Iceland in Fifth Place on ILGA‘s Rainbow Map and First Place on the Transgender Europe Map
Iceland holds the 5th place on ILGA‘s Rainbow Map and the first place on the Transgender Europe Map. The results were presented today at the annual IDAHOT+ Forum hosted by Iceland, taking place in Harpa.
The Prime Minister of Iceland, Katrín Jakobsdóttir, delivered a keynote address at the forum and the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iceland, Þórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörð Gylfadóttir, gave an opening address. Guðmundur Ingi Guðbrandsson, the Minister of Social Affairs and Labour, also addressed the forum.
Each year, ILGA-Europe, an international non-governmental umbrella organisation, releases a Rainbow Europe Map and Index around the International Day Against Homophobia on 17 May. The map illustrates the state of rights of LGBTI+ persons in 49 states of Europe. The Trans Rights Map, alternatively illustrates the state of rights of transgender persons.
Iceland was in 18th place on the Rainbow Europe Map, in 2018, and has therefore climbed up 13 places in five years, currently holding the 5th place. Malta is number one on the map, followed by Belgium, Denmark and Spain.
Katrín Jakobsdóttir, Prime Minister of Iceland:
„I am delighted to see Iceland´s fifth place on ILGA Europe Rainbow map and the first place on the Transgender Europe Map. This is the result of some strong policy making as well as a testiment to our LGBTI+ organisations and activists who work tirelessly toward making a better and more just society. The fight for LGBTI+ rights is ongoing, and we must remain vigilant in face of the many ongoing challenges. We must also recognize and address the unique challenges faced by different members of the community, including trans people, non-binary people, and intersex people.“
Since the last release of the Rainbow Europe Map in May 2022, changes have been made on the Act on Equal Treatment on the Labour Market. Furthermore, changes have been carried out in Icelandic penal law as regards hate speech and hate crimes against LGBTI+ persons. The Icelandic Parliament, Althingi, has also accepted the first national action plan regarding the rights of LGBTI+ persons.
