The Øresund Declaration – named after the sound and the bridge that connects the host cities Copenhagen and Malmö – is a multi-level manifesto of goals for global LGBTI+ equality to be achieved by 2030. It is ambitious, and deliberately so, because until we can say to every LGBTI+ person that #YouAreIncluded, the global community is failing to protect the most vulnerable.
All signatories sign for themselves and their organization, and by their signature they express an obligation to advance the ambitions stated in the Declaration in the course of their work.
The Øresund Declaration
- Decriminalisation: Being LGBTI+ is a crime in more than 70 countries. We need to change the law. We want decriminalisation everywhere.
- Ban conversion therapy: LGBTI+ people are often forced or coerced into ‘treatment schemes’ to ‘cure’ them of being LGBTI+. We agree with the International Rehabilitation Council for torture Victims and with them declare that Conversion Therapy is torture. It must be banned
- Make hate a crime: To target someone because of their sexual orientation or gender identity is a hate crime and should legislated against in every country.
- Enact anti-discrimination legislation: All human beings should be allowed to live and thrive and seek happiness and be recognised as who they are. We demand anti-discrimination legislation for LGBTI+ people everywhere.
- Protect LGBTI+ refugees: LGBTI+ individuals are often more at risk during conflicts and natural or medical crisis and are therefore at higher risk than other demographics of being forced to flee and seek asylum. We demand legal protection and refuge for LGBTI+ asylum seekers and refugees in accordance with the UN Declaration of Human Rights.
- Equal marriage: Despite advances, very few countries allow same sex couples to get married. We want equal marriage everywhere by 2030, and same sex partners require the same legal recognition as all other people.
- Sex education: The right to comprehensive sexuality education is protected by international human rights treaties and recognized by global bodies like the World Health Organization, UNESCO, UNAIDS and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Every nation must deliver comprehensive sex education for all children, including LGBTI+ related themes.
- Health care: LGBTI+ people should have full, equal and unhindered access to critical health care and their partners should be recognised as next of kin, everywhere.
- Blood, sperm and egg donation: Some countries stigmatise LGBTI+ people by refusing to allow them to donate blood, sperm, eggs, stem cells and organs. The freedom to donate should be enshrined in law.
- Legal gender recognition: Trans people should have their gender legally recognised without age limit or reflection period. Trans people know who they are. All nations must enact legal gender recognition.
- End surgery on intersex children: All bodies are inviolable and no-one should be subjected to surgery without their consent. Intersex children should be protected and ensured that non-emergency, invasive and irreversible genital surgery or hormone treatment on infants and children with variations in sex characteristics is postponed until they are able to meaningfully participate in decision making and give their informed consent. By my signature, I pledge to work for a ban on non-emergency cosmetic surgery on children.
- Recognise rainbow families: Families come in all shapes and sizes, some with two parents of the same gender, some with trans parents, and some with more than two parents. All combinations of family should be respected in law.
- Inclusive gender markers: Official documentation such as passports and ID cards should allow for inclusive gender markers, and for trans people to be recognised as their true gender. Non-cisgendered identities must be recognised on official documents.
- Equal age of consent: The age of consent to sexual activity should be equal for all people regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
- Celebrate Pride: Freedom to assemble and express oneself are fundamental human rights. Pride is the world’s largest human rights movement and yet many countries still ban marches. Pride should be respected and celebrated everywhere.
Sign the Øresund Declaration
Signatories
Tamara Adrian Parliamentarian, Asamblea Nacional de Venezuela 2015 (Venezuela)
Yves Aerts, General Coordinator, Çavaria (Belgium)
Karin Andersen, Member of Norwegian Parliament, Socialist Left Party (Norway)
Rasmus Andresen, Member of the European Parliament, Greens/EFA (Germany)
