Rainbow flags decorate City Hall in Paris, France. (Photo courtesy of Tetu)
Background and Context
Against a backdrop of tightening restrictions on LGBTQI communities across Francophone West Africa, more than 20 organizations based in France and abroad published an open letter around the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia, Transphobia, and Aphobia. The letter urges France to take stronger action in defending LGBTQI rights globally.
Signatories cited deteriorating conditions in several countries, including increased criminalization in Senegal, violent repression in Burkina Faso, a rise in organized attacks in Bangladesh, freedom of expression restrictions in Hungary, and a rollback of protections in India.
Five Core Demands
The letter outlines five specific requests directed at the French government:
1. Increase public development aid. Signatories contend that cuts to French official development assistance over the past three years have undermined funding for LGBTQI civil society organizations worldwide, particularly in Francophone Africa. They call for a reversal of these cuts and increased allocations for human rights and HIV/AIDS programs.
2. Reaffirm a feminist and inclusive foreign policy. While welcoming France's new feminist diplomacy strategy published last November, signatories call for the systematic integration of LGBTQI issues across all foreign policy areas, with explicit recognition of threats facing transgender and intersex people in the 2027–2031 strategy renewal.
3. Strengthen rainbow diplomacy. The letter calls for increased resources for the Ambassador for LGBT+ Rights and greater support from French embassies for LGBTQI activists operating in hostile environments.
4. Combat erosion of international standards. Signatories urge France to defend existing language on sexual orientation, gender identity, and intersectionality in UN resolutions, pushing back against efforts to redefine "gender" and weaken established protections.
5. Make France a place of refuge. The letter calls on France and Europe to maintain and strengthen asylum pathways for LGBTQI individuals and activists facing persecution in their home countries.
Signatory Organizations
The letter was signed by more than 20 organizations including International LGBTQI Solidarity, Inter-LGBT, SOS Homophobia, STOP Homophobia, the European Centre for Human Rights, JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France, and the China Rainbow Collective Foundation, among others.
European Editorial Office: John