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Indeed, it took some time: However, NELFA's 18th newsletter is out! And you get again various information about recent activities in our Network and important news about LGBTIQ* families, allies and supporters. Enjoy reading!
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BRUSSELS, 15 NOVEMBER 2021: Yes, we exist! It just take a little bit longer to produce a review for the community - free time is rare for rainbow families in the pandemic... Strange months lay behind us. Twenty years after the first same-sex marriages in the Netherlands we still fight for more equality - at least with positive results, for example in Switzerland. Congratulations for this success! The same applies to activists in France who fought for an access to reproductive techniques (lesbian couples and single women) and won. And you will see (in this newsletter) many other steps forward - in Finland, Germany, Ireland, Croatia or Sweden. On the other hand, rainbow families in Russia are treated as delinquent outsiders (and must flee), governments in Poland, Hungary and other countries spread hate and use the LGBTIQ* topic for their own political goals. And we experience violence, because people (kind of frustrated) may feel that they are allowed to destroy rainbow hubs, like recently in Bulgaria. Yes, we exist and we continue with our efforts to ensure that our children and families will be protected, recognised, and treated adequately!
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From petitions to decisions? NELFA still calls - quite successfully - for a better cross-border recognition of rainbow families within the EU. In March 2021, the Network and allies contributed to a workshop on “LGBTI+ rights in the EU”. On the same occasion, Prof. Alina Tryfonidou and Prof. Robert Wintemute presented their new study on "Obstacles to the Free Movement of Rainbow Families in the EU”. You find a short NELFA presentation here. In July, the European Parliament's Committee on Petitions then called Member States for upholding EU rights of rainbow families. Read the full press release. And, in September, the steady calls led to a corresponding resolution in the Parliament. The EU Commission is motivated to draft a legislative proposal concerning the mutual recognition of rainbow families (birth certificates) until autumn 2022. NELFA accompanies the procedure as "observer" in an expert group. (graphic: NELFA, photo: Robin van Lonkhuijsen, ANP/AFP)
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NELFA is still waiting for a judgment in the case "Baby Sara", pending at the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in Luxembourg. It's about a lesbian couple (women from Bulgaria and Gibraltar) and their daughter who is now stateless for nearly two years. You can find more information here. One of the couple's lawyers is NELFA Board member Denitsa Lyubenova from Deystvie in Bulgaria. After a hearing in February 2021, the General Advocate issued an opinion in April. Read a joint press release. However, the ECJ hasn't decide yet. Another case of an Irish-Polish couple is still blocked because of the pending decision on "Baby Sara".
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NELFA contributed to the new EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child with a joint submission (Board member Fabien Gaudry). It was adopted in March 2021. The Strategy aims to protect and promote the rights of children and build the best possible life for them both in the EU and across the world. LGBTIQ* children and those living in rainbow families are mentioned several times, especially the obstacles in cross-border situations. Unfortunately, the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council failed to adopt conclusions on the strategy in October. Read a statement of the LGBTIQ* youth organisation IGLYO. (graphic: NELFA with EU, ILGA)
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NELFA was official partner of WorldPride & Eurogames, Copenhagen 2021. It was an amazing time in Denmark's August, with many occasions for the Network to present rainbow family topics. We took part in a Human Rights Conference, had our own Break Out Sessions and Søren Laursen from LGBT komiteen represented NELFA in the 1:1 Democracy festival. Highlight was the seminar “Securing access to all parents for children of LGBTI families". (photo: Copenhagen 2021)
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NELFA's Annual General Meeting 2021 was held online (13 March), due to the corona pandemic, like in 2020. We welcome new Board members from Italy (Micaela Ghisleni, Margherita Leonelli, Famiglie Arcobaleno) and Malta (Christina Zammit La Rosa, MGRM). At the same time, we say Good-bye and THANK YOU to those who can’t continue (Giovanni Fantoni, Elaine Micallef, Giuseppina La Delfa and - in summer - Fabien Gaudry)! In the picture: the AGM participants in support of the Hungarian initiative #acsaládazcsalád. The next AGM will hopefully take place in Poznań, from 25-27 March 2022. (photo: Giovanni Fantoni, graphic: NELFA)
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NELFA welcomes wholeheartedly its new member organisations! The LGBTI+ staff of the EU institutions in Brussels - Égalité - joined the Network as supporting member. Égalité was set up in 1993 for the purpose of combating any form of discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression or sex characteristics. Currently, the group is i.e. active in awareness-raising within the workplace and adressing the needs of rainbow families. A new full member from Cologne in Germany is named "Fachstelle Regenbogenfamilien NRW". It's the new family branch of the Queer Network in North Rhine-Westphalia. (graphic: NELFA)
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Europe
12/09/2016
