The European IDAHOT+ Forum 2024 was co-organized by the Government of the Netherlands and the Council of Europe in the Hague on May 15th. The overarching theme of this year’s edition was ‘The Future of Freedom and Equality in Europe’.

Matthew Hart, GPP’s Executive Director, delivered a keynote speech to open the “Towards a sustainable European equality infrastructure to guarantee LGBTIQ+ rights” session.

Read some extracts of their speech below:

“Funding is critical and serves a purpose. LGBTI movements are facing a well-endowed, coordinated movement whose money directly funds concrete attacks against our rights and lives. (…)

European governments play a pivotal role in the provision of international assistance. Seven out of the 10 largest ODA providers in 2023 were European. But Europe is not necessarily leading the pack on global LGBTI funding. (…)

European governments can build on what they are already successfully doing and recommit to LGBTI movements in Europe and around the world, and fund the work that is so needed to capacitate the movements fighting for LGBTI liberation here in Europe and globally. (…)

We have often been told that the arc of history is bent towards justice. But our lived experience tells a different story: that the arc of history only bends under pressure. We are accountable to future generations to courageously apply and fund this pressure so that the rights of LGBTI people, our bodies and families everywhere are defended and LGBTI people can live in peace and with dignity.”