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Equal Rights Coalition

This page provides an overview of the Equal Rights Coalition, co-chaired by the UK and Argentina, that protects LGBTI people around the world.

From:
Foreign & Commonwealth Office and Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
Published
30 September 2019
Last updated
8 September 2022 — See all updates

The intergovernmental Equal Rights Coalition (ERC) protects of the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) people. It was launched in July 2016, under the leadership of Uruguay and the Netherlands at the Global LGBTI Human Rights Conference in Montevideo.

The ERC advances the human rights of LGBTI persons and promotes inclusive development in both member and non-member countries. With 42 member states, the ERC advances its agenda by engaging with civil society organisations and multilateral agencies.

Read more:

The United Kingdom took over as co-chair of the ERC on 14 June 2019, along with Argentina.

Member states

Albania Argentina Australia Austria
Belgium Cabo Verde Canada Chile
Costa Rica Cyprus the Czech Republic Denmark
Ecuador Estonia Finland France
Germany Greece Iceland Honduras
Ireland Israel Italy Lithuania
Luxembourg Malta Mexico Montenegro
the Netherlands New Zealand North Macedonia Norway
Portugal Serbia Slovenia Spain
Sweden Switzerland Ukraine United Kingdom
United States Uruguay    

Civil society and multilateral partners

The ERC works closely with civil society, multilateral partners and UN agencies, especially through groups focused on:

  • international and regional diplomacy
  • LGBTI inclusion in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
  • coordination of donor funding
  • national laws, policies and practices
Akahata ARC International Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network COC
COC Netherlands Colectivo Hombres XX Council for Global Equality CREA
Dignity Initiative Egale Canada Equitas (Canada) Espacio de Mujeres Lesbianas por la Diversidad - ESMULES
Fundación Iguales Human Rights Watch ILGA World Kaleidoscope Trust
Movilh OHCHR OII Australia OTD Chile
OutRight Pan Africa ILGA Rainbow Railroad (Canada) RFSL
Stonewall Synergia UNAIDS UNDP
UNFPA World Bank    

Latest statements

Announcements

Published 30 September 2019
Last updated 8 September 2022 + show all updates

  1. New article added on the ERC global conference in September 2022 on challenges LGBT people face worldwide.

  2. New ERC statement added: Mandate renewal of the independent expert on sexual orientation and gender identity.

  3. Added a new document: Independent Expert on sexual orientation and gender identity: Equal Rights Coalition statement

  4. Statement added: Aggression against Ukraine and the protection of LGBTI persons and refugees.

  5. New statement added: nexus between democracy and the human rights of LGBTI people

  6. Equal Rights Coalition strategic plan 2021 to 2026 added.

  7. Added statement by Equal Rights Coalition (ERC) co-chairs Argentina and the UK to mark International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT).

  8. LGBTI human rights in Chechnya: Equal Rights Coalition statement added to the page.

  9. ERC statement on coronavirus and LGBTI human rights added

  10. First published.

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