Eastern European Coalition for LGBT+ Equality

19/08/2026

At the end of July, members of the Eastern European Coalition for LGBT+ Equality came together for our General Assembly, followed by a training on Dialogue in Conflict, led by Christiane Seehausen, an expert from the Nansen Center for Peace and Dialogue.

During the General Assembly, we discussed our advocacy and communication goals and results, as well as the future membership of the Coalition.

The training focused on conflict mapping, different approaches to conflict, and the role of the facilitator in creating space for constructive dialogue.

For a Coalition working across a region shaped by conflicts whose effects continue to resonate today, while also navigating conflicts that are often weaponised for political purposes, these skills are particularly important. They help us strengthen healthy dialogue within the Coalition and better understand and navigate conflicts outside it, especially in a context where issues related to LGBT+ rights and gender equality are frequently met with hostility and aggression.

📷 Kara Aghajanyan

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The project “Building Resilience of the Eastern European LGBT+ Movement” is financially supported by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Moldova.
Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Moldova

08/08/2026

26/07/2026

Today, all our thoughts are with the LGBT+ community in Berlin and everyone affected.

14/07/2026

On International Non-Binary People's Day, we reaffirm a simple truth: every identity deserves respect.

Non-binary people have always been integral parts of the world’s societies from East to West, from North to South. Human identity has always been diverse, just as life itself is complex.

We still have a long way to go toward full recognition and equality. But every conversation, every act of acknowledgment, and every voice raised in solidarity brings that future closer.

25/06/2026

During Pride Week in Chișinău, the Eastern European Coalition for LGBT+ Equality hosted a conference on the challenges shaping LGBT+ rights across Europe.

The opening panel, moderated by Florin Buhuceanu of 🇷🇴Accept Romania, explored whether today’s pressure on human rights reflects a global backlash or a set of local crises with shared patterns. Speakers from 🇸🇪Sweden, 🇳🇱the Netherlands, and Eastern Europe reflected on polarization, shrinking civic space, and attacks on equality, stressing the need for solidarity among LGBT+ movements and human rights defenders across borders.

The second discussion, moderated by Leo Zbanca of the Coalition, focused on European integration and LGBT+ rights in 🇬🇪Georgia, 🇲🇩Moldova, and 🇺🇦Ukraine. Speakers noted that while EU accession can create opportunities for reform, progress is never guaranteed, even where the legal framework is already in place. They said civil society must remain alert to attempts to sideline LGBT issues, and that the EU must also confront its colonial past and avoid approaching partner countries from a position of superiority.

The final panel, moderated by Lilit Avetisyan, focused on disinformation, populism, and anti-gender narratives. Speakers stressed that these narratives cross borders and take different forms, but are rooted in the same fear and dehumanization. They noted that anti-gender campaigns are driven by conservative and fundamentalist networks from various countries. Speakers warned that these narratives fuel divisions within LGBT+ communities, create pressure on young people, and are amplified by the growing influence of the manosphere. They emphasized the need for civil society to remain vigilant against these attempts to divide communities, while highlighting art, cinema, television, and lived experience as important tools for resistance.

The project “Building Resilience of the Eastern European LGBT+ Movement” is financially supported by the Embassy of the Kingdom of Netherlands in Moldova.

23/06/2026

🇲🇩🏳️‍🌈This year’s Chisinau Pride was built around a clear and timely message: every family deserves to be recognised and protected.👨‍❤️‍👨👩‍❤️‍💋‍👩

🌈That message was carried through an event that felt notably calmer and more open than in previous years. There were no attempts by political figures to obstruct it, and no collision with the so-called family march. Around 1,000 people joined the march, alongside representatives of foreign embassies and international organisations, adding to the sense of visibility and support.

🪅Beyond Moldova, Pride in Chișinău holds a meaning that reaches across the region. In many Eastern European countries, events like this are still not possible. For that reason, Chisinau Pride has become more than a local moment of visibility, it is also a rare space where people from across the region can gather, celebrate their identity, and insist on being seen.

💃💅The day before the march, Pride Park added another layer to that message. Held at one of Chisinau’s most popular venues, it brought together community members and civil society through markets, workshops, music, competitions, and performances. It showed how Pride is increasingly becoming a celebration of community, while still carrying the advocacy role that remains necessary in our region.

18/06/2026

Across the region, Pride has taken very different forms, shaped by local politics, security risks, and the space available for public expression.

In Moldova and Ukraine, it has often been a rights-based struggle for visibility and equal citizenship, marked by careful organizing, legal claims, and growing public presence.

In Armenia, it has leaned more toward forums, dialogue, and coalition-building, and in Georgia, Georgia it has been defined by confrontation and constant tactical adaptation, alongside significant initiatives that create visibility in safer spaces.

Taken together, these experiences show that Pride in the region takes many different forms, shaped by local realities and constraints.

18/06/2026

This year’s Pride in Chișinău highlights a simple idea: everyone deserves the right to love, build a family, and live with dignity in their own country.

*subtitles available in English and Russian

În anii ’90 și 2000, mulți moldoveni au plecat peste hotare pentru ...

29/05/2026

At the beginning of May, we held a series of productive meetings with our partners and stakeholders in
🇳🇴Norway and 🇸🇪Sweden.

In Norway, we engaged with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and NORAD, sharing our perspective on the development of LGBT+ rights in the Eastern European region. We also met with representatives of the Norwegian Helsinki Committee and other civil society organizations doing important work in human rights protection, LGBT+ rights, and education in Norway.

In Sweden, we met with our partners RFSL and Rainbow Foundation. Additionally, we had the opportunity to meet and discuss future cooperation with representatives of RFSU and the Olof Palme International Center.

These meetings were an important step toward strengthening partnerships and expanding support for LGBT+ equality across Eastern Europe.

RFSL
RFSU
Norad
Гей-альянс Україна/Gay Alliance Ukraine
Women's Initiatives Supporting Group
Pink Armenia

24/05/2026

As IDAHOBIT week comes to a close, we are sharing a brief summary of our report on the situation for LGBT+ people across the Eastern Europe region.