International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA)
The International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) is a prominent global network dedicated to advocating for the human rights of the LGBTI community. Established in 1978, ILGA has grown to encompass over 1,200 member organizations across six regional offices by 2016. Its mission is to secure equal rights and combat discrimination against LGBTI individuals worldwide. The organization plays a vital role in educating the public about these issues and encouraging governmental action through advocacy and the publication of comprehensive reports, including the annual "State Sponsored Homophobia."
ILGA originated as the International Gay Association and has evolved to reflect greater inclusivity within its membership. The organization has actively engaged with the United Nations, being the first LGBTI rights group to achieve consultative status, which it lost for a period due to controversies but regained in 2011. This status allows ILGA to participate in UN discussions and initiatives, further amplifying its impact. Through training and conferences, ILGA empowers activists to promote LGBTI rights and addresses a range of topics affecting the community, such as health and education. Overall, ILGA continues to be a crucial advocate for the rights and recognition of LGBTI individuals globally.
International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA)
The International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) is a global network of organizations that works to defend the human rights of members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual, and intersex (LGBTI) community. Originally founded in 1978, the ILGA grew to include six regional offices and more than 2,000 member organizations by 2024. In 1993, the ILGA became the first LGBTI rights organization to receive consultative status at the United Nations (UN). The ILGA publishes annual reports on matters affecting the LGBTI community.
Background
The ILGA originally formed in Coventry, England, in 1978 as the International Gay Association (IGA). The IGA's founders included representatives from gay rights organizations in Australia, several European nations, and the United States, all of whom were attending the annual conference of the Campaign for Homosexual Equality (CHE), one of the first gay rights organizations in the United Kingdom. IGA's founders believed their respective organizations could accomplish more if they were able to share information and experiences and coordinate their activism. The all-male group decided to refrain from including the word lesbian in its name until women became involved. Later, the IGA began to advocate on behalf of female sexual minorities, and in 1986, the organization changed its name to the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA). The organization continues to use the ILGA acronym, but in the 2000s, it officially changed its name again to the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association to reflect its increasingly inclusive membership.
As of 2024, the ILGA included six regional subdivisions: ILGA Asia, ILGA Europe, ILGA Latin America & Caribbean (ILGA LAC), ILGA North America, ILGA Oceania, and Pan Africa ILGA. It counted about 2,000 member organizations representing 170 countries. By obtaining membership in the ILGA, organizations have the opportunity to attend both regional conferences and a world conference. At the world conference, attendees can participate in a number of pre-conferences, workshops, and presentations on topics such as health, economics, and education in relation to the LGBTI community. Through these conferences, ILGA member organizations gain insight into matters affecting members of the LGBTI community around the world and learn strategies to advocate for LGBTI rights in their own countries.
Overview
The ILGA's main goal is to secure equal rights for and end discrimination toward all members of the LGBTI community. The ILGA works to accomplish this goal in a number of ways. With help from its many member organizations, the ILGA trains activists not only to advocate on behalf of LGBTI people but also to support and defend human rights for all. It calls attention to instances of discrimination against LGBTI people to educate the public and encourage government action. The ILGA conducts surveys and publishes numerous reports and maps to provide media outlets with accurate, up-to-date information about LGBTI rights around the world.
Among the ILGA's many informative publications is its annual report State Sponsored Homophobia. First released in 2006, the report is an overview of sexual orientation laws around the world. The report includes sections that identify nations in which same-sex relations are legal, illegal, and punishable by death. The twelfth edition of the report, published in May 2017, includes color-coded maps that highlight, for example, nations where same-sex acts are criminalized or nations that have protections in place to prevent employment discrimination based on sexual orientation. The thirteenth edition of the report was published in 2019, and an updated edition of the report was published in 2020.
