We are excited to share with you our Annual Report for the year 2025!
From the introduction:
If there has ever been a year that combined extremes, it was 2025: a political crisis with ripple effects that shattered existing support structures on a global level started the year off; and, at least for Europe, a watershed moment closed the year.
The start of 2025 saw the Trump administration shutting down financial support to many different human rights actors, including but not limited to NGOs. The shattering of the funding landscape in a never before seen way on a global level, had a detrimental impact on the existence of many human rights- and direct service NGOs as well as on human rights defenders. Our hearts go out to those whose existence was put into question or even terminated as a result of funding losses. As OII Europe, we were affected on a smaller scale and in the aftermath, our existing donors were key in supporting us: not only with financial resources but by standing with us and the intersex movement in times of unprecedented shifts in the funding world.
While we managed to navigate the challenges we faced with our donors’ help, the crisis still affects future opportunities and some of our members have felt the impact in regards to further shrinking accessibility of funding for an already massively underfunded movement. OII Europe’s vision to, in the future, become an intermediary with the US State Department and to be able to direct funds through regranting to our member organisations has, for now, been stalled.
Fast forward to Fall 2025 and a watershed moment for intersex equality: On October 7th 2025, the Council of Europe’s 46 Member States unanimously adopted the Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers to Member States on Equal Rights for Intersex Persons (CM/Rec(2025)/7). The Recommendation sets out the most comprehensive framework to date for protecting the human rights of intersex people and provides thorough guidance to Member States on closing persisting legal gaps, particularly as related to prohibiting intersex genital mutilation (IGM), as well as recognising sex characteristics as a necessary protected ground for discrimination.
The importance of such a comprehensive set of measures cannot be overstated. The Recommendation sends an important message of hope to intersex persons across Europe, as 46 countries have now officially acknowledged the existence of as well as the need to protect intersex people. In a time of right-wing backlash, as well as the anti-gender movement which is becoming more and more vocal – coupled with crises like the ones induced by political actors around the world, including in Europe – the unanimous adoption of the Recommendation came close to a miracle and not only empowered the intersex movement but also many other equality and human rights organisations and institutions. The fight for fundamental rights is alive and kicking with success.
The OII Europe Staff and Steering Board
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