Press release
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New EU LGBTIQ+ Equality Strategy: Intersex Rights Overlooked
The Commission’s new LGBTIQ+ Equality Strategy 2026-2030: Progress Made, But Intersex Rights Overlooked Yesterday, on the 8th of October 2025, the European Commission published its second EU LGBTIQ+ Equality Strategy. OII Europe welcomes the adoption of the Strategy, which was committed to in the mission letter of EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management,…
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Watershed Moment for Intersex Equality: Council of Europe Sets First-ever Comprehensive Standard for Protection of Intersex Rights Across Europe
The Council of Europe’s 46 Member States have unanimously adopted the Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers to Member States on Equal Rights for Intersex Persons, setting out the most comprehensive framework to date for protecting the human rights of intersex people across Europe. Today, 7 October, 2025, marks a watershed moment for intersex human…
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“Being Intersex in the EU” – FRA report
New FRA report Being Intersex in the EU sheds light on lived realities of intersex people in the EU Download Press Release as PDF On September 17th 2025, the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) published their report Being Intersex in the EU, featuring an in-depth look at the data from 1920 intersex respondents…
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First ever panel on intersex people’s human rights at the UN Human Rights Council
OII Europe Press Release On the 15th of September 2025 the milestone panel discussion on combating discrimination, violence and harmful practices against intersex persons took place at the 60th United Nations Human Rights Council. This historic event is a testament to the progress made in past years on UN level to recognize the human rights…
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Semenya v. Switzerland: Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights Judgment
Joint press release of the third-party interveners Today, 10 July 2025, in a pivotal judgment, the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) ruled in the case of Semenya v. Switzerland. The Court overturning its Chamber judgment of 11 July 2023 found a violation of Article 6 § 1 (right to a…
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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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United Nations addresses the human rights of intersex persons in ground-breaking resolution
This is a joint statement by: Ação Pela Identidade – API; African Intersex Movement; Beyond the Boundary-Knowing and Concerns Intersex (Hong Kong); Campaign for Change (CfC) (Nepal); Fundacja Interakcja (Poland); ILGA World; Intersex Asia; Intersex Community of Zimbabwe (ICoZ); Intersex Human Rights Australia; Intersex Human Rights India; Intersex Kenya Education and Advocacy (IKEAA); Intersex Movement…
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Press Release Y v. France ECHR decision
Press Release 22. February 2023 On 31 January 2023, the European Court of Human Rights released its judgement in the case of Y v. France. The case concerned the French authorities’ refusal to allow for the “male” gender marker of the applicant, an intersex person, to be replaced by “neutral” or “intersex” on the person’s…
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M v. France decision:
The European Court of Human Rights finds the complaint inadmissable, but sets the basis for the qualification of IGM as torture Press Release (download as PDF) On Thursday 19 May 2022, the European Court of Human Rights communicated its decision on the case M c. France (42821/18). While the Court rejected the application on procedural…
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52 States call to protect the human rights of intersex people at the United Nations
PRESS RELEASE updated: 06.10.2021 (number of signed States) Growing, cross-regional group of countries calls on UN member States to combat violence and discrimination against intersex persons “Unless immediate action is taken, severe human rights violations against intersex people will prevail and continue”, 76 civil society tell the UN Human Rights Council Geneva, 4 October 2021…
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European Parliament urges for the protection of sexual and reproductive health and rights in the EU for all
OII Europe Press Release – Download as PDF On Thursday 24 June 2021 the European Parliament adopted a resolution on the situation of sexual and reproductive health and rights in the EU, in the frame of women’s health1. With 378 votes in favour, 255 against and 42 abstentions, the plenary condemned the backslides that several…
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A milestone: European Commission publishes the first ever EU LGBTIQ Strategy
Download our press release as PDF Today, on the 12th of November 2020 the European Commission has published the first ever EU LGBTIQ strategy. It is the first policy framework specifically combatting discrimination against LGBTI people on EU level. The LGBTIQ Strategy 2020-2025 includes a comprehensive set of action points to tackle discrimination of LGBTIQ…
