European Assembly backs sweeping ban on conversion practices

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has issued a landmark resolution advocating for a complete prohibition of LGBTQ+ conversion practices across its member states. The resolution, adopted after a robust debate, urges governments to implement comprehensive legislative bans, provide robust support for survivors, and actively combat misinformation surrounding LGBTQ+ identities.

This move establishes a critical international human rights standard, offering detailed guidance for national authorities on eradicating practices that attempt to alter, suppress, or repress an individual's sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.

The newly adopted resolution outlines a clear mandate for member states: to enact legislative measures outlawing all forms of conversion practices, ensure that support services for survivors are adequately trained and resourced, establish effective mechanisms for monitoring prevalence and data collection, and launch public awareness campaigns promoting understanding and acceptance of LGBTQ+ individuals while highlighting the profound harm inflicted by these practices.

While the resolution itself is not legally binding, its unanimous adoption by the Assembly signifies a powerful consensus and provides a definitive framework for governments, ILGA Europe reports. The onus now rests on national authorities to translate these vital recommendations into actionable law and policy, thereby upholding fundamental human rights across the continent.

The path to this resolution was met with considerable challenges, notably from organised anti-trans groups. During the debate and preceding discussions, significant efforts were made to undermine the resolution's inclusive language, specifically targeting references to gender identity and transgender individuals. The Assembly’s rapporteur, UK Labour MP Kate Osbourne, faced sustained attempts to remove these crucial protections from the text. This opposition manifested in tens of thousands of auto-generated emails containing anti-trans misinformation sent to PACE members throughout the region, and elements of this discriminatory rhetoric emerged during the chamber debate itself.

Despite these concerted efforts to sow division and misinformation, a coordinated, cross-party initiative within the Assembly ensured the resolution maintained its inclusive language and unequivocally focused on safeguarding all LGBTQ+ people. The final text was adopted with a compelling two-thirds majority, seeing 71 members vote in favour, 26 against, and two abstentions.

This decisive outcome sends an unambiguous message: conversion practices are irreconcilable with human rights and democratic values. It underscores a growing recognition within European institutions that both the direct harm caused by these practices and the wider climate of misinformation and hostility that enables them must be actively confronted. The Assembly has now called upon its member states to act swiftly, emphasising that ending conversion practices demands not only legal prohibitions but also sustained political will, properly funded services for survivors, and extensive public education to prevent future harm.