Statements
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Intersexphobic attack at Brussels Pride 2025
22 May 2025 OII Europe firmly denounces the verbal aggression experienced by a Belgian intersex activist during the Brussels Pride march, by one of the events’ organisers. On May 17, underneath the banner of “Unity – Time to protect our rights”, a Belgian intersex activist was verbally attacked with intersexphobic and ableist slurs and aggressively…
Categories: Statements -
OII Europe comment on UK Supreme Court Ruling
On April 16th, the UK Supreme Court issued its judgement in the For Women Scotland v Scottish Ministers case. The Court ruled that the term “sex” under the UK’s Equality Act only refers to “biological sex” and thus excludes trans women; OII Europe has been trying to make sense of how the new ruling will…
Tags: Comment, discrimination, Equality, exclusion, Gender, Intersex, Legislation, Trans, UK, Violence -
Increasing attacks on LGBTI+ rights in Turkey: Urgent action needed
OII Europe expresses its deep concern regarding the intensifying pressures on LGBTI+ rights in Turkey in recent years, due to the government’s systematic policies which have put LGBTI+ individuals in increasing danger. Most recently, many activists, including journalist and LGBTI+ rights defender Yıldız Tar, have been arbitrarily arrested and unlawfully silenced. The persecution of journalists…
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World Athletics is paving the way towards complete exclusion of trans and intersex women from sports
On 10 February 2025, World Athletics announced a new stakeholder consultation as part of the revision of its eligibility criteria for the Female Category at the elite level, alongside revisions to the existing DSD (Differences of Sex Development) and Transgender Regulations. Led by World Athletics’ Working Group on Gender Diverse Athletes, the revision claims to…
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Our collective vision for gender equality in the EU – Joint CSO Statement
Today on December 10th 2024, OII Europe unites together with AGE Platform Europe, Amnesty International, Center for Reproductive Rights, EL*C – Eurocentralasian Lesbian* Community, End FGM European Network, European Sex Workers Rights Alliance, IGLYO, ILGA-Europe, International Planned Parenthood Federation European Network (IPPF EN), La Strada International, Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants (PICUM) and…
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Worrying attacks on intersex rights in Denmark
OII Europe comment on worrying attacks against intersex rights by former Danish Minister for Gender Equality Release date: 10 September 2024 OII Europe wishes to express its profound concern over an opinion piece by ex-Danish Minister for Gender Equality[1], Marie Bjerre, which was published in a prominent Danish newspaper on the 14th of August, during…
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OII Europe strongly condemns the hate speech against two athletes competing in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris
Hateful attacks against athletes Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting fueled by sports federations’ sex testing practices. “Every person has the right to practise sport without discrimination” International Olympic Committee OII Europe strongly condemns the hate speech against two athletes competing in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. The hateful rhetoric centres around speculations about their…
Tags: 2024, athletes, Boxing, Hate Speech, intersex human rights, IOC, Olympics, Paris, Sex testing, Sports -
OII Germany & OII Europe comment on deeply concerning German Family Court decision authorising an intervention on an intersex minor
Introduction In a recent decision from March 6th 2024, a German Family Court from Baden-Württemberg decided on a case brought forward by the parents of an intersex minor diagnosed with a form of CAH[1], who had requested authorisation to consent to an intervention to modify the minor’s sex characteristics. While Germany has a law that…
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OII Europe commentary on adopted VAW & DV Directive
On May 7th 2024, the EU Member States adopted1 the Directive on combating violence against women and domestic violence, following adoption in Parliament on April 24th2. For over 2 years, OII Europe has been closely following the legislative process, through, among others, the preparation of a submission3 to the European Commission in May 2022, participation…
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Statement on the political agreement on the VAW and DV directive
On February 6th, the European Parliament and EU Member States finally reached a political agreement on the Directive on combating violence against women and domestic violence. OII Europe has worked relentlessly on behalf of the European intersex community to advocate for a comprehensive text that includes intersex victims of gender-based violence and domestic violence. We…
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Joint statement of civil society organisations on the EU directive on combating violence against women and domestic violence
OII Europe has co-written a joint statement in collaboration with numerous civil society organisations working to protect women’s rights and to advance gender equality on the directive on combating violence against women and domestic violence. Please find the whole text of the joint statement here [pdf] The undersigned organisations have made recommendations to the EU…
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Comment on Y v. France ECHR decision
The European Court of Human Rights did not find a violation of Art. 8 ECHR in a case about access to neutral gender marker On 31 January 2023, the European Court of Human Rights released its judgement in the case of Y v. France (application no. 76888/17). The case concerned the French authorities’ refusal to…
