Ireland has ranked 14th out of the 49 countries included in the annual Rainbow Europe Map and Index by LGBTQ+ umbrella organisation ILGA-Europe. Highlighting a broader erosion of democratic protections across Europe, the report also registered that the UK dropped six places in the ranking following the UK Supreme Court ruling rolling back protections for trans women.

Each year, ILGA-Europe publishes the Rainbow Europe annual review, which ranks all 49 European countries on the basis of their legal and policy situation regarding LGBTQ+ rights. The report includes details about events and legislative changes that took place in the last year.

In this year’s Rainbow Europe report, Ireland received an overall 63% score, placing 14th in the general ranking. This represents an improvement from previous years, when Ireland had placed 16th.

Among the factors that contributed to Ireland’s jump in the ranking is the new hate crime legislation signed into law last year, which protects people from violence on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics among other categories.

While this is positive news, the report highlighted how the legal and policy situation for LGBTQ+ people in the country still needs improvement. For example, Ireland still scores 0% in the “intersex bodily integrity” category and so-called “conversion therapy” practices are still to be banned in the country.

Among ILGA’s recommendations were also the introduction of appropriate hate speech legislation, as well as the depathologisation of trans identities and the provision of trans healthcare through the public health system.

 

Visualizza questo post su Instagram

 

Un post condiviso da ILGA-Europe (@ilgaeurope)

This year’s report showed Malta remain at the top of the ranking, where it has sat for the last 10 years. Belgium jumped to second place after adopting policies to protect people from hatred based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics.

The UK has dropped six places to 22nd after the Supreme Court ruled that the legal definition of ‘woman’ in the 2010 Equality Act excludes trans women. Hungary and Georgia also dropped seven places each after passing sweeping anti-LGBTQ+ legislation.

Commenting on the new report, ILGA-Europe’s Advocacy Director Katrin Hugendubel said: “The big headlines about the UK and Hungary draw attention, but democracy is being eroded quietly across Europe, like a thousand paper cuts.

“Centre and far-right actors in the EU are targeting NGO funding to weaken organisations that defend rights, while at the national level we are seeing laws introduced that do not address any genuine societal need but are designed purely to marginalise.”

To view the Rainbow Europe annual review, visit this website.