Marc Angel, Elected member, European Parliament (Luxembourg)
Ali Asghar, Program Director, Parwaz Male Health Society (Pakistan)
Clifford B, Project Manager, LGBTQI VOICES UGANDQ (Uganda)
Jasmina Bajraktarevic-Hayward (Australia)
Attila Bence Tóth (Denmark)
Christian Bigom, Pan Idræt (Denmark)
Rachel Bilodeau (USA)
Joachim Bleicker (Germany)
Fanny Blummé (Finland)
Sarah Bowersox (USA)
Torben Brun Jensen (Denmark)
Anna Brunlöf, EP, APA (Sweden)
Alexander Bruun Nor (Denmark)
Alejandro Caballero (Mexico)
Fina I Ferron Campas, Cap , sóc persona transfemenina, Cap (Spain)
Joanne Stephanie Carnegie , New South Wales (Australia)
Anthony Carthew (Australia)
Margareta Cederfelt, President, Parliamentarians for Global Action (Sweden)
Michelle Chylinski (USA)
René Cormier, L’honorable Sénateur, Sénat du Canada (Canada)
Camilla Cornils Andersen (Denmark)
Gonçalo de Carvalho Pissarra Russo (Portugal)
Maximillien Degonville, Pride Marseille (France)
Mia Duncker (Finland)
Josué Emiliano Palau Rodríguez , Advisor, Mexico’s City Congress (México)
Cyrus Engerer , Member of the European Parliament, European Parliament – S&D (Malta)
Monika Falej, Posłanka na Sejm, Sejm RP (Poland)
Medina Fernando , President, MÁS+) ASOCIATION (Spain)
Dean Fisher (Australia)
Julianna Fudge (Canada)
Hannah Gaffey (USA)
Kristine Garina, President, European Pride Organisers Association (Latvia)
Garman Gulbrandsen (Sweden)
Domagoj Hajduković , MP, Croatian Parliament (Croatia)
Oumayma Hammadi (Belgium)
Lars Henriksen, Copenhagen Pride (Denmark)
Lisa Henry Lø, Secretary General, IRCT (Denmark)
Bess Hepworth, Executive Director, Planet Ally (Australia)
Simon Holender (Sweden)
Kris Holst (Ecuador)
Eugenie Hugo (Denmark)
Line Hybler Jensen (Denmark)
Lewica Jacek Jabłoński (Poland)
Jane Jensen (Denmark)
Steffen Jensen (Denmark)
Nikita Journey (Norway)
Jemma Keller-Smith (UK)
Undine Knappwost (Germany)
A. R Kneisel . Botschafter StadtCOLOUR, StadtCOLOUR (and memorial) (Germany)
Celesta Kong (Malaysia)
Brendan Korn (Australia)
Marcin Krzak (Poland)
Anita Kucharska-Dziedzic , MP, Polish Parliament (Poland)
Søren Laursen, Co-founder, Spokesperson, LGBT Komiteen (Denmark)
Ana Isabel Leal Lobato (Spain)
François Leloup-Collet , Communications Manager, L’Autre Cercle (France)
Kimberly Levin (USA)
Ditte Lichinger (Denmark)
Hugh Macleod, Communications, IRCT (Denmark)
Aurora Madaula , MP, Parliament of Catalonia (Catalonia)
Adela Marcov (Belgium)
Marlene Mickla , Queer delegate, Grüne Jugend Österreich (Austria)
Gabriela Morawska-Stanecka , Deputy Speaker, Senate of the Republic of Poland (Poland)
Pedro Múrias (Portugal)
Adam Ng (Singapore)
Gesine Niemann (Germany)
Rasmus Nordqvist , MP (Denmark)
Wanda Nowicka, MP, The Left Party in Poland (Poland)
Kira O (USA)
Tor-Hugne Olsen, Executive Director, Sex og Politikk (IPPF Norway) (Norway)
Stephen Ong (Singapore)
Alex Orué (México)
Onder Ozkalipci (Switzerland)
Piper Martin , Leader, Real Singaporeans defending the family and shared values (Singapore)
Chloé Provost (Canada)
Arna Rathgen (Australia)
Jakob Regnér (Sweden)
Terry Reintke MEP, Co-Chair, European Parliament LGBTI+ Intergroup (EU)
Sara Rinaldi (Italy)
Daniel Robles (Australia)
Enrique Carballo Sánchez (Costa Rica)
Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus, MP, Polish Parliament (Poland)
Ralf Schweickardt, CEO, Legrand Scandinavia A/S (Denmark)
Torsten Schwick, Editor-in-Chief, Check Magazin (Germany)
Krzysztof Śmiszek, Member of Parliament, Sejm of the Polish Parliament (Poland)
Anita Sowinska, Member of the Parliament, Nowa Lewica / Sejm RP (Poland)
Mikael Sparrhult (Sweden)
Andreea Stoianovici (Singapore)
Steve Taylor, Board Member, European Pride Organisers Association (Denmark)
Catalin Tenita , MP, Romanian Parliament (Romania)
Sophia Thacker HI (USA)
Brianna Titone, Representative, Colorado General Assembly (USA)
Amanda Toa (Australia)
Laithan Tucci (Australia)
Katarzyna Ueberhan, MP, SEJM RP (Poland)
Cristian Urbalejo Luna , General Coordinator, Colectivo contra la Tortura y la Impunidad (Mexico)
Peppi Valonen-Säilä (Finland)
Sam Van de Putte , President, Regenboog.Rood (Belgium)
MJW Van Isp (The Netherlands)
Emmanuelle Verhagen , President & Executive Director, Intersekse Vlaanderen (Belgium)
Riccardo Vide (Italy)
Temístocles Villanueva Ramos , Diputado local, Congreso de la Ciudad de México (México)
Shannon Whaley (USA)
Nicholas Wilkinson, MP for the Socialist Left Party, The Norwegian Parliament (Norway)
Gay Williams (USA)
Scott Williams (Canada)
Leow Yangfa, Executive Director, Oogachaga (Singapore)
Christoph Zieher (Germany)
