Homophobia – Goes with the previous paper you wrote for me

Student’s Name
Professor’s Name
Course Title
Date
Homophobia

Adapted from ILGA (1)
One of the key organizations that deal with homophobia is the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA). This institution has been in existence since 1978. Officials from different European organizations met in Coventry, the UK in August 1978 as part of a homosexuality equality campaign (ILGA 1). Like most organizations, ILGA was born after these officials found it fit to start an agency. The purpose of establishing ILGA was to improve the work of gay organizations through coordination of political activities globally and exert pressure on states to increase awareness of gay oppression. Also, ILGA was born to end the prosecution of members of the LGBT community in different countries (ILGA 1). ILGA has built a solid reputation worldwide. Case in point, ILGA is now a consultative body within the United Nations (UN) Economic and Social Council. However, ILGA has faced considerable opposition over the years, mainly from nations that criminalize homosexuality (ILGA 1).
ILGA’s mission is to advance Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) rights globally, as well as ensure that governments and the United Nations protect the interests of the LGBT. In particular, ILGA aims to offer the LGBT community with equal human rights as everybody else, in addition to liberating it from any discrimination (ILGA 1). ILGA understands that there is power in teamwork and therefore has over 1200 agencies from 132 nations to help it achieve this objective.

Besides that, this organization has an extensive network of international branches, such as ILGA Asia, ILGA North America and Pan Africa ILGA (PAI) to further assist it in meeting its mission. For example, PAI is an arm of ILGA, which seeks to provide LGBT activists opportunities for dialogue in an anti-LGBT environment, where governments continue passing homophobic laws (PAI 1). As a result, ILGA is aware that the best solution to a problem like homophobia is to tackle it directly.
ILGA supports the LGBT community globally via research projects and advocacy efforts. For instance, ILGA spreads awareness and informs the media, government, civil society and other organizations via research and advocacy (ILGA 1). Similarly, ILGA undertakes surveys and releases reports that illuminate more on the issue of homophobia. For example, in 2016, ILGA made public its State-Sponsored Homophobia Report, which shows that 72 nations still criminalize homosexuality (ILGA 1). This organization also backs grassroots movements by providing them with a global platform to share their views and advance the agenda of safeguarding the human rights of the LGBT community. ILGA consolidates at least 700 LGBT groups worldwide and additionally represents the LGBT community not only within the UN but also in other global institutions. All these activities are under the guidance of the 2014 ILGA constitution (ILGA 1). This constitution also offers ILGA a mandate to hold world conferences, where member organizations can attend and make their contributions toward fighting homophobia. Finances or capital drive development and for this reason, ILGA seeks financial support from governments, private donors and independent foundations. All these financiers greatly help ILGA as it fights for the LGBT community (ILGA 1).
Since its inception in the late 20th century, ILGA has engaged in different events aimed at fighting homophobia. ILGA’s first success came when it managed to convince the World Health Organization (WHO) to consider homosexuality as a normal phenomenon, rather than an illness (ILGA 1). In August 1981, ILGA, then known as IGA lobbied a Rapporteur, which led to the European Parliamentary Assembly calling for the decriminalization of homosexuality. Afterward, in July 1982, ILGA organized its 4th global conference in Washington that enabled the Homosexual Prisoners’ Agency (HPA) to focus on individuals who were in prison due to their sexuality. ILGA further undertook other world conferences between 1983 and 2000, which featured protests over homophobia, pink book publications, cases won against homosexuality bans, human rights seminars, and recognition at the UN, among other key events (ILGA 1).
At the start of the millennium, ILGA made more efforts in its war on homophobia. In February 2001, this organization opened another branch in Europe (Belgium), which significantly assisted in spreading awareness about homophobia (ILGA 1). Further, in August 2003, ILGA played a pivotal role in Armenia’s decision to decriminalize same-sex relations, since it had continuously exerted pressure on the nation to lift its homosexuality ban. ILGA made more efforts to support the LGBT community like supporting adoption by gay couples in Autumn 2005, organizing world games for the LGBT society in summer 2006, launching its new online site in February 2010, and undertaking a side-event on homophobia in March 2010 (ILGA 1). ILGA also acquired back its UN consultative status in July 2011, which has enabled it to have a strong presence in UN events and organize international intersex forums annually. More recently, in 2016, ILGA carried out a global survey on people’s attitudes toward the LGBT community to identify factors that might help it win against homophobia (ILGA 1). Therefore, it is clear that ILGA has been consistent in its war on homophobia from its birth until today.

Works Cited
ILGA. “About Us.” International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association. 2018. 8 January 2018. http://ilga.org/about-us.
—. “History.” International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association. 2018. 8 January 2018. http://ilga.org/ilga-history.
PAI. “About Us.” Pan Africa ILGA. 2018. 8 January 2018. http://panafricailga.org/who-we-are/.