Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity

Doc. 11423

8 October 2007

Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation
and gender identity

Motion for a recommendation

presented by Mr JURGENS and others

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only the members who have signed it

1. It now seven years since the Assembly prepared a report on discrimination against Lesbians and Gays in Council of Europe member states. In the intervening period there are new developments, both positive and negative.

2. Positive: the introduction of the Yogyakarta Principles in November 2006. They codify a broad range of human rights and standards in relation to sexual orientation and gender identity. These principles affirm binding international legal principles with which all states must comply.

3. Negative: hostility to Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Transgender and Intersex people appears to be intensifying in a number of member states. Patriarch Alexy II’s response to a question in the Assembly on 2 October 2007, in which he described homosexuality as an illness and an abnormality comparable to kleptomania, illustrates this phenomenon.

4. There is therefore a need for the Assembly to update its previous report, examining discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity and drawing up recommendation.

Signed (see overleaf)

Signed¹:

JURGENS Erik, Netherlands, SOC

EÖRSI Mátyás, Hungary, ALDE

ERR Lydie, Luxembourg, SOC

van GERVEN Henk, Netherlands, UEL

GRAF Angelika, Germany, SOC

JACOBSEN Bjørn, Norway, UEL

JONKER Corien W.A., Netherlands, EPP/CD

KOX Tiny, Netherlands, UEL

LAMBERT Geert, Belgium, SOC

LINDBLAD Göran, Sweden, EPP/CD

LOTMAN Aleksei, Estonia, UEL

MEALE Alan, United Kingdom, SOC

MEULENBELT Anja, Netherlands, UEL

NAKASHIDZÉ Nino, Georgia, ALDE

de PUIG Lluís Maria, Spain, SOC

ROSSI Alessandro, San Marino, UEL

RUSSELL-JOHNSTON, United Kingdom, ALDE

VERMOT-MANGOLD Ruth-Gaby, Switzerland, SOC

VIS Rudi, United Kingdom, SOC

¹ SOC: Socialist Group

EPP/CD: Group of the European People’s Party

ALDE: Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe

EDG: European Democratic Group

UEL: Group of the Unified European Left

NR: not registered in a group