LGBTQ+ Rights under Attack – a Global Outlook

Together with the Royal Dramatic Theatre, the Swedish Institute of International Affairs held a seminar on LGBTQ+ rights under threat. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) declares the protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, but the reality for many LGBTQ+ people is profoundly different. Europe is facing great challenges as populism and nationalistic values have grown in recent years. Various movements now call for a return to ”traditional values” and LGBTQ+ rights are under attack in several countries. Since the election of President Trump, the US have withdrawn several anti-discrimination laws and in June 2017 thousands of people demonstrated in protest, claiming the president is threating LGBTQ+ rights. At the same time, countries across the world are limiting rights and freedoms for LGBTQ+ people and endangering their possibilities to organize and live openly, the persecution and killing of gay men in Chechnya in 2017 being one of the most severe examples. Is there a global backlash to LGBTQ+ rights? How has the restrain of rights developed? How can we strengthen the rights for the LGBTQ+ community, how shall it be done and what is the way forward? Speakers: Neela Ghoshal, Senior Researcher in the LGBT Rights Program, Human Rights Watch Goran Miletic, Director for Europe, Civil Rights Defenders Emil Edenborg, Research Fellow at The Swedish Insitute of International Affairs (UI) Moderator: Anna-Maria Sörberg, Journalist and writer This seminar is the second and last talk on the global role of the US, that UI is organising together with the Royal Dramatic Theatre.The previous seminar was held on November 21. This seminar was enabled by the financial support of SIDA through Forum Syd.