With an ever-increasing awareness of the issues facing the LGBT community, the general public is beginning to gain a more in-depth and nuanced understanding of many important issues. Although much progress has been made in recent years there are still many areas in need of improvement. Mental Health & Wellbeing are two areas on the forefront of this progress towards equality.

Through our global focus for 2016 and our detailed background note we hoped to encourage meaningful discussions over issues such as patholigisation, stigma and physical and mental health needs. This global focus has helped draw attention to these ongoing problems and has helped many groups build plans that address these often underlooked areas. From Latin America to East Asia, groups across the world have embraced this subject and planned a large selection of events and campaigns.  

In early March the World Psychiatric Association (WPA) issued a strong statement affirming that sexual and gender diversities should not be viewed as a mental illnesses. The leading global organization officially stated that it viewed the criminalization (and mental illness classification) of sexual and gender diversities as wrong. The group also condemned the use of so-called ‘conversion therapies’ and called for psychiatrists across the world to fight against stigma and the persecution of sexual minorities. While the statement fails to clearly identify the ongoing issue with the WHO’s current classification of diseases, activists around the world have been able to use it to support their advocacy in many respects.

The United Nations also joined in the mobilisation on the theme by issuing a special statement on May 12th. The statement by UN and regional human rights mechanisms makes an urgent appeal for an end to the pathologization of trans, as well as lesbian, gay and bisexual adults and children, highlighting the many harmful impacts and human rights violations linked to pathologizing and stigmatizing medical classifications. You can read the full statement in English, French and Spanish

In India, the Humsafar Trust launched the national ‘Queers Against Quacks’ campaign which is running throughout the month of IDAHOT. The campaign is calling upon the community and allies to target, shame and protest health professionals and public figures supporting bad mental health practices or using pseudoscience to promote discriminatory agendas. Already the campaign has targeted so-called ‘conversion therapies’ and has helped encourage Indians to address outdated and discriminatory world views.

In Copenhagen, Denmark, the 4th Annual IDAHOt Forum gathered experts and policy makers from across the continent to discuss issues facing Europe’s LGBT population. The event was opened by Danish Crown Princess Mary, and had a strong focus on health and psychological issues.

In Lebanon the Lebanese Psychological Association will release a public statement against discriminatory practices to mark IDAHOT 2016. The group’s action mirrors similar moves down by a number of psychological associations across the world.

In Jordan this theme was also part of the celebrations held very confidentially with the support of supportive Embassies

On an international scale the Council of Europe, Europe’s central organisation for the promotion of human rights, freedom and development, came out in support of the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia. In a statement released online Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland also supported a special focus on LGBTI youth across the world. According to the statement, discrimination of young LGBTI individuals should have no place in schools, and that more should be done by educators and policymakers to address issues including discrimination and mental health and wellbeing.

The British Psychological Society edited a special IDAHOT issue of their Psychology of Sexualities review, with a collection of papers concerning LGBTI Psychology in Greece, Sweden, Thailand and the Philippines. The publication also features input from IDAHOT Committee staff and will discuss how campaigners can apply scientific findings to practical work.

In London the annual Kaleidoscope Trust’s IDAHOT lecture featured an expert discussion on mental health and wellbeing within the LGBT community.

In Brighton, the British Psychological Society hosted a public seminar on mental health and the LGBT community. The group will also hold a Twitter chat on discrimination and mental health during which they will hope to foster a meaningful public discourse over the LGBT community’s relationship to mental health.

In Germany, groups across the country will have a special focus on mental health and wellbeing during their actions for 2016. German activists and campaigners have been especially energized following recent news that their government would atone for the criminalization of gay and bisexual men during the early post-Nazi period. In Jena an eclectic range of events will include discussions and workshops on mental health. In Trier, Köln and Hannover smaller events will also include these issues in their focus.

In Armenia, local LGBT group Pink Armenia, will host a number of events alongside partner NGOs to address discrimination within the country. The range of events will also include a press conference that covers various needs of the LGBT community, including health and mental health-related.

In Whanganui, New Zealand, local activists will host Shift Whanganui, a weekend of workshops and activities for LGBTI youth aimed at fostering creative and meaningful engagement within the community. The unique event will also have a special focus on mental health and wellbeing issues related to LGBTI young people.

In Fiji, a number of public organisations, community groups and NGOs will gather this year for a special event marking IDAHOT 2016. The event will feature health charities and campaigns from across the South Pacific and will also include an expert panel discussion on mental health within the LGBT community.

In Cambodia, a week of events taking place in Phnom Penh will include talks, workshops and activities with a focus on mental health and LGBT sexual health.

In Lahore, Pakistan, local group NAZ Pakistan will host a panel discussion on the psychological impact of discrimination within the LGBT community. The event will take place alongside a day of events for the LGBT community, including the crowning of ‘Miss Naz Pakistan 2016’.

This issue will also be at the center of the IDAHOT discussions organised in South Africa, Botswana and more places in Africa (kept confidential at this stage for security reasons), which confirms the relevance of this topic across the large spectrum of contexts in which advocates are fighting for the rights of sexual and gender minorities.

As in Serbia, many thousands of people were affected by floods in Croatia, in the lead up to May 17, making some actions non-viable, and shifting activists’ attentions to supporting relief work. Nevertheless, various events did take place around the IDAHOT 2014, with actions planned in the cities of Zagreb and Rijeka, and on the mountain range of Petrova Gora. The Croatian government was also represented at the 2nd Annual IDAHO Forum in Valletta, Malta.

