France

Every year, Civil Society coalition invests the Parliament : good way to get officials to attend

IN 2006, the then PM Villepin declares willingness to recognize

BUT : elections, new government, tense political situation,....

Starting all over again: Presidency, PM office, ...

New perspectives : Secretary of State for HR

One week before IDAHO 2008, the government writes back saying it is not a

priority : provocationA group of organisations decides to provoke back and to stage a protest a couples of days

before IDAHO

Success : all are arrested

Media communication around good story

At the police station, activists are invited to discuss with authorities but too late.

On the Day, Rama Yade announces the official recognition

ANDthe initiative to carry a declaration at the UN

Why such a change of heart ?

•Pressure, no doubt•Meeting an interest of the Government to do sthg positive, as Sarkozy was breaking his promises on LGBT internal issues•Meeting an interest of MoFA, who was looking for a new commitment at international level

Which explains that the MoFA has pionnered IDAHO and has been an ally in lobbying other

ministriesFirst year : international conference on HR, SO

and GI Second year : International LGBT fund

other ministries

Many have understood the positive potential for them to be visible on SOGI issues

Civil Society challenges them to present activity reportIDAHO-meter

It has been suggested to have an inter-ministerial reporting time around the Day,

backed by a national conference.Disputed for fear of pinkwashing and collision

with dialogues around Pride.

Local level

Recognition by government is being used a lot at local level by LGBT organisations•organise policy dialogue•pitch the mediaby LGBT individuals at the workplaceby teachers/students

Yet, there seems to be no strategy to take the recognition 'down' to local level. Might be due

to French 'centralisation'.

But construction of network of LGBT-friendly constituencies around IDAHO is discussed

BELGIUM

•Recognition by Federal Parliament first (in 2005-the first recognition ever)

•Commits to get implementation by regional entities

•Federal Parliament commits to get the Day recognized by international bodies

Brazil

Recognition by local authorities9 States

Dozens of citiesBlocked at Parliament level, like every LGBT issue : Marches on Parliament each year on

IDAHO Lula signs governmental recognition just

before leaving office.

MEXICO

2005, first IDAHO celebrationsIn 2006, Parliament votes on resolution to

request recognition from government2007, DF Parliament recognizes

2008, 13 States have IDAHO celebrations17th global AIDS conf : Calderòn creates a task

force

2009,Parliament of the State of Tabasco recognizes

April 2010, a decree is presented to institute a 'Day against homophobia' with only a

declarative ambition : no obligation, no budget

May 2010, the actual decree presents a 'Day for Tolerance and the Respect of Preferences':

The whole initiative got highjacked

SPAIN

Objective : use the IDAHO to lobby the right wing

Analysis that the right wing needed sthg to compensate

Strategy : make the right wing believe the Day was not ideological, not concrete

SPAIN

FELGT wanted this objective to be common to all Spanish LGBT organisations

Briefing note to all 50 membersAt national level : Task force of 4 people

Achieved in ONE year

First step : create alliances : increase awareness of other HR organisations of the

Day.Each organisation was made to sign a

document of support to the recognition of the Day and to commit to promote the objective

Same thing with progressive Councils (Ayuntamientos)

Second Step : ALL communications, press releases, media briefs, etc... during the whole phase of the campaign mention this objective

Third step : Get recognition at local level

Result : UNANIMOUS decision in Parliament in May 2009. Inclusion of Transphobia

Request to the Government to also recognize it

Request to the Government to take it to the UN

Government recognizes and announces advocacy for depsychatrisation

of Trans identity at WHO

Unanimity was the added value : beyond ideology

Helped put the marriage debate back into HR framework

Strong impact with the mediaincreased policy attention

Perspective to get IDAHO into citizenship education in school programs, esp with

unanimity argument

Lesson : the symbolic is important. It goes further than it seems

Tipping point when opposition becomes difficult

Britain

Nothing official but Government makes it an annual landmark

Foreign Office Minister, Jeremy Brownehttp://youtu.be/tn9eC1dm_W0

Equalities Minister Lynne Featherstonehttp://youtu.be/paqX4-owdhY

Specific for diplomacy

Similar to BoliviaMinistry

http://youtu.be/9bryEWtfHYs

Croatia

Gender Equality Strategy deals with SO.Has in the past included many 'EU-friendly' recommendations but no implementation

Strat to get official recognition so as to create a tool for policy lobbying

Strat 2011-2015 process started in 2010Inclusion or tokenism ?

'Outside' contribution : 4 proposals, including recognition

All 4 accepted by Parliament

Impact :Gives the issue a lot of authority with the

publicWill be useful in confronting opponentsWill be useful in winning over 'neutral'

stakeholders

opportunities brought by recognition

The process provides easy and consensual campaigning ground

(good for building alliances, educate the media, the public,...)

Once achieved

Increases Media attentionHelps open difficult doors

Facilitates 'touchy' projects (schools)Forces government action (e.g.Buenos Aires)

Makes the issue mainstream, esp if celebrated at high level (beyond community event)

Facilitates involvement from corporations, esp State-run (e.g. bank of Brazil)

Increases global authority and this helps LGBT groups in other contexts

helps target regional levels

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Tokenism (no action behind, only communication)

Can be celebrated with very littleCan divert from other national dates or eventsIs being used to mark political battlegrounds (then identified with one political context)