About

welcome to The Rainbow Map!

ILGA-Europe’s Rainbow Map annually ranks 49 European countries on a scale between 0% (gross violations of human rights, discrimination) and 100% (respect of human rights, full equality) on the basis of laws and policies that have a direct impact on LGBTI people’s human rights. (See more about ILGA-Europe below .)

The Map ranks each country under seven categories: equality and non-discrimination; family; hate crime and hate speech; legal gender recognition; intersex bodily integrity; civil society space; and asylum.

This website offers a free online data collection, designed to make the job of policy makers, human rights defenders, researchers, media outlets, and other interested NGO’s more straightforward. It allows users to filter results of the Map by category or country, compare countries, download reference materials for free, and compare a particular country’s standing both historically and with the European or EU average.

In addition to the quantitative data collected for the Rainbow Map, the qualitative data compiled in ILGA-Europe’s Annual Review of the Human Rights of LGBTI People in Europe and Central Asia, digs into what is behind the country ranking points. While the Map benchmarks countries based on legislative progress or regressions, the Annual Review contextualises this benchmarking by giving a complete picture of what has happened in each country over the past 12 months.

Here are all the 75 criteria under the 7 categories that ILGA-Europe takes into consideration for each country and the number of ranking points awarded for each one that is fulfilled satisfactorily:

[ you can also see the FAQ’S ]

Equality and non-discrimination 23%

: Constitution (sexual orientation) covers constitutional (or similar) anti-iscrimination provisions. To comply with this criterion, the country should fall under one of the following categories:

The Constitution contains an anti-discrimination article which explicitly includes sexual orientation in the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination.

The Constitution contains a general or ambiguous anti-discrimination article, but discrimination based on sexual orientation is effectively prohibited by this article. This must be demonstrated in the Constitution’s preparatory work, legislative history, or in case law from the highest judicial bodies (e.g. Constitutional Court, Supreme Court, etc.).

The Constitution indirectly prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation, e.g. by declaring that the European Convention on Human Rights is part of the Constitution or has a constitutional status (declarations that have been implemented consistently by the courts)
: Employment (sexual orientation) covers employment anti-discrimination legislation. Only express mention of sexual orientation should be counted.
: Goods & services (sexual orientation) covers goods and services anti-discrimination legislation. Only express mention of sexual orientation only should be counted.
: Education (sexual orientation) covers legislation prohibiting discrimination in the field of education. Only express mention of sexual orientation only should be counted.
: Health (sexual orientation) covers legislation prohibiting discrimination in the field of health. Only express mention of sexual orientation only should be counted.
: Conversion practices ban (sexual orientation) for minors covers legislation and policies prohibiting reparative or conversion practices which are based upon the assumption that homosexuality/bisexuality per se is a mental disorder or based upon the a priori assumption that a patient should change their sexual orientation.
: Equality body mandate (sexual orientation) covers when a national human rights institution / equality body is explicitly mandated to work on sexual orientation in its law/founding documents, and where the national human rights institution / equality body is systematically working on issues covering sexual orientation.
: Equality action plan (sexual orientation) covers action plans which expressly include sexual orientation, and include specific measures for progress. In addition, we only take into account when the action plan either entails or is followed up with the following measures:

Detailed projects or initiatives within the time span

Allocation of resources (financial or human resources)

Clear responsibilities for proper implementation

Setup of monitoring procedure
: Constitution (gender identity) covers constitutional (or similar) anti-discrimination provisions. To comply with this criterion, the country should fall under one of the following categories:

The Constitution contains an anti-discrimination article which explicitly includes gender identity in the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination. Equivalent ground e.g. sexual identity, gender reassignment, etc accepted too.

The Constitution contains a general or ambiguous anti-discrimination article, but discrimination based on gender identity is effectively prohibited by this article. This must be demonstrated in the Constitution’s preparatory work, legislative history, or in case law from the highest judicial bodies (e.g. Constitutional Court, Supreme Court, etc.).

