There are a range of creative, informative and inspiring events planned globally by activists, NGOs, community groups, schools and universities, local governments, police, government departments – to name but a few. Following earlier newsletters, we wanted to update you with some recent news which constitute a selection of information you can find on our website at http://www.dayagainsthomophobia.org

The 2012 IDAHO theme – “Fighting homo/transphobia IN and THROUGH education” – has continued to gain momentum. For details, visit our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/VoicesAgain… and check out initiatives through the tab labeled “Worldwide Initiatives”.

Organizations from almost 30 countries have already announced their participation. Participation in Asia is especially strong with activities announced in Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Mongolia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.

Of specific interest is the first-ever IDAHO celebrations in Burma, where Rainbow Colors of Burma will celebrate IDAHO in seven cities across the country, all with an educational theme

In Europe, alongside many actions at national levels, a group of European Union leaders and politicians is preparing a special action directed towards young LGBT people, to be announced shortly. In addition, the European Parliament is organizing an inter-institutional campaign on May 15 and 16 with information stands and a film screening to mark this year’s IDAHO. As well as work on the ground, many Facebook groups are also joining the action and spreading the word!

Unesco’s recent engagement to fight homo/transphobic bullying will be underlined with an international conference which the agency co-organises with the IDAHO Committee on May 16 at Unesco headquarters in Paris to present their publication on worldwide best-practice on this issue. Organizations interested in attending should contact Christophe Cornu at c.cornu@unesco.org

We are also currently discussing with UNESCO the publication of a book which will feature the most powerful stories from all parts of the world on the issue of homo/transphobia and education .

If your organisation wants to participate in this, the easiest way is to post a call for contributions on your Facebook page and/or website, inviting people to share their stories, advice or creative ideas on homo/transphobic bullying and how to end it. This can easily be done as a ‘last minute’ IDAHO call to action.

Please get in touch with Joel Bedos at jbedos@dayagainsthomophobia.org for further details

Other parts of the United Nations system will also be contributing to the mobilization on the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia with a range of actions planned for May 17.

Of particular interest for activists will be the release very shortly of a video message by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, which is intended for activists to broadcast during their IDAHO events. The video should be online on the OHCHR site shortly and we will send you the url as soon as it’s out.

Still at the UN, LGBT staff organization GLOBE will display a range of IDAHO posters from around the world in UN buildings in Geneva, New York and other duty stations around the world to show UN staff and delegates who use those buildings the varied issues, messages and campaigns against homophobia and transphobia.

Our apologies to all the many initiatives we were told about and could not feature in detail. From Cuba to Berlin, New Zealand to Mexico, Vietnam or Chile, check out more info from the global IDAHO webportal.

We look forward to bringing you more IDAHO news in next week’s newsletter early next week.

Until then, keep spreading the word!

The aim of the research is to improve the understanding of gay men’s sexual experiences, in particular sexual difficulties. Previous research in this area has mostly focused on heterosexual men.

To participate, all you need to do is fill in an anonymous questionnaire online, which should take no longer than 20-30 minutes to complete.

If you take part, you will be entered into a prize draw for a €175 Amazon.co.uk voucher.

If you would like to take part in the survey please click here

If you would like to hear more, or if you have any questions, feel free to contact:

Lorraine McDonagh
Centre for Research on Occupational and Life Stress
School of Psychology
National University of Ireland, Galway
Galway
Ireland
Tel: +353-91-495951 or +353-91-495952
Email: l.mcdonagh7@nuigalway.ie

Community Planning offers a great opportunity for communities and service providers to work together to make real differences within local communities.  Councils and community / voluntary groups, along with local residents, can work together to map out plans for improving their areas through this process. Best practice demonstrates that those models of Community Planning which have been the most successful are those that have placed a greater emphasis on quality engagement, ensuring that all members of the community have an opportunity to have their voice heard.

Matthew McDermott, Equality Officer at The Rainbow Project speaking before the conference said, “This conference will significantly help to raise awareness of Community Planning, not only across the community and voluntary sector but with statutory agencies and local authorities. The conference aims to explore how best the voices of minority and marginalised communities can be recognised and acknowledged as an integral part of the Community Planning process across all local authorities”.

“It offers the opportunity for community and voluntary groups that work in communities across Northern Ireland to get a better understanding of what Community Planning is and how they can work better with their council to achieve better results for the people they work for and on behalf of”.

“It is particularly important to The Rainbow Project that government at all levels begins to mainstream LGBT issues in the work they do, begins to engage with LGBT people in their area and begins working with and for all people in their community. Community Planning offers the best opportunity for councils to do this. I hope participants are better informed about Community Planning and how to get involved after the conference, and I hope that the Department of the Environment starts to think about how best to ensure the voices of minority communities in this process”.

1.  As part of the Local Government Reforms, the number of councils will be reduced from 26 to 11 and the new councils will be given additional powers including Community Planning. Local Councils will have a duty to facilitate the Community Planning process through working in partnership with statutory agencies and community and voluntary organisations to address the needs of local communities.

This conference will explore

• what Community Planning is
• what central government envisage for Community Planning
• how local Councils and local communities can ensure that marginalised communities are included in the process.

