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Good morning to all of you at the Sydney World Pride Human Rights Conference, coming together from the Asia-Pacific region and the rest of the world.

“All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.”

This is affirmed by the first article of the Universal Convention on Human Rights adopted 75 years ago following the tragedies of World War II, where millions of people were exterminated in concentration camps, including several gay men who were subjected to untold atrocities.

There is no doubt that all human rights are directly applicable to lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, non-binary, intersex and queer persons, without exceptions.

Indeed, human rights are:
-    universal and inalienable;
-    indivisible;
-    interdependent; and
-    interrelated.

In this spirit I acknowledge the Gadigal, Cammeraygal, Bidjigal, Darug, Dharawal people who are the traditional custodians of the land on which I speak, and I pay my respects to their elders past and present.

I extend that respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples here today.

The rights of indigenous peoples are an integral part of the European Union’s human rights policy, and we support them by promoting their participation in relevant human rights and development processes and by upholding the principle to free and informed consent in all decisions affecting them.

At the Human Rights Forum at Copenhagen World Pride, I took the engagement to attend all European and World Prides during my mandate as the EU Commissioner for Equality, wherever they are held.

I also attend national and local Prides to support LGBTIQ communities within the EU.

I do this because LGBTIQ people are some of the most discriminated people in the world, with 67 countries still criminalising homosexuality and 14 countries criminalising trans identities.

7 of these countries are here in the Asia-Pacific region.

I  call on all of them to decolonise their legislation and accord their LGBTIQ citizens their freedom and equality in dignity and rights in line with international human rights principles.

The European Commission is ready to support those voices within these countries who are calling for change through technical assistance, and the tools for them to amplify their reach and achieve their goal.

Legal decolonisation can only happen when those who suffer its effects reclaim their rights.

We must ensure that they take central stage and shape their free and equal future.
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In 2020, the European Commission adopted its first ever LGBTIQ Equality Strategy, with the goal of structuring our efforts to assure equality for all.

Through this strategy, the European Commission took an engagement to make LGBTIQ rights a priority equality area, whereby our internal and external policy are harmonised in one policy framework.

We are committed to the principle of equality and non-discrimination in all areas of life on the grounds of sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics, and we intend to continue to actively promote and protect the human rights of LGBTIQ persons.

We want to systematically prevent, denounce and combat all forms of discrimination, exclusion and violence targeting LGBTIQ people, and to do it intersectionally.

The European Commission therefore set up a Task Force on Equality within the Secretary General’s Office – the heart of the institution.

This Task Force has Equality Coordinators in all Directorate Generals, with the goal of mainstreaming equality across all portfolios and in all policy areas.

We pay particular attention to the most vulnerable, namely trans, non-binary and intersex persons, as well as those who may be subject to intersectional discrimination because of their sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, age or disability.  

The same is true about the European External Action Service.

Indeed, the fourth pillar of the Strategy revolves around ‘leading the call for LGBTIQ equality around the world’.

The EU always aims to lead by example, and the aim of the Strategy is to build a Union of Equality, where diversity and inclusion are promoted and protected, and where people can be themselves and love who they want.

Leading by example, requires that we also work internally within the EU institutions to combat discrimination, to ensure coherence between our internal and external action.

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So what  do we specifically stand for internationally?

We are committed to promote and protect the universality of human rights around the world by using diplomatic and financial tools, and through mobilising partnerships at bilateral and multilateral levels.

The protection of LGBTIQ persons was raised during our Human Rights Dialogues and other dialogues in the past with numerous countries, including in the Pacific.

We are among the top donors worldwide through support to LGBTIQ civil society organisations and human rights defenders in emergency situations.

Since the launch of the EU Human Rights Defenders mechanism, more than 1,500 different LGBTIQ rights defenders and 95 grassroots LGBTIQ rights communities have received direct, comprehensive support through emergency grants, funding to local initiatives.

The EU also works closely with civil society organisations worldwide, supporting them in their efforts to protect and advance the rights of LGBTIQ persons through funding under the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance and the Thematic Programme on Human Rights and Democracy of the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument.

In this regard, 15 million Euros were earmarked for the promotion of equality, inclusion and diversity under the Thematic Programme on Human Rights and Democracy 2021-2027 of the NDICI instrument.

A global call for proposals will be launched this year.

At the multilateral level, the EU supports and collaborates with the UN independent expert on sexual orientation and gender identity, and we are active members of the UN LGBTIQ Core Group.

We will continue to use every opportunity to strongly oppose all forms of discrimination including on grounds of sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, social origin, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics, as well as a combination of these grounds.

The EU consistently and constructively engages with UN mandates focusing on combating all form of violence and discrimination and will support continued UN work in this regard.

The pushback on gender language in multilateral fora is of great concern to us as this risks impacting gender diverse communities for years to come.

We therefore oppose any roll back on rights.

We will not give in and will continue to protect trans, non-binary and intersex persons against their invisibilisation and against language that harms them directly.

The EU further stresses the need for universal access to quality and affordable comprehensive sexual and reproductive health information, education, including comprehensive sexuality education and healthcare services.

Last month, the EEAS adopted the first Agenda for Diversity and Inclusion.

Our aim is to increase the political visibility and amplify the voices of those who defend and promote human rights, including gender equality, diversity and inclusion.

The idea is to go well beyond compliance with equality rules and actively promote diversity within the EEAS, ensure inclusion by combating discrimination, including harassment and unconscious bias, in all situations.

The Commission mainstreams LGBTIQ equality into its humanitarian action.

It makes sure that   EU humanitarian aid is adapted to the needs of different groups, including LGBTIQ individuals, and in line with humanitarian principles, including that of impartiality.

Amongst others we funded safe protection projects and services targeting LGBTI populations in Türkiye and Bangladesh.

In short, we care and will not change track.

We will continue to support progress on LGBTIQ rights until the day when all the world is a safe space for LGBTIQ people.

I thank you.