Malta is 2014’s ‘fast climber’ on LGBT rights in Europe

2013 was a year of widening contrasts for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex people in Europe, from marriage equality and legal gender recognition on one hand, to new forms of criminalisation of LGBTI people through the spread of anti-propaganda laws.

Malta, which introduced civil unions and adoption rights for gay couples in 2014, was a ‘fast climber’, moving up 22 percentage points in the European rankings.

“ILGA-Europe’s 2014 edition of its Rainbow Europe package shows that while the human rights of LGBTI people have undoubtedly gained great visibility across Europe, progress in terms of real legal, political and social changes vary considerably from one country to another, in large part depending on levels of societal acceptance, of political leadership and political will, as well as the strength of civil society in a given country,” Gabi Calleja, coordinator of the Malta Gay Rights Movement and co-chair of ILGA-Europe’s executive board.

Launched to mark the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia (17 May), the Rainbow Europe Map reviews the standing of European countries against essential legal benchmarks for LGBTI equality, while the Annual Review of the Human Rights Situation of LGBTI People in Europe 2014 provides an analysis of trends and an overview of key political and social developments country-by-country.

Since May 2013, the fastest climbers were Malta (up 22%), and Montenegro (up 20%).

Where legal protection of the human rights of LGBTI people is concerned, there is gradual progress in many European countries. However, Europe as a whole is far from guaranteeing full respect of LGBTI people’s human rights.

Indeed, the Rainbow Europe Map 2014 shows that the European average on the measure of legal protection is still very low – only 36%. The average for EU countries (46%) does not even reach the half-way mark. This said, the gaps between European countries remains enormous and ranges between the top score of 82% (UK) and the bottom score of 6% (Russia). Most worryingly, 34 out of 49 European countries (including 14 EU Member States) are below 50% mark.

“It is very encouraging to see countries like Malta and Montenegro make such huge progress in the space of one year. It shows that so much is possible when there is political leadership, especially when it is coupled with meaningful engagement of civil society,” Paulo Côrte-Real, Co-Chair of ILGA-Europe’s Executive Board, said.

“We definitely see improvements in several countries which adopt laws and public policies to ensure rights and protections for LGBTI people,” Côrte-Real said.

“But, as our map clearly shows, there is still huge amount of work to be done before we reach full legal equality across Europe. Too many countries are still below average when it comes to providing the basic legal protection against discrimination and violence.”

Some of the most significant changes reflected in the 2014 Rainbow Europe Index concern legal gender recognition. European countries are progressively becoming aware of existing gaps in the recognition of the rights of trans people, and as a result, more governments are starting to change their legislations to ensure better legal protection for trans people. But rights and protections for trans and intersex people remains one of the areas in which most progress needs to happen in Europe.