IDAHO Week Rijeka 2014

In Rijeka, communities came together for an IDAHO Week around May 17, 2014. Organisers advised, in the lead up to the event:

“Lesbian Organization Rijeka LORI proudly marks IDAHO in Rijeka for the second time and invites all to IDAHO Week Rijeka 2014. On May 17th at 9 PM at Art-kino we have organized screening of documentary film ‘Once again’, the very first Croatian documentary on lives of lesbians and transgender people. Authors of the film Noah Pintaric and Ana Opalic will announce the screening and talk to the audience afterwards, answer the questions related to the film. This warm movie follows lives of 4 lesbians and one transgender person in a five-year period and gives insight into their relationships, friendships, activism and creative work.”

For more information check out Rijeka LORI’s website or the facebook event page.

Laugh Out Proud

Rijeka LORI, together with other groups also held an event on Saturday, May 17th, with the main goal of raising (positive) awareness of the country’s upcoming Life Partnership Act (civil unions for homosexual couples). In the evening, there was a free showing of Stephen Fry’s documentary “Out There”, as well as stand-up event “Laugh Out Proud” with performances by LGBT comedians from UK and Croatia. Performers included Scott Capurro (UK), Lara King (UK) and Marina Orsag (CRO).

Organisers explained before the Day that the aim of event is to fight homophobia and transphobia with the strongest possible weapon – humor, and the goal of the project is to educate people about the LGBT community through laughter and in good atmosphere.

The entire project ‘LAUGH OUT PROUD’ is funded by Horyou, the Action Oriented Social Network for the Social Good, organized by Studio Smijeha association, Centre for Civil Initiatives Porec, Croatia and Standup.rs association.

Dance Out Proud in Zagreb

On May 17, LGBTI communities in Zagreb, came together from 23:00 for a “Dance Out Proud event at the Hotpot Bar. For more information see the organiser’s facebook page.

LGBT Affirmative Counselling Course

Also around the IDAHOT 2014, the University Psychiatric Hospital Vrapce in Zagreb, offered an LGBT affirmative counselling practice for psychology students, on May 14. This was part of the elective course “Applied developmental psychology” led by professor Goranka Lugomer-Armano, PhD, Department of Psychology at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb.

Action by Coalition of Groups Merges IDAHOT 2014 and Anti-Fascist Commemoration

The organizers of the event (well-known institutions in Croatia such as the Serbian National Council, the Alliance of Anti-Fascist Fighters in Croatia as well as local municipalities), have this year decided to jointly commemorate this great anti-fascist victory and the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia. With this act they stand for a clear message that the struggle against homophobia is also the struggle against fascism and that anti-fascism does not only belong to the culture of remembrance, but is also a vital part of current struggles for better future, not only in Croatia, but also all over Europe.

Organisers explained, in the lead up to the event:

In times of current economic and social crisis that sows poverty and at the same time generates attacks not only on LGBTQ people, but also immigrants, national minorites, workers etc., we find it more important than ever to remember our antifascist legacy and use it to unite our seemingly separate struggles in one common goal: defending human rights and demanding equality for all. As an activist choir, we call upon mutual cooperation and solidarity of all groups fighting for the equality of us all.

Le Zbor, a lesbian feminist choir, performed as part of the action:

This year we are giving a performance at the 70th anniversary of a major anti-fascist event in Croatia: the breakthrough of the fascist army lines that took place on the site called Petrova gora and during which 730 partisans and 12 000 civilians, mostly women and children, were finally liberated from atrocities committed by fascist forces in this area during WW2.

Le Zbor choir, who participated in the IDAHOT 2014 in Croatia

Le Zbor is a Lesbian Feminist Choir from Zagreb. You can find out more about them and their work on Facebook or on and their website.

Zagreb Pride organised a series of events to commemorate the IDAHOT 2014, which included a focus on LGBT Refugees, Asylum & Migration, and on the rise of neoconservative movements in Europe.

Action on LGBT Refugees, Asylum and Migration

Organisers addressed the topic of LGBT Refugees, Asylum & Migration, with an evening of events planned around the topic of LGBT Asylum and the current situation of (LGBT) asylum in Croatia. This was organised in collaboration with other civil society organisations that also work with asylum seekers and refugees.

As an introduction to IDAHO, on Tuesday the 13th, activists organised a panel called “Immigration. Equality. Views from the LGBTIQ community”, where they addressed the topic of LGBT migration and asylum seekers.

The main goal was to raise awareness amongst the LGBT community that ‘LGBT asylum is something that happens in Croatia too, not just in the other EU countries.’

Conference on Neoconservative Movements in Europe

Another activity was also a conference about the rise of neoconservative movements throughout Europe – activists from some other EU countries were invited to discuss the issue, and to establish a network/coalition that will collaborate in the future.

Government represented at IDAHO Forum 2014 in Malta

Croatia’s Minister of European and Foreign Affairs, Vesna Pusic, also participated in the 2nd Annual International IDAHO Forum in Valletta, Malta (May 13-14). He signed the IDAHO 2014 Declaration of Intent – urging governments to defend and promote LGBTI rights – signed by Ministers from 19 European states in total.