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Events will happen in countries worldwide under the theme “The power of communities”Access data about the legal situation for LGBTI people: globally | in your country/jurisdictionGeneva (Switzerland), 12 May 2025 - Numerous initiatives are taking place worldwide in May to celebrate sexual and gender diversities as part of the International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia (IDAHOBIT). It is expected that events in more than 60 countries and territories worldwide will be registered on the may17.org website.Celebrated annually on May 17, the day marks the anniversary of the World Health Organization's (WHO) decision in 1990 to declassify homosexuality as a mental disorder.Since its inception in 2004, the IDAHOBIT has served as a vital platform to raise awareness about the discrimination and violence faced by LGBTQIA+ individuals worldwide. The past year in LGBTQIA+ people’s rights: glimmers of hope amidst a wave of setbacksDespite significant progress, data from the ILGA World Database indicates that LGBTQIA+ people continue to face challenges in accessing their basic rights. 64 UN member States continue to criminalise consensual same-sex sexual acts. At least 61 countries have restrictions on freedom of expression related to sexual and gender diversity issues. While laws protecting individuals from hate crimes based on sexual orientation exist in 63 UN member States, only 41 do so based on gender identity, 11 on gender expression, and 8 on sex characteristics.The last few months, in particular, have been riddled with alarming, escalating threats to the lives and dignity of for LGBTQIA+ people. Organisations worldwide have been forced to close operations due to the aid freeze and funding cuts. Mali criminalised consensual same-sex sexual acts for the first time, and Trinidad and Tobago reversed its decriminalisation ruling. In the United Kingdom, the Supreme Court has restricted the definition of “woman” for the Equality Act. Hungary has amended its Constitution to ban LGBTQIA+ gatherings, claim that "a human is either male or female”, and remove protections on gender identity. Across the United States, bills and executive orders contribute to making life impossible for trans and intersex people under the false pretense of “defending women” but actually failing to do so. In Argentina, the government has amended the National Gender Identity Law by executive order, prohibiting access to gender affirming care for persons under the age of 18. In Peru, the National Congress passed a law that establishes a prison sentence for ‘anyone who exposes youth to content on sexual diversity’. Across the world, LGBTQIA+ communities - and especially women, trans, and intersex folks among them -  are facing an unprecedented wave of attacks by anti-gender and anti-rights movements. Some political actors are complicit - stripping and depriving people of their agency over their bodies, identities, and loves. and legislating them out of public life, out of healthcare, and out of recognition altogether. Across the world, social justice movements continue to call out this backsliding, which is increasingly undermining democracy as a whole.Even amid these severe crises, however, progress is still happening - often as a result of the power of communities coming together, organising, resisting, holding each other through all the hardships and brutal repression, and creating positive change. During the last year, Dominica and Namibia decriminalised consensual same-sex sexual acts. Marriage equality became a reality in Thailand and Liechtenstein. The last-standing “LGBT-free zone” in Poland finally fell. To date, 17 UN member States have implemented bans on so-called 'conversion therapies' at the national level, while 9 have introduced nationwide restrictions on unnecessary interventions for intersex youth. Additionally, 18 UN member States allow for legal gender recognition without restrictive preconditions at the national level, and 37 have legalised marriage equality. IDAHOBIT 2025: The power of communitiesAmidst progress and pushback, this year’s IDAHOBIT is more important than ever. Its theme, “The power of communities”, highlights the vital role that connection, solidarity, and shared purpose play in driving change — both for individuals and diverse social justice movements. It also celebrates the ongoing efforts of LGBTQIA+ human rights defenders, organisations and community members, as well as feminist, sexual and reproductive health rights and more allies, towards a more just world for everyone.IDAHOBIT is a vital day to share information about the discrimination, violence, and exclusion LGBTQIA+ people face, and how communities are working to overcome it. Everyone must get involved in building a more equal and just world for everyone.We invite everyone to act. Visibility isn’t enough. Rights are being taken away, and silence is complicity. This IDAHOBIT,  stand with LGBTQIA+ communities. Speak out, show up, and fight back.For more information, resources, and tips on how to celebrate the day, please visit may17.org.** ENDSMedia contacts:Lukas Berredo, IDAHOBIT coordinator consultant: contact@may17orgDaniele Paletta, Communications Manager at ILGA World: media@ilga.org

