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It’s International Coming Out Day! In celebration, the Council of Global Unions is releasing our LGBTI website to share the work of Global Unions promoting LGBTI rights at work at national, regional and international levels.

Today is the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOBIT). The Council of Global Unions, a group of independent trade union organizations that represent over 200 million workers around the world, reaffirm our commitment to building respect and dignity for all workers. We believe every worker is entitled to...

In September 2019, the Federation of Educators of the Workers’ Commissions (Federación de Enseñanza de Comisiones Obreras - FECCOO) submitted a hate crimes complaint against the organisation ‘HazteOir’ (Get yourself heard) to the Attorney General’s office and the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) of the Council of Europe.

“Wear it Purple Day” on 30 August was first started in 2010 as a response to tragic events of LGBTQ+ school students who committed suicide as a consequence of bullying and harassment. The movement is designed to show rainbow young people they are accepted and celebrated for who they are...

To commemorate the National Day of Lesbian Visibility, 29 August 2019, the Education Commission of the Chamber of Deputies held a debate on discrimination against LGBTI+ students in schools.

In August 2019, the Federation of University Teachers (Federación de Docentes Universitarios -CONADU) adopted a new protocol on discrimination, harassment and violence on grounds of gender or sexual orientation, perpetrated by their members.

Here is some great in-depth reading material on two very relevant topics: how to support your transgender and non-binary students and protection against discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity.

On 19 July, the LGBTI rights’ caucus, prior the 8th Education International (EI) World Congress in Bangkok, brought together union leaders from around the world. Recalling that all forms of equality are union business, the two thematic discussions focussed on: “Make No Assumptions: Building Support for LGBTI Rights within Education...

The first caucus in the runup to the Education International Congress focused on LGBTI rights and how to support them through alliances with like-minded groups towards a common discourse and goal.

The United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) adopted a resolution to renew the mandate of the Independent Expert focusing on protection against violence and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI).

Despite a backlash against the so-called gender ideology promoted by conservative organisations, the Costa Rican Education Union (Sindicato de Trabajadoras y Trabajadores de la Educación Costarricense - SEC) has been actively campaigning to promote the rights of LGBT teachers and students.

In the USA, LGBTQ Pride Month is celebrated in June every year to honour the 1969 Stonewall riots in New York City. Pride Month celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2019. To mark the occasion, NEA published the stories of six educators who are out in the classroom.

The Education International’s Asia-Pacific office and the Council of Pacific Education (COPE) organised in Fiji a professional development workshop, “Teachers unions for inclusion: embracing diversity and promoting safe schools”.

The annual evaluation and planning meeting of the Philippines’s women’s network bringing together Education International’s affiliates in this country has taken stock of gender and diversity issues and reinforced the education unions’ capacities and advocacy skills.

The capacity-building workshop on “Teachers’ unions for inclusion: embracing diversity and promoting safe schools” has provided a forum for Education International’s Nepalese affiliates to discuss and develop tools to influence national policies on inclusive education and safe schools for all; students and teachers.

Educators from Education International’s Filipino affiliates have crafted action plans aiming to embrace diversity and promote safe schools for all, including lesbian, gay, transgender and intersex teachers and learners, as a follow-up to the 2017 Resolution on Advancing LGBTI Rights of Education International’s Asia-Pacific region.

“Education International has been one of the world's leading unions in the fight for the respect of the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and intersex workers,” Education International's Executive Board member Daniel Lafrenière reminded at a top trade union event.

The international trade union movement is strongly committed to the realization of all human rights, to promoting equality and solidarity within trade unions and in all societies. Unions play a key role in promoting the human rights and social inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people in...