LGBT Status in Europe

The International Lesbian and Gay Association in Europe (ILGA-Europe) has published the Europe Rainbow Map of May 2013, reflecting the current national legal and policy human rights situation of LGBT people in European continent.

This map uncovers the real situation of LGBT people beyond laws and gives us the whole picture of what it is like to be an LGBT person in Europe today. It reflects each country’s situation and provides overall score on a scale between 0% (gross violations of human rights and discrimination) and 100% (total respect of human rights and full equality). 

Although some countries are scoring high because they have advanced inclusive laws, the situation on the ground often is very different and a high percentage of LGBT people are adjusting their behaviours daily because they fear rejection and harassment when they are in public.

The highest scores are in UK (77%), Belgium (67%), Norway (66%), Spain (65%), Portugal (65%), Sweden (65%) and France (64%). On the opposite side are the Russian Federation (7%), Armenia (8%), Azerbaijan (8%), Moldavia (10%), Monaco (10%), and Ukraine (12%), where homophobia is greatest.

This map clearly shows that full respect of human rights of LGBT people in Europe remains a long-term aspiration. There is no European country with a 100% score or close. And, unfortunately, in many European countries the LGBT fight is still for fundamental civil and political rights, incomprehensibly some of them inside the EU.