Another ILGA publication is the Global Attitudes Survey on LGBTI People. The survey poses questions such as "How would you feel if your neighbour were gay or lesbian?" and "How would you feel if you were unable to determine your neighbour's gender at first sight?" The survey collects responses from thousands of individuals from countries around the world. Based on the data, the ILGA produces reports that analyze the results and show how people feel about matters related to sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and sex characteristics.
In 1993, the ILGA became the first international LGBTI rights organization to receive consultative status at the United Nations (UN). The phrase "consultative status" is granted to nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to which the UN's Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) refers on matters of particular interest. NGOs with consultative status enjoy several privileges, such as attending UN conferences and meetings related to their area of expertise. The ILGA's role was to work with the UN on LGBTI human rights issues.
One year after obtaining consultative status, however, the ILGA lost its status in response to allegations that the organization supported pedophilia. The ILGA denied the allegations, noting that it had passed a resolution at its 1990 conference, which stated, "Every child has the right to protection from sexual exploitation and abuse, including prostitution and involvement in pornography." Upon closer inspection, however, ILGA leaders realized that a few member organizations, such as the North American Man/Boy Love Association (NAMBLA), that had joined the ILGA before it established proper vetting procedures supported consensual sexual relations between people of any age.
At its 1994 conference, the ILGA expelled the organizations that violated its 1990 resolution. In 1996, the ILGA introduced a four-step vetting process for organizations seeking new membership. Following these changes, the ILGA applied to have its consultative status at the UN renewed, but for several years the request was denied. Finally, in 2011, the ECOSOC Council voted to restore the ILGA's status.
With its consultative status restored, the ILGA has been able to work with the UN on behalf of the LGBTI community. In 2016 alone, ILGA representatives delivered thirty statements before the UN Human Rights Council and hosted a number of LGBTI awareness events. In addition, the ILGA was influential in garnering the necessary votes for the establishment of a new Human Rights Council position: independent expert on sexual orientation and gender identity (UNIESOGI). Since then, the ILGA has worked to defend the position from those who want to see it eliminated. The organization held its ILGA World Conference from November 11 to 15, 2024, in Capetown, South Africa.
Bibliography
"About Us." ILGA, ilga.org/about-us/. Accessed 5 Oct. 2017.
Carroll, Aengus, and Lucas Ramón Mendos. State-Sponsored Homophobia. ILGA, May 2017, ilga.org/downloads/2017/ILGA‗State‗Sponsored‗Homophobia‗2017‗WEB.pdf. Accessed 5 Oct. 2017.
ILGA Annual Report 2016. ILGA, 2016, ilga.org/downloads/ILGA‗Annual‗Report‗2016.pdf. Accessed 5 Oct. 2017.
"ILGA 1978–2007." ILGA, 21 July 2008, ilga.org/about-us/1978-2007-a-chronology/. Accessed 5 Oct. 2017.
Lane, Brad Houston. "International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA)." LGBTQ American Today: An Encyclopedia, edited by John C. Hawley, vol. 2, Greenwood Press, 2009, p. 592.
The Personal and the Political: Attitudes to LGBTI People around the World. ILGA, Oct. 2016, ilga.org/downloads/Ilga‗Riwi‗Attitudes‗LGBTI‗survey‗Logo‗personal‗political.pdf. Accessed 5 Oct. 2017.
Paletta, Daniele. "Trump's Reactionary Executive Orders Harm Trans and Intersex People and Fail to Protect Women, Says ILGA World." ILGA, 21 Jan. 2025, ilga.org/news/trump-executive-orders-trans-intersex-women/. Accessed 13 Jan. 2025.
Picq, Manuela Lavinas, and Markus Thiel. Sexualities in World Politics: How LGBTQ Claims Shape International Relations. Routledge, 2015.
Valenza, Alessia. "ECOSOC: LGBT Voices at the United Nations / ECOSOC Council Vote Grants Consultative Status to ILGA." ILGA, 25 July 2011, ilga.org/ecosoc-lgbt-voices-at-the-united-nations-ecosoc-council-vote-grants-consultative-status-to-ilga/. Accessed 5 Oct. 2017.