The Constitution indirectly prohibits discrimination based on gender identity, e.g. by declaring that the European Convention on Human Rights is part of the Constitution or has a constitutional status (declarations that have been implemented consistently by the courts)
: Employment (gender identity) covers employment anti-discrimination legislation. Express mention of gender identity only should be counted. Equivalent ground e.g. sexual identity, gender reassignment, etc accepted too.
: Goods & services (gender identity) covers goods and services anti-discrimination legislation. Express mention of gender identity only should be counted. Equivalent grounds (sexual identity, gender reassignment, etc) are accepted too.
: Education (gender identity) covers legislation prohibiting discrimination in the field of education. Express mention of gender identity only should be counted. Equivalent grounds (sexual identity, gender reassignment, etc) are accepted too.
: Health (gender identity) covers legislation prohibiting discrimination in the field of health. Express mention of gender identity only should be counted. Equivalent grounds (sexual identity, gender reassignment, etc) are accepted too.
: Conversion practices ban (gender identity) for minors covers legislation and policies prohibiting reparative or conversion practices which are based upon the assumption that trans identities are per se a mental disorder and can be changed
: Equality body mandate (gender identity) covers when a national human rights institution / equality body is explicitly mandated to work on gender identity in its law/founding documents, and where the national human rights institution / equality body is systematically working on issues covering gender identity. Equivalent grounds (sexual identity, gender reassignment, etc) are accepted too.
: Equality action plan (gender identity) covers action plans which expressly include gender identity, and include specific measures for progress. Equivalent grounds (sexual identity, gender reassignment, etc) accepted too. In addition, we only take into account when the action plan either entails or is followed up with the following measures:

Detailed projects or initiatives within the time span

Allocation of resources (financial or human resources)

Clear responsibilities for proper implementation

Setup of monitoring procedure
: Law (gender expression) covers anti-discrimination legislation which expressly includes gender expression.
: Constitution (sex characteristics) covers constitutional (or similar) anti-discrimination provisions. To comply with this criterion, the country should fall under one of the following categories:

The Constitution contains an anti-discrimination article which explicitly includes sex characteristics in the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination.

The Constitution contains a general or ambiguous anti-discrimination article, but discrimination based on sex characteristics is effectively prohibited by this article. This must be demonstrated in the Constitution’s preparatory work, legislative history, or in case law from the highest judicial bodies (e.g. Constitutional Court, Supreme Court, etc.).

The Constitution indirectly prohibits discrimination based on sex characteristics, e.g. by declaring that the European Convention on Human Rights is part of the Constitution or has a constitutional status (declarations that have been implemented consistently by the courts)
: Employment (sex characteristics) covers employment anti-discrimination legislation. Only express mention of sex characteristics should be counted.
: Goods & services (sex characteristics) covers goods and services anti-discrimination legislation. Only express mention of sex characteristics only should be counted.
: Education (sex characteristics) covers legislation prohibiting discrimination in the field of education. Only express mention of sex characteristics only should be counted.
: Health (sex characteristics) covers legislation prohibiting discrimination in the field of health. Only express mention of sex characteristics only should be counted.
: Equality body mandate (sex characteristics) covers when a national human rights institution / equality body is explicitly mandated to work on sex characteristics in its law/founding documents, and where the national human rights institution / equality body is systematically working on issues covering sex characteristics.
: Equality action plan (sex characteristics) covers action plans which expressly include sex characteristics, and include specific measures for progress. In addition, we only take into account when the action plan either entails or is followed up with the following measures:

Detailed projects or initiatives within the time span

Allocation of resources (financial or human resources)

Clear responsibilities for proper implementation

Setup of monitoring procedure
: Blood donation covers when there is no full legislative or administrative ban on donating blood or on any kind of bodily tissues for LGBTI people based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. Any deferral periods need to be reasonable and justified. This also includes when health authorities and practitioners make sure that:

Decisions on time restrictions are taken on individual basis and based on risks assessments related to sexual behaviours of candidates, not on their sexual orientation or gender identity.

The sexual history of candidates to blood/tissue donations are treated in a non-judgmental manner.

