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Tag: Council of Europe

  • UNDER THREAT: Council Of Europe “concerned” For Safety And Rights Of LGBT+ People Of Poland

    UNDER THREAT: Council Of Europe “concerned” For Safety And Rights Of LGBT+ People Of Poland

    Delegates from the Council of Europe have said that they are “concerned” for gay people’s rights and safety in Poland after a fact-finding mission in the country found that some local and regional authorities had adopted so-called “anti-LGBT ideology”.

    In a statement they wrote,

    “Sexual orientation has become a polarising issue in Polish society; this is also increasingly reflected in local and regional authorities, some of which have adopted so-called “anti-LGBTI ideology” resolutions and declarations, and family charters” noted the members of the Congress delegation.

    They added, “We are concerned about the negative impact this situation has on LGBTI people’s lives, rights and safety”.

    Fact-finding

    On 2 and 3 November 2020, the delegation gathered facts and insight from the government, parliamentarians, the ombudsman, local and regional authorities and their associations, and NGOs.

    Referring to the European Convention on Human Rights ratified by Poland in 1993, the delegation recalled that Article 14 expressly prohibits discrimination on all grounds and protects everyone including LGBT+ people.

    “Local authorities have a crucial role in upholding citizens’ rights as well as promoting dialogue and social cohesion”, they stressed.

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    A report on the fact-finding mission will be submitted to the Congress and other Council of Europe institutions and the findings will serve for the preparation of a report on “the role and responsibilities of local authorities in the protection of LGBTI people” to be considered by the Congress early 2021.

  • The Council of Europe is conducting a “fact-finding” mission of LGBT+ issues faced in Poland… Finally

    The Council of Europe is conducting a “fact-finding” mission of LGBT+ issues faced in Poland… Finally

    After years of reports of how bad things have gotten for LGBT+ people in Poland, the Council of Europe, the continent’s “leading human rights organisation” is to send an investigation team on a “fact-finding” mission to find out about the issues facing LGBT+ people in the country.

    LGBT+ people living in Poland have become increasingly targeted because of their sexuality and gender identity. The country recently reelected the EU’s most homophobic leader, Andrzej Duda, who, as part of his election strategy, used anti-LGBT+ rhetoric in his campaigning.

    Polish MPs requested the mission

    The mission, according to the Council of Europe has been organised after members of the Polish parliament requested it, after increasing attacks and discrimination against gay, lesbian, bi and transgender people.

    The delegation, which will investigate on the 2nd and 3rd November will meet with various Polish authorities including: Hanna Gill- Piątek, Coordinator of the Parliamentary Intergroup on Cities, Krzysztof Śmiszek, Chairman of the Parliamentary Intergroup on Equal Rights of LGBT+ Community, Adam Bodnar, Commissioner for Human Rights, Anna Schmidt-Rodziewicz, Government Plenipotentiary for Equal Treatment from the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social policy, and MEP Robert Biedroń, founder of the Campaign Against Homophobia (KPH).

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    Photo by Kaboompics .com on Pexels.com

    Meetings with local and regional governments include Rafał Trzaskowski, Mayor of Warsaw, Nina Gabryś, Chair of the Council for Equal Treatment of Krakow, Witold Kozlowski, Marshall of the voivodeship of Lesser Poland, Jaroslaw Stawiarski, Marshall of the voivodeship of Lublin, Paweł Okrasa, Mayor of Wieluń, Zygmunt Frankiewicz, President of the Association of Polish Cities, and Olgierd Geblewicz, Chairman of the Executive Board of the Union of the Provinces of the Republic of Poland.

    Representatives of several NGOs, namely, Lambda Warsawa, Lublin Equality March Association, Love Does Not Exclude, Tęczowy Białystok, Trans-Fuzja and Atlas nienawiści have also been invited to meet with the Delegation.

    Reminding governments of their responsibilities

    The results of the fact-finding will be brought to the attention of the Congress and other bodies. They will also provide input for the Congress report on “the role and responsibilities of local governments in protecting LGBTI+ persons”.

    The Council Of Europe has 47 members, 27 of which, including Poland are in the EU.