All 28 EU member states reach consensus on LGBT rights for first time

Date: June 28, 2016

Photo Credit To Council of the European Union

The 28 EU member states have reached a consensus on LGBT rights for the first time in European history.

The Council of the European Union reached consensus on Friday on a Netherlands-backed agreement concerning women’s rights, gender equality and the protection of LGBTI people across the EU.

For the first time ever, the 28 member states agreed at the Council to work against “any discrimination” against LGBT people, and to ramp up pan-European efforts on equality.

It urges individual national governments “to consider working together with the European Commission with regard to its List of actions to advance LGBTI equality”, and “to take action to combat discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity”.

It comes in the wake of the Orlando attack.

United Nations votes to create first ever LGBT rights watchdog

Passed with 23 votes to 18, with 6 abstentions, the measure ensures that an appointed member will monitor “violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.”

Post source : Nick Duffy, Pink News; Patrick McCormick, Pink News

Tags: European Union gay rights

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Rick Hurlbut

Rick has lived in Vancouver since 1991 - first off Commercial Drive and now in Renfrew Heights - with his husband of 34 years, Dan. He has a background in travel, an interest in LGBT history, and a fondness for all that is geek. As co-publisher of Davie Village Post, he looks for stories and news which are relevant to LGBT Vancouver, and invites you to submit your items and ideas.