All relevant documents are exempt from use of discriminatory formulations towards men who have sex with men and trans people.

Family 17,5%

*Countries that have more than one form of legal recognition of same-sex partners are only awarded points for the highest legal form of recognition.

: Marriage equality covers when same-sex couples can marry, with the same level of rights as married different-sex couples.
: Registered partnership (similar rights to marriage) covers when same-sex couples can enter a registered partnership/civil partnership and obtain the same level of rights as they would if they were married
: Registered partnership (limited rights) covers when same-sex couples can enter a registered partnership/civil partnership, but where the level of rights is different to, and is significantly weaker than the rights offered by marriage.
: Cohabitation covers when same-sex couples are included in legislation or legal measures on cohabitation.
: No constitutional limitation on marriage covers when a constitutional definition (or similar) of marriage as being only a union between a man and a woman does not exist.
: Joint adoption covers when same-sex couples can legally apply for joint adoption.
: Second parent adoption covers when same-sex couples can legally apply for second parent adoption.
: Automatic co-parent recognition covers when children born to couples (regardless the partners’ sexual orientation and/or gender identity) are not facing any barriers in order to be recognised legally from birth to their parents.
: Medically assisted insemination (couples) covers when couples (regardless the partners’ sexual orientation and/or gender identity) are not facing any legal barriers in order to get fertility treatment.
: Medically assisted insemination (singles) covers when fertility treatment for individuals (regardless their sexual orientation and/or gender identity) is legally possible.
: Recognition of trans parenthood covers when:

Parent’s legal gender identity is recognized in the documentation of kinship (e.g. birth certificate of child respects name, gender marker, gendered denomination “mother”/ “father” (where applicable) according to the parent’s recognised gender identity)

Regulations regarding recognition of parenthood is aligned with available gender options where more than 2 gender markers are available, e.g. “mother” and “father” are not the only available options; all parents are recorded as “parent” etc.

Hate crime and hate speech 19%

: Hate crime law (sexual orientation) covers when sexual orientation is expressly included in hate crime legislation as an aggravating factor.
: Hate speech law (sexual orientation) covers when sexual orientation is expressly included in hate speech legislation as an aggravating factor
: Policy tackling hate crime and hate speech (sexual orientation) covers when sexual orientation is included in a national strategy tackling hatred. This only refers to actions based on a recurrent and continuing framework by state actors (ad hoc measures do not count).
: Hate crime law (gender identity) covers when gender identity is expressly included in hate crime legislation as an aggravating factor.
: Hate speech law (gender identity) covers when sexual orientation is expressly included in hate speech legislation as an aggravating factor.
: Policy tackling hate crime and hate speech (gender identity) covers when gender identity is included in a national strategy tackling hatred. This only refers to actions based on a recurrent and continuing framework by state actors (ad hoc measures do not count).
: Hate crime law (intersex) covers when bias based on the victim’s (perceived) sex characteristics or intersex status is expressly included in hate crime legislation as an aggravating factor.
: Policy tackling hate crime and hate speech (intersex) covers when sex characteristics or intersex status is included in a national strategy tackling hatred. This only refers to actions based on a recurrent and continuing framework by state actors (ad hoc measures do not count).

Legal gender recognition 17,5%

: No legal framework making legal gender recognition impossible covers when there is no explicit ban or other kind of legal limitation which serves to make legal gender recognition practically impossible. This point can be awarded when legal gender recognition procedures are onerous, difficult, or when there is no set pathway, so long as there is not an explicit mechanism in place blocking legal gender recognition entirely.
: Existence of legal measures covers legislation for legal gender recognition. This can include court decisions, as long as there is a procedure that provides consistent results.
: Existence of administrative procedures covers procedures for legal gender recognition which are not written in law. This includes change of gender on official documents to reflect the preferred gender. Administrative procedures are only taken into account when consistent implementation with no obstacle has been documented.
: Name change covers existence of legislation which makes name change possible without any obstacles. This includes deed poll.
: No age restriction, Name change covers when there is no explicit age restriction for minor to change their name.
: Self-determination covers when