The new President of the United States is now unveiling his plan to dismantle progress and implement a violent and discriminatory society, all of which have been designed to reverse human rights wins. Between 20 and 29 January, 2025, Donald Trump announced a series of presidential actions, aimed at scaling up attacks toward every individual's right to decide over their own body, identity, and life. The plan of the Trump administration was detailed in the "Project 2025": A society where women lose their rights and freedoms and are reduced to reproductive and domestic labour; A society where the existence of trans and intersex individuals is denied, and their rights are trampled upon; A society where lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals are forbidden from the choice to have a family - or not - and live freely in their emotional, sexual and relational lives. We have learnt from years of denouncing and refusing the conditions of the Global Gag Rule, that executive orders expand over political cycles, and we can’t rely on a change in government to wind back the clock. The introduction of the Foreign Aid Executive Order, the Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism And Restoring Biological Truth To The Federal Government, and the Reevaluating And Realigning United States Foreign Aid reveal a new level of complexity designed to chill the funding landscape and promote violence against those most discriminated and marginalized. This vision, driven by far-right ideologies, will accelerate gender-based, sexual, and LGBTQI+phobic violence, result in more deaths and restrict long taken for granted human rights. This deadly project is not unique to the American far-right. We see it spreading across the world. We have seen both right-wing and left-wing governments gradually incorporating far-right narratives by denying the rights of trans individuals, migrants, and women. A culture of fear and silence has translated into collusion and complicity. We will stand up and speak out for sexual and reproductive health, rights and justice for ALL.  Trans people, women, refugees, and migrants are not the threat. Two consecutive administrations who militarised aid and development followed by the Trump Administrations attacks on identity make the US political establishment the real threat to global peace and progress.  Let’s cut through the rhetoric and name the Trump Administration's actions for what they are: Attacking the rights of trans and intersex individuals is attacking women’s rights. Deporting migrants leads to misery and death for at risk or targeted populations. Forcibly transferring incarcerated trans women to men’s prisons amounts to risking their lives Cutting funding to the World Health Organization, UNFPA and others makes us vulnerable to pandemics, and cuts off healthcare to everyone, including Americans. Blocking funding for sexual and reproductive health organizations increases the amount of abortions, but makes them less safe, resulting in pregnant people dying. Denying trans adolescents access to healthcare leaves children to suffer, more than 1.8 million LGBTQ+ young people (ages 13-24) seriously consider suicide each year in the U.S. — and at least one attempts suicide every 45 seconds. Increasing militarization and occupation results in more attacks against health care workers and the destruction of service sites makes progress impossible. Withdrawing from the Paris Agreement contributes to an increase in natural disasters and humanitarian crises, where most unsafe abortions happen.  The far-right’s program leads to the death of women, LGBTQI+ individuals, migrants, the poor, and other oppressed groups. To combat this destructive societal vision, our organizations call for the unity of progressive movements: We urge governments to stop enabling anti-rights narratives: let women, trans, intersex and non-binary individuals, and migrants live with dignity. Respect our human rights. Defend our human rights. Condemn governments that attack us. We welcome political and climate refugees. We call on feminist organizations, defenders of sexual rights, LGBTQI+ advocates, environmentalists, and ALL human rights defenders: build bridges between our struggles. Keep showing up as part of the wider liberation struggle. To organizations with privileged access to places of power like us: use this privilege to amplify the struggles of those absent from the negotiation table. Elevate the voice of the people who are directly targeted. To keep fighting for the end of colonisation and occupation. We speak out against the militarization of our health service scopes, and the killing of health care workers and patients.  Finally, to individuals and activists who follow us, who defend our causes, who demonstrate, share our messages on social media, and support us financially: thank you. You are not alone. Join us. Let’s come together and fight back and win.

