NEWS

GEC has presented its HIV Prevention Handbook project at the 2024 Fast-Track Cities conference in Paris, engaging multiple stakeholders on our campaign to take prevention policy proposals directly to legislators.

It is exactly one month until the Global Equality Summit begins in Cape Town (11-13 November 2024), with 120 delegates expected to attend a three-day programme focused on driving change for LGBTIQ+ people.

The Global Equality Caucus has met with legislators and civil society champions in Dublin to discuss policy priorities for LGBT+ equality and HIV healthcare equity.

At the AIDS2024 Conference in Munich, we have launched the Global Parliamentary Platform on HIV/AIDS together with the Global TB Caucus and UNITE, with partners including StopAIDS, UNAIDS, the International AIDS Society and WACI Health.

The Global Equality Caucus is excited to announce that we will host our inaugural international convening later this year in Cape Town, bringing together legislators from across the world to discuss how to overcome shared challenges as we advocate for LGBT+ rights.

The Global Equality Caucus is deeply disappointed that the Constitutional Court of Uganda has declined to nullify the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023 in its entirety. We condemn the Act’s criminalisation of LGBT+ people and reaffirm our call for this hateful, damaging and regressive legislation to be repealed.

With the recent passage of an anti-LGBT+ bill in Ghana, following in the footsteps of Uganda’s draconian Anti-Homosexuality Bill, there a risk of wider backsliding in Africa - and we need to mobilise legislators to resist the wave of hatred.

The Global Equality Caucus is pleased to announce that we have enacted a partnership agreement with the Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC-PF), effective from March 2024.

Over the past year the Global Equality Caucus has grown and formalised a regional network in Southern Africa. We are pleased to announce today that this work will continue with a multi-year funding commitment from the UK Government.

The Global Equality Caucus has officially formalised its network in Southern Africa at a dedicated convening event in Johannesburg, with legislators and other stakeholders approving a regional strategy for 2024.

Argentina’s LGBTQ+ Envoy and multiple diplomats from Latin America have joined leaders from African parliaments, civil society organisations and businesses for a groundbreaking conversation on equal rights in the Global South.

More than 60 leaders from African parliaments, civil society organisations and businesses are set to agree a common platform for equal rights at a dedicated convening event in Johannesburg, with GEC set to formalise its Southern Africa chapter after a year of parliamentary outreach.

The Global Equality Caucus has met with several parliamentarians in Ottawa to discuss Canada’s commitment to global LGBT+ rights and the role that legislators play.

Members of GEC have led training workshops at NoTimeToWait 2023, Canada’s largest youth-HIV leadership event, which welcomed over 100 inspiring young people from around the world looking to enhance their advocacy skills.

As we continue to expand our network in the region, Regional Manager Ricki Kgositau met with legislators who have been allies to the LGBT+ community to discuss paths to greater inclusion in the country.

Over 30 legislators from Europe, Africa and North America have gathered for a special debate in the Parliament of Malta to call for continued collaboration to advance LGBT+ equality.

Numerous panel events featuring legislators took place during the EuroPride 2023 human rights conference (13-15 September), including a community discussion hosted by GEC and plenary events looking at legislation in Africa and the EU.

A group of legislators attending the LGBTIQ Human Rights Conference at EuroPride 2023 have met with other dignitaries and stakeholders to discuss how they can work together to progress inclusive laws in the Commonwealth.

At a lunchtime event hosted at the Parliament of Malta, legislators from Europe, Africa and North America attended a special briefing to be presented with the updated toolkit, which provides lawmakers with key data and policy recommendations to improve access to HIV prevention services.

The Global Equality Caucus has coordinated with the conference organisers to ensure a meaningful role for legislators attending EuroPride, with sessions focused on legislative advocacy as part of the main conference plenary, in addition to multiple side events outside of the conference agenda.

Last week, the Global Equality Caucus attended the 2023 LGBTI Political Leaders Conference of the Americas in Mexico City, one of the largest gatherings of openly LGBT+ political leaders, public servants, and allies in the world.

The Global Equality Caucus continues to develop its network in Southern Africa, with our Regional Manager Ricki Kgositau attending the 6th regional conference organised by Pan Africa ILGA in Mauritius.

This month, we asked some of our members the question "What does Pride mean to you?", to see how being an out LGBT+ legislator or ally impacts our fight for equality.

Through visibility we can send a message that our community is united against the hatred we are seeing. At the Global Equality Caucus the work continues until all LGBT+ people are safe, free and equal.

We condemn in the strongest possible terms the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023 in Uganda. By enhancing criminal sentences targeted at LGBT+ people, this law increases the threat of violence, intimidation and persecution of an already-marginalised community in the country.

To mark the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia 2023, we look at the successes so far in 2023 to ban ‘conversion therapy’, and where we are still waiting to see legislation progress.