Legal gender recognition is based exclusively on the expressed wish of the person concerned e.g. by declaration

Does not require third party involvement, e.g. judge, medical expert, intercessor

Intersex status and/ or sex characteristics are not a contraindication
: Non-binary gender recognition is awarded if:

More than two gender marker options (“X”, “NB”, “other”, or other option(s)) are available in the public registry (e.g. Register of Births, etc.); and

Available only on request; not applied to anyone without their personal consent; and

There is a procedure which provides consistent results; and

Available to anyone who seeks it without discrimination.

–OR–

No mandatory recording of gender marker in the public registry (ability to opt out from recording of gender marker available to all, not only trans/intersex people).
: No ‘Gender Identity Disorder’ diagnosis/psychological opinion required covers when a GID diagnosis is not a requirement for legal gender recognition.
: No compulsory medical intervention required covers when medical interventions are not a requirement for legal gender recognition. This only refers to non-surgical medical interventions. This criteria only applies when consistent implementation with no obstacle has been documented.
: No compulsory surgical intervention required covers when any kind of surgical interventions are not a requirement for legal gender recognition. This criteria only applies when consistent implementation with no obstacle has been documented.
: No compulsory sterilisation required covers when sterilisation or proof of infertility is not a requirement for legal gender recognition.
: No compulsory divorce required covers when divorce or single status is not a requirement for legal gender recognition.
: No age restriction covers when existing legal measures for legal gender recognition do not include an explicit minimum or maximum age restrictions; individuals of any age use the same process; when the minor does not have full legal capacity, a legal representative can be obliged to make the procedures on their behalf.
: Legal gender recognition procedures exist for minors, covers when a legal measure for accessing legal gender recognition is available for minors and provides consistent results.
: Depathologisation covers when:

No mental health diagnosis relating to trans identities in national clinical classification standards or equivalent; neither for adults/ adolescents nor for pre-puberty children

Access to and cost coverage for trans-specific healthcare (TSHC) for adults/ adolescents is possible without requiring a mental health assessment or diagnosis.

Access to and cost coverage for support services for pre-puberty trans and gender variant children is ensured without requesting a diagnosis of “Gender Incongruence in Childhood” (ICD11) or equivalent.

Intersex bodily integrity 5%

: Prohibition of medical intervention before child is able to give informed consent (intersex) covers when medical practitioners or other professionals are prohibited by law from conducting any kind of surgical or medical intervention on an intersex minor when the intervention has no medical necessity and can be avoided or postponed until the person can provide informed consent.
: Universality of prohibition of medical interventions covers when bodily integrity protections are universal to all persons, not based on specific variations or diagnoses or intersex terms; and medical practitioners or other professionals are prohibited by law from conducting any kind of surgical or medical intervention on anybody without their personal consent except in the case of vital reasons. This point can only be awarded when “Prohibition of medical intervention before child is able to give informed consent” is also awarded.
: Existence of effective monitoring mechanism covers when:

A monitoring mechanism for the prohibition of medical intervention on an intersex minor has been established.

The monitoring mechanism is an independent entity from the medical establishment.

There are clear responsibilities for monitoring and reporting of the mechanism.

This point can only be awarded when “Prohibition of medical intervention before child is able to give informed consent” is also awarded.
: Access to justice for victims and reparations covers when prohibition of medical interventions on intersex minor provides adequate acknowledgement of the suffering and injustice caused to intersex people in the past and provides adequate redress, reparation, access to justice and the right to truth with clear and effective mechanisms.

Civil society space 9%

: Public event held, no state obstruction of freedom of assembly (last 3 years) covers when laws, policies and practices allow for full exercise of the right to free assembly, so LGBTI public events are held without obstruction.
: Public event held, there is enough protection (last 3 years) covers when LGBTI public events are sufficiently protected by public authorities (e.g. police) who ensure their due course, including protection from disruption or attacks.
: Associations operate, no state obstruction of freedom association (last 3 years) covers when there are no legal and administrative restrictions on the functioning of LGBTI organisations or publications, including state registration, cooperation with authorities, access to national funding, etc.
: LGBTI human rights defenders are not at risk covers when LGBTI human rights defenders are not intimidated and criminalised for their work (e.g. no LGBTI HRDs arrested, in jail or harassed by public authorities in relation to their human rights work and activism).
: No laws limiting receipt of funding covers when there are no explicit government regulations banning organisations from receiving funding (national, foreign and/or private) (e.g. ‘foreign agent’ laws).
: No laws limiting expression (national/local) covers when there is no legislation limiting freedom of expression on LGBTI issues (e.g. anti-propaganda laws, censorship laws etc.) either at national or local level.

Asylum 9%

: Asylum law (sexual orientation) covers when sexual orientation is expressly included in asylum law as a qualification criteria.
: Legislation/policy/other positive measures (sexual orientation) covers national policies and/or other legal or non-legal positive measures related to asylum that have specific provisions addressing the needs and rights of gay, lesbian and bisexual refugees and/or asylum seekers. This pertains solely to actions undertaken within a persistent and ongoing framework by governmental entities (isolated or ad hoc measures are not considered). Examples are consistent training framework for caseworkers, publicly available guidelines of the national agency for asylum prepared in partnership with LGBTI organisations, safe reception centres and accommodation options for LGBTI people, and other measures can be taken into account.
: Law (gender identity) covers when gender identity is expressly included in asylum law as a qualification criteria.
: Legislation/policy/other positive measures (gender identity) covers national policies and/or other legal or non-legal positive measures related to asylum that have specific provisions addressing the needs and rights of trans and non-binary refugees and/or asylum seekers.

This pertains solely to actions undertaken within a persistent and ongoing framework by governmental entities (isolated or ad hoc measures are not considered). Examples are consistent training framework for caseworkers, access to legal gender recognition for trans and non-binary refugees, publicly available guidelines of the national agency for asylum prepared in partnership with LGBTI organisations, safe reception centres and accommodation options for trans and non-binary people, and other measures can be taken into account.
: Law (intersex) covers when intersex status or sex characteristics is expressly included in law as a qualification criterion.
: Legislation/policy/other positive measures (sex characteristics) covers national policies and/or other legal or non-legal positive measures related to asylum that have specific provisions addressing the needs and rights of intersex refugees and/or asylum seekers.

This pertains solely to actions undertaken within a persistent and ongoing framework by governmental entities (isolated or ad hoc measures are not considered). Examples are consistent training framework for caseworkers, access to legal gender recognition for intersex refugees, publicly available guidelines of the national agency for asylum prepared in partnership with LGBTI organisations, safe reception centres and accommodation options for LGBTI people, and other measures can be taken into account.

About ILGA-Europe

ILGA-Europe are an independent, international non-governmental umbrella organisation uniting over 750 LGBTI organisations from 54 countries across Europe and Central Asia.

We stay on top of what LGBTI activists and organisations in Europe and Central Asia need and prioritise – and use that knowledge to set standards for LGBTI equality and human rights at regional and international levels. We work with policymakers and put activists in touch with institutional actors to create meaningful, systemic change.

We speak to the realities of LGBTI people’s lives and activism and highlight forces for change – both negative and positive. In order to do that with credibility, we ensure we produce credible data giving an overview of what’s happening, so that we can benchmark progress and build other opportunities to benmark the lived experience of being LGBTI across the region.

Frequently Asked Questions

This is the main information about the methodology we use when researching the Rainbow Map, and the most frequent questions we have received about this data. Please contact us directly if you any other questions.

: The Rainbow Map – ILGA-Europe’s annual benchmarking tool – comprises the Rainbow Map and Index and national recommendations. ILGA-Europe have produced the Rainbow Map since 2009, using it to illustrate the legal and policy situation of LGBTI people in Europe. Rainbow Map ranks all 49 European countries on a scale between 0% (gross violations of human rights, discrimination) and