Since his inauguration, Donald Trump has conducted a vicious and calculated assault on trans and nonbinary people. Whilst not yet concluded, his attacks include a suite of executive actions designed to humiliate, demonise and erase trans and non-binary people from public life, and include the targeting of children and young people. Some of the actions include the denial of gender-affirming care for minors and the denial of comprehensive sex and relationships education for students. This will increase the rate of violence against, and suicide in young people, and is nothing short of an act of state violence. “Trans children and young people deserve safety, access to the same standard of care afforded to their peers, and adults around them who have their best interest at heart listening to their needs," said Micah Grzywnowicz, Regional Director, IPPF European Network. "No young person, regardless of who they are, should be used as a pawn in a political game. The consequences of this Executive Order will be devastating and long-lasting. For many, access to gender affirming care is a lifeline - we will soon see increasing risks of mental health struggles, including anxiety, depression, and in the worst-case scenario, suicidal tendencies. This must be taken off the books - immediately,” The attacks against children and young people are linked to a full-scale ideological war against all LGBTQI people denying them access to health care and meaningful employment. The anti-gender executive action positions women as needing protection - not from the Trump Administration - but from trans people; and the dog whistling against sexually and gender diverse military personnel is not only bizarre, but signals a new era of toxic masculinity in an increasingly militarised world. Shifting the narrative from marginalization to outright criminalization is dangerous. It is extremist. It is inhumane. The Trump administration’s rollback of HIV/AIDS funding and potential cuts to PEPFAR will have devastating consequences — especially for transgender people, some of whom are engaged in sex work due to systemic discrimination. These cuts will directly impact access to life-saving medication, prevention programs, and healthcare. LGBTQI+ people rely on access to sexual and reproductive healthcare, the reinstatement of the global gag rule and the new foreign aid executive action further denies health care to LGBTQI+ people. By stripping away these vital services, Trump is jeopardising years of global health progress. And it is not just happening in the United States. Across the world, IPPF and its Member Associations are mobilized to expose these strategies used by political parties and governments spreading trans and homophobic ideologies. Many far-right governments use the same playbook—using transphobia as a political weapon to divide the women’s movement, and putting at risk years of child protection efforts designed to safeguard children from harm: in the house, by the church and from the state. As part of the women’s movement we resist the patriarchy, we stand with lesbian, gay, queer, trans and non-binary people who are part of our movement.  We are family. We will fight for the rights of our children and young people in all their beautiful diversity. We stand with trans and non-binary people everywhere.   For more information on gender-affirming care, read our IMAP Statement here: IMAP Statement on Hormone Therapy for Transgender and Gender Diverse Persons | IPPF  You can also read our blog on Self-care tips for when you are receiving gender-affirming healthcare here: Self-care tips for when you are receiving gender-affirming healthcare | IPPF 

NEWS ALERT: In an emergency meeting held this weekend, the ILGA World Board unanimously decided to remove a bid from The Aguda, a member organisation based in Israel who proposed to host their next World Conference in Tel Aviv. This means the bid will not go forward, nor put to a vote at the upcoming World Conference in Cape Town, South Africa. At its meeting, the ILGA World Board also decided to suspend the organisation from their membership, as their current actions could violate the ILGA World Constitution.  In recognition of the historical experience with apartheid and colonialism in South Africa and their unequivocal solidarity for the Palestinian people, ILGA World apologised for the anger and harm this bid caused at a time whilst a plausible genocide is taking place. Through Kalavai, a truly intersectional, cross movement partnership, ILGA World is a critical partner of the International Planned Parenthood Federation. We recognise that our future requires solidarity and moral courage. With the defunding of grass roots organisations, and mounting pressure on organisations to turn the other way, to collude in silence; IPPF acknowledges the leadership of ILGA World – and many others, including most recently members of the Centre for Feminist Foreign Policy. We stand in solidarity. We stand against reproductive and sexual violence. We stand against genocide and the deliberate destruction of international humanitarian law. We call on sister organisations to keep speaking, to tell the truth, to ensure our movement stands the test of time. We stand in solidarity with girls and women in all their diversity, with LGBTQ people, with our sisters in Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, the DRC, Sudan, Myanmar and elsewhere. We demand sexual and reproductive rights for ALL.

On 3 August 2022, the Ugandan National Bureau for Non-Governmental Organizations unfairly halted the activities of Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG) – a prominent lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQI+) rights organization – for failing to meet the bureau's registration requirements. SMUG has provided sexuality education and advocated for LGBTQI+ healthcare since 2004 and is well-known for providing services and guidance to the LGBTQI+ community in Uganda. The organization also contributes to Uganda's health goals, including the country's HIV/AIDS strategy, which includes the provision of healthcare to vulnerable and marginalized populations. Although SMUG applied to the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) in 2012, the URSB declined the organization's request on the grounds that SMUG was "operating illegally", a position the organization petitioned with no positive response. In a clear case of harassment and restrictions against Ugandan rights groups working on LGBTQI+ rights, the URSB further asserted that registering SMUG's name would be difficult, calling it "undesirable and un-registrable". In response to the ban the Africa Regional Director for the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) urged the Ugandan government to review its decision to suspend SMUG and to work towards accommodating the organization's mandate of advancing the rights of the LGBTQI+ community in Uganda. Marie-Evelynne-Petrus-Barry said: "As a global human rights organization and the world's largest sexual and reproductive healthcare provider, the International Planned Parenthood Federation upholds the rights of all people, regardless of their sexual orientation. "The Ugandan government's ban of SMUG has created huge anxiety among health service providers, human rights defenders, and members of the LGBTQI+ community, who risk their lives daily so that LGBTQI+ people can access healthcare and information just as any other person would. "We ask the Ugandan government to urgently reconsider its decision to suspend SMUG and to put an end to laws and policies that criminalize, target and endanger members of the LGBTQI+ community and the organizations that advocate for their rights." Petrus-Barry added: "IPPF works to ensure that people with diverse sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, and sex characteristics (SOGIESC) – including lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and intersex people have access to the full set of human rights enshrined in international human rights laws. IPPF is willing to work with the Ugandan government and other stakeholders to ensure that all Ugandan people can access these rights without restraint." For media enquiries, please contact Mahmoud Garga, Lead Specialist – Strategic Communication, Media Relations and Digital Campaigning, IPPF Africa Regional Office (IPPFARO) on mgarga@ippf.org or +254 704 626 920 ABOUT IPPF AFRICA REGION (IPPFAR) The International Planned Parenthood Federation Africa Region (IPPFAR) is one of the leading sexual and reproductive health (SRH) service delivery organizations in Africa and a leading sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) advocacy voice in the region. Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, the overarching goal of IPPFAR is to increase access to SRHR services to the most vulnerable youth, men and women, in sub-Saharan Africa. Supported by thousands of volunteers, IPPFAR tackles the continent's growing SRHR challenges through a network of Member Associations (MAs) in 40 countries. We do this by developing our MAs into efficient entities with the capacity to deliver and sustain high-quality, youth-focused and gender-sensitive services. We work with Governments, the African Union, Regional Economic Commissions, the Pan-African Parliament, and United Nations bodies, among others, to expand political and financial commitments to sexual and reproductive health and rights in Africa. Learn more about the IPPF Africa Region on their website or follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.  

IPPF celebrates the decision of the UN Human Rights Council to renew the Mandate of the Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity on July 7th, at its 50th session. IPPF was actively involved in advocating for the renewal of this important mandate, working closely with a large coalition of civil society organizations, activists and Member States to encourage support for the renewal. It is fitting that this renewal comes on the heels of Pride Month in June. First established in 2016, this is the second time the mandate has been renewed, solidifying the commitment of the international community against discrimination and violence based on SOGI and unequivocal support to LGBTQI+ people. In addition to renewing the mandate of the Independent Expert to continue country visits and thematic reports, for the first time, this resolution expresses strong concern at existing laws, policies and practices criminalizing consensual same-sex conducts and relations and calls upon Member States to amend or repeal laws and policies that discriminate against persons on the basis of their sexual orientation and gender identity. IPPF works actively to advocate for all people’s human right to live free from violence and discrimination on any grounds, including real or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity. We look forward to continuing to support the work of the Independent Expert over the next three years. Main image by Cecilie Johnsen on Unsplash