The keynote speaker at the conference will be the Environment Minister Alex Attwood MLA.

There is no charge for this conference, however places are limited to three per organisation and overall numbers are limited also. You are encouraged to book early.

If you have any other queries or to register, please contact Christine Stoll at the Equality Commission at cstoll@equalityni.org or 02890 500692.

As part of the Local Government Reforms, the number of councils will be reduced from 26 to 11 and the new councils will be given additional powers including Community Planning.  Local Councils will have a duty to facilitate the Community Planning process through working in partnership with statutory agencies and community and voluntary organisations to address the needs of local communities.

Those Community Planning processes which have been most effective have placed a greater emphasis on quality engagement, ensuring that all members of the community have an opportunity to have their voice heard.

It is essential that Councils and communities begin equipping themselves to engage with the process to ensure positive results in terms of plans, and to fulfil Section 75 obligations.

If you think you need Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) please go immediately to the Accident and Emergency Department of the Royal Hospital Belfast or your nearest A&E Department. More information about PEP can be found under the “Sexual Health” menu tab at the top of this webpage.

If you are in distress or dispair you may wish to call Lifeline (a regional helpline service for people living in Northern Ireland) on 0808 808 8000. Calls to Lifeline are answered by trained counsellors who can provide help and support. Counsellors are experienced in dealing with suicide, self-harm, abuse, trauma, depression, anxiety and many other issues.

In response to this situation, the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) has launched the first ever online EU-wide survey to establish an accurate picture of the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people (18 years or older) that will try to capture their experiences. The survey covers the 27 EU Member States, including the UK, and Croatia.

As the first EU-wide survey of its kind, the results will support the development of equal treatment policies for LGBT people in the European Union and should set the agenda for years to come. Based on the survey results, national and European policy makers, as well as non-governmental organisations, will be able to better target their advocacy strategies and activities to support LGBT communities to live and express themselves freely in a non-discriminatory environment.

The survey is completely anonymous (no data on the participants and their sessions are logged in any way). The survey is operated by Gallup, a professional survey and consultancy firm.

In order to give weight to the results, the European LGBT Survey counts on the participation of a large and diverse group of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people from each country. It is vitally important for the success of the survey that it reaches a wide group through participants emailing the survey, sharing it through social media or simply inviting LGBT friends to take part.

To take part in the survey click here

According to reports in the Irish media, FG members have approved motions proposed by several branches of the party in Dublin, calling on the government ………. more

The Rainbow Project will today (30^th March) launch a major report on the use of drugs, alcohol and cigarettes within Northern Ireland’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGB&T) community. Although research in other countries suggests that the use of these substances is particularly high among LGB&T people, this is the first study on the issue in Northern Ireland. Funded by the Public Health Agency (PHA), the findings are based on a survey of 941 LGB&T people as well as interviews and focus groups. Key findings of All Partied OUT? include:

Drugs

• LGB&T people are nearly three times as likely as the Northern Ireland population as a whole to have taken an illegal drug in their lifetime (62% v 22%).
• The main drugs that LGB&T people take are those associated with stress-relief (such as cannabis, sedatives and anti-depressants) rather than the nightclub scene (such as ecstasy). For example within the last month 4% of LGB&T people have taken ecstasy and 17% have taken anti-depressants.

Alcohol

• 91% of LGB&T people drink alcohol compared to 74% of the Northern Ireland population as a whole.
• Of those who drink, LGB&T people are approximately twice as likely to drink daily or most days (13% v 6%) compared to the Northern Ireland average.
• In the Northern Ireland population men are more likely than women to drink alcohol (78% v 72%) and drink daily or most days (8% v 5%). However the reverse is the case in the LGB&T community in which women are more likely than men to drink alcohol (93% v 89%) and drink daily or most days (14% v 12%).

Cigarettes

• 44% of LGB&T people smoke cigarettes compared to 24% of the Northern Ireland population.

The report author, Eoin Rooney, stated “higher use of these substances among LGB&T people is not entirely surprising. Disadvantaged groups tend to use alcohol, drugs and cigarettes more than others and the LGB&T community is one of the most stigmatised in Northern Ireland”.

The report recommends that drug and alcohol service providers receive training in LGB&T issues and that public health campaigns on substance abuse target the LGB&T community. 

Speaking at the launch of this report, Dr Eddie Rooney, Chief Executive, PHA, said: “The Public Health Agency was set up to promote and enhance the factors that influence good health and wellbeing and to reduce the avoidable and unjust differences in health experienced by the best and the worst-off in our society.  We know that the LGB&T community, like other disadvantaged groups, has a higher incidence of smoking and substance misuse, all of which are likely to have a substantial, negative impact on their physical and mental health.

“We are pleased that this PHA funded research will provide a valuable source of evidence, not only to inform future awareness-raising work, but also to promote positive lifestyle choices among this key group.”

Notes to Editors

• The report will be launched at the Black Box (Belfast) at 2pm on Friday 30^th March. All media are welcome to attend.
• The full report can be viewed here.
• For further information please contact:

Malachai O’Hara
E: malachai@rainbow-project.org
Or

Eoin Rooney
E: eoin@rainbow-project.org

The Rainbow Project
T: 90319030