Legislators meet at Belgrade EuroPride to advance rights agenda

EuroPride took place in Belgrade 12-18 September, amidst a political climate that saw anti-Pride demonstrations and an attempt by authorities to cancel the parade.

Despite a successful week of cultural events and the EuroPride international human rights conference, the Pride March on 17 September was fraught with hostile counter-protests, with the parade taking place within an exclusion zone guarded by riot police. We marched safely with our legislators, but later in the day hooligans engaged violently with the police and several activists were attacked.

Such circumstances illustrate the ongoing need to highlight instances where progress towards equality is obstructed and hard-won, and the importance of standing with activists facing multiple threats to their work. The violence is a reminder of the challenging environments many of our members work in, and reaffirms the power of visibility.

GEC attended the human rights conference, where we hosted a panel on 16 September showcasing the work of legislators from the Balkans and Caucasus. These are regions often overlooked in conversations about LGBT+ equality in Europe, but resilient parliamentary champions are pushing for incremental change.

The panel featured Biljana Djordjevic, a recently elected MP from Serbia; Maja Morachanin, an MP from North Macedonia and chair of her assembly's LGBT+ parliamentary group; Tamar Kordzaia, an MP and human rights advocate from Georgia; and Terry Reintke, co-president of the European Parliament's LGBTI Intergroup.

GEC also hosted a reception for legislators and local LGBT+ civil society representatives where we launched our new HIV Prevention Handbook for legislators, supported by ViiV Healthcare.

The handbook compiles recent statistics, data, guidance and recommendations, with this first edition focusing on how to tackle the epidemic in Europe. Across a series of summary sheets that identify different prevention strategies appropriate for the region, we outline policies and action points for legislators looking to support and implement progress.

Attendees heard from Caucus Director Alan Wardle; EP Intergroup Co-President Marc Angel MEP, a long-time HIV activist and UNAIDS champion; and a message from Scott Boule of the Global Fund, who supported us in bringing legislators to EuroPride.

An online version of the handbook can be downloaded from our website here.