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(London) The European Parliament will
consider issuing a declaration urging member states to enact laws preventing
homophobic bullying in schools. The declaration will be prepared by the
LGBT caucus in Parliament, called the the Intergroup on
Gay and Lesbian Rights. It's members are mainly from the Nordic countries and
from the UK.
The commitment was undertaken following the
release of a report showing more than 60 percent of students across Europe had
experienced homophobia in their schools.
The report was prepared by the European Region of the International Lesbian and Gay
Association and GLYO,the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer Youth and
Student Organization.
Over 700 young LGBT people from
37
European countries took part in the survey.
Sixty-one per cent of
respondents said they had experienced discrimination and prejudice in school
while 51 percent said they experienced discrimination within their own families.
"Particularly vulnerable
are young LGBT people who experience estrangement from family and friendship
networks, harassment at school and invisibility, which can lead in some cases to
underachievement at school, school drop-out, mental ill-health and
homelessness," the report says.
"This discrimination not
only denies LGBT people equal access to key social goods, such as employment,
health care, education and housing, but it also marginalizes them in society and
makes them one of the vulnerable groups who are at risk of becoming socially
excluded."
Both LGBT rights groups praised
the commitment by the MEPs to prepare the declaration.
"We are happy that the
concerns arising from the report are taken up seriously by the European
Parliament," said Patricia Prendiville, Executive Director ILGA-Europe.
"It became clear that even though education does not lie within the
EU competences, but is a responsibility of EU member states, there is a clear
need to protect young people from discrimination whilst in education,"
Prendville said.
"Young people first
need to be able to build up their self-confidence, especially in those places
where they are not accepted and their rights are not recognized,"
said Bjorn van Roozendaal, a board member of IGLYO.
"Only with
increased self-esteem and by the removal of barriers that young people face to
integrate in society can they become active citizens and promote their rights."
©365Gay.com 2006
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