Plenary summary: CFSP, human rights and democracy in the world and resolution on Iran
During its January I plenary session, the European Parliament Plenary debated and voted on some files that relate to the human rights of LGBTI persons:
- Implementation of the common foreign and security policy – annual report 2022 – Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET)
- Human rights and democracy in the world and the European Union’s policy on the matter – annual report 2022 – Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET)
- EU response to the protests and executions in Iran
- (Note: For a complete list of all texts (and specific paragraphs) in this legislature touching upon LGBTI issues, check our List of resources available here.)
Implementation of the common foreign and security policy – annual report 2022
On Tuesday, Members of the European Parliament debated the annual report Implementation of the common foreign and security policy – annual report 2022 (rapporteur: David McAllister, EPP). The report was adopted on Wednesday.
The Parliament pointed out that the EU’s swift, unified and sustained response to the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine and its ability to learn from and address previous geostrategic mistakes is a testament to the effectiveness of the EU’s foreign, security and defence policy guided by its shared values of human rights, democracy and the rule of law.
On LGBTIQ issues, it mentioned:
- 123. Stresses the need for candidate and prospective candidate countries of the Western Balkans to fully align their policies to the EU’s CSFP and calls on the Commission and Member States to use the CSFP as a tool to enhance cooperation with Western Balkan countries; stresses that countries wishing to join the EU must fully align with fundamental values and common policies in light of Russia’s illegal war of aggression; emphasises that human rights and human dignity are non-negotiable and that therefore candidate countries must mainstream the rights of persons with disabilities, the LGBTI+ community, women and girls, and other vulnerable groups across all sectors and policies; […]
- 136. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure additional funding for humanitarian aid to the people of Afghanistan; […]; calls on the EU to step up its support for justice for the victims of heinous crimes committed in Afghanistan, including women and girls, ethnic minorities and LGBTIQ+ people, and to provide all the necessary assistance to the recently renewed International Criminal Court investigation into crimes against humanity and war crimes in Afghanistan; expresses in the strongest terms its condemnation of the Taliban’s decisions to ban women and girls from attending secondary and university education and to prohibit the employment of women with non-governmental organisations, with potentially catastrophic humanitarian ramifications; […]
Watch the plenary debate here.
Human rights and democracy in the world and the European Union’s policy on the matter – annual report 2022
Also on Tuesday, Members of the European Parliament debated the reporto n Human rights and democracy in the world and the European Union’s policy on the matter – annual report 2022 (rapporteur: Isabel Wiseler-Lima, EPP). The report was adopted on Wednesday.
The report gave specific highlight to the situation of LGBTIQ persons:
- 53. Is deeply concerned about the long-term negative consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on both the general state of democracy and human rights worldwide; highlights the disproportionate adverse impact on groups in the most vulnerable situations, including women, children, persons with disabilities, persons living with certain chronic diseases, the elderly, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, non-binary, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) persons, impoverished people, persons belonging to ethnic, belief and religious minorities, refugees and migrants, and persons in prison or detention; is further concerned about delays and barriers in access to health services and the consequent increase in unintended pregnancies, sexual and gender-based violence, unsafe abortions, and maternal and neonatal deaths; […]
- 75. Strongly condemns the human rights violations, including discrimination, stigmatisation, arbitrary detention, torture, persecution and killings, that LGBTIQ persons around the world continue to face; believes that practices and acts of violence against individuals on the basis of their real or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression or sex characteristics should not go unpunished and must be eradicated; stresses that LGBTIQ persons and their defenders around the world continue to face human rights violations, including discrimination, stigmatisation, persecution, violence and killings; calls for the EU to step up its efforts to ensure that LGBTIQ persons can fully enjoy their human rights both internally and externally, and to play a leading role in defending their protection in its external policies; calls for the full implementation of the 2020-2025 LGBTIQ equality strategy as the EU’s tool for improving the situation of LGBTIQ people around the world; calls for the EU institutions to lead by example by proactively defending the rights of LGBTIQ persons across the globe and by thoroughly and consistently applying the EU guidelines throughout EU foreign policy to promote and protect LGBTIQ persons’ enjoyment of all human rights;
- 84. Further expresses concern about the misuse and instrumentalisation of religion to foment intolerance or undermine human rights, such as the rights of LGBTIQ persons and women´s rights, namely SRHR,as well as children´s rights to freedom of thought, conscience and religion;
- 97. Reiterates that humanitarian crises intensify healthcare-related challenges and recalls that in crisis zones, vulnerable groups such as refugees, women and girls are particularly exposed to sexual violence, sexually transmitted diseases, sexual exploitation, rape as a weapon of war and unwanted pregnancies; calls on the Commission and the Member States to give high priority to gender equality and sexual and reproductive health in their humanitarian aid response, including in terms of training for humanitarian actors and future funding; calls for the EU to adopt a gender-sensitive perspective to comprehend how conflicts affect women and the LGBTIQ community and to integrate it throughout its efforts in conflict prevention and resolution […];
Watch the plenary debate here.
EU response to the protests and executions in Iran
On Tuesday, Members of the European Parliament debated the resolution on the EU response to the protests and executions in Iran. The resolution was adopted on Thursday.
The European Parliament condemned in the strongest terms the death sentences against and executions of peaceful protesters in Iran and demanded that the Iranian authorities immediately and unconditionally halt any plans to carry out executions and refrain from seeking further death sentences. It further called on the authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran to establish an official moratorium on executions with the objective of abolishing the death penalty completely. On LGBTIQ topics, it mentioned:
- 12. Reiterates its strong condemnation of the rapidly deteriorating human rights situation in Iran, for which the Islamic Republic, its highest leadership and its security forces, including the IRGC, hold sole responsibility; demands that the Iranian authorities respect ethnic and religious minorities and LGBTIQ+ people’s fundamental rights and freedoms; calls on the Iranian authorities to eliminate all forms of discrimination;
Watch the plenary debate here.
