For the fifth year in a row, Poland has been ranked last among the EU countries in the Europe-wide ranking measuring the level of equal rights for LGBTQI+ people. Only seven countries across the entire continent ranked lower, including Belarus, Russia, and Azerbaijan.
The Rainbow Map - ILGA-Europe’s annual benchmarking tool - comprises the Rainbow Map and Index and national recommendations.
ILGA-Europe ranks all 49 European countries on a scale between 0% (gross violations of human rights, discrimination) and 100% (respect of human rights, full equality).
It ranks the countries based on laws and policies that directly impact the LGBTI people’s human rights under 7 categories: equality and non-discrimination; family; hate crime and hate speech; legal gender recognition; intersex bodily integrity; civil society space; and asylum.
ILGA-Europe Rainbow Map 2024
In this year's Rainbow Europe Map and Index, Poland scored only 17.50%. The country was ranked the last in the European Union and 42nd out of 49 all European countries.
The seven countries that scored lower than Poland are: San Marino (14.52%), Monaco (13.93%), Belarus (11.16%), Armenia (9.16%), Turkey (4.75%), Azerbaijan (2.25%) and Russia (2%).
For the ninth year in a row, Malta took the best score in the ranking with 87.83%.
"With 83 points, Iceland jumped to second place with a rise of three places as a result of the new legislation banning conversion practices and ensuring the trans-specific healthcare is based on depathologisation," ILGA-Europe said at its official website.
"Belgium also banned conversion practices and now comes third place on the ranking with a score of 78," it added.
Further down the list, Spain scored 76.40% followed by Denmark with 76.34%.
LGBTQ+ people's rights in Poland
Although this year's assessment of Poland in the Rainbow Index is slightly higher than last year, it still significantly deviates from the ratings of other EU member states. The average score in this group of countries was 46.81 percent.
In three out of seven categories, Poland did not receive any points. These categories related to issues such as legislation pertaining to rainbow families, policy on combating hate crimes, or the existence of laws protecting the bodily integrity of intersex persons.
The ILGA Europe ranking has been published since 2009. Each year it is released around May 17, which marks the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia #IDAHOBIT.
By compiling the Rainbow Map, ILGA-Europe draws public attention to pressing issues related to equality in legal regulations.
Źródło: TVN24 News in English, TVN24, PAP, ILGA-Europe