Huge strides were made in 2019 towards LGBT+ equality, but the global fight continues. There are still 70 countries that criminalise homosexuality and discrimination persists in every corner of the world. Politicians have a huge role to play in 2020 to drive forward change. Here’s a roundup of what has happened in legislatures over the past few months.

The UK government has confirmed that it will hold a three day international LGBT conference in London next year from 27-29 May, and the Global Equality Caucus will be holding its own parallel event for legislators as part of the overall conference.

Chair of the Global Equality Caucus, Nick Herbert MP, has met with conservative parliamentarians in Japan and the Czech Republic to share his experiences campaigning for equal marriage and to discuss progress on anti-discrimination laws.

Members of the Global Equality Caucus held a series of meetings in Tokyo last week (19-20 September 2019) with politicians from the Asia-Pacific region to highlight priorities for LGBT+ rights campaigns in their countries.

Members of the Global Equality Caucus welcomed the decision by the United Nations (UN) to keep working on LGBT+ issues for a further three years. The mandate of the Independent Expert on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, Victor Madrigal, was renewed decisively in a vote at the UN’s Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva.

The New Zealand Parliament has produced a short documentary film on the history of winning LGBT+ rights in the country, showcasing the personal stories of parliamentarians and activists who have fought for and won change.

Members of Parliament from 25 countries have united to press for action to protect LGBT+ people from violence and discrimination, arguing that human rights are universal and should be upheld in every nation.