recalled that the EU is, among other things, a union of values, among which chief is respect for the principle of equality and non-discrimination. This principle is enshrined in the EU treaties, as well as the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights - the first international human rights document to explicitly prohibit discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation. ‘In North Macedonia there has been progress, but much remains to be done. Societal prejudice, hate speech, hate crime, discrimination and intolerance of LGBTIQ persons persists, and cases of threats and actual violence, including the recent attack on activist Bekim Asani, still require appropriate follow up. The draft law on gender legal recognition was withdrawn from the Parliament, despite the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights on this issue, said the EU Ambassador.

However, as Geer stressed, this is not the moment for pessimism – the past 50 years have demonstrated that real change is possible. ‘It takes energy, courage and determination. And it is the work of many hands: activists, journalists, judges, law-makers and national and international partners’, he said.

https://twitter.com/AmbassadorEU/status/1526846267627798528 

US Ambassador Kate Marie Byrnes stated that the United States has been among the world’s leaders on advancing the rights of LGBTIQ individuals and is honoured to stand with the partners in North Macedonia and the EU to ensure that opportunities are broadened, and harassment and prejudice are minimized and eliminated. ‘I believe an unequivocal commitment to fundamental human rights, self-determination, and inclusion for LGBTIQ people can be a part of the important work that lies ahead’, she said. 

According to First Lady Gjorgjievska, everybody needs to work together to promote the rights of each community, especially when it comes to vulnerable communities. ‘Equality in the enjoyment of fundamental rights, access to justice, social and health care, equal opportunities in education and employment are needed to enable every member of our community, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity, to have a predictable and stable future’.

During the event, results of a research done by the Coalition Margini were presented: the interviewed LGBTIQ people pointed at stigmatising depictions of LGBTIQ in the public discourse as one of the main sources of oppression and inequality.

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In a declaration on the occasion of IDAHOT, issued on behalf of the EU, HR/VP Josep Borrell noted that in spite of progress made worldwide over the past ten years, discrimination and exclusion because of sexual orientation and gender identity persist. Moreover, there is even a worrying pushback of the rights of LGBTI persons, including in the context of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. We must strive to build peaceful, inclusive societies, where everyone can thrive and feel safe, reads the declaration.