ILGA-Europe, an international non-governmental umbrella organisation bringing together nearly 600 organisations advocating for human rights and equality for LGBTI people at European level, has formally launched their ComeOut campaign, asking MEP candidates for the 2019 European elections to sign their pledge to support LGBTI rights.

ILGA-Europe stated: “The very core values on which the EU is founded – respect for human dignity and human rights, freedom, democracy, equality and the rule of law – are being called into question. Human rights – in particular, those of LGBTI people – are facing a forceful challenge. The time for an EU that defends its own values is now.

“ILGA-Europe seeks to unite the voices of fellow civil society organisations, activists and the public at large in our call for a Europe that defends all human rights.”

From 23 – 26 May, the public will vote in Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), who over the next five years will act as the voice of more than 500 million Europeans. ComeOut asks those MEP candidates to sign their pledge publicly, committing them to:

. Strengthening protection in EU law and policy

. Ensuring an enabling environment for LGBTI human rights defenders

. Ensuring EU leadership on LGBTI rights

. Harnessing the power of their position

. Being an ally to under-represented voices

At the launch of ComeOut, ILGA-Europe’s Executive Director, Evelyne Paradis, commented: “While the legal and policy situation for LGBTI people has progressed in some areas of Europe, backlash and backsliding have occurred in others – largely as a result of stagnation. 

“We urgently call on candidates for the European Parliament to step up against the current threatening wave of populism and extremism, and make a commitment to protecting, supporting and empowering the citizens they represent, and their fundamental rights.”

Yesterday evening in Strasbourg, candidates from major EU political parties including EPP, S&D, ALDE, GUE/NGL and Greens-EFA were the first to officially sign.

To keep up to date with the campaign and see the list of MEPs who have signed, you can follow the hashtag #ComeOut4EU and visit the  website www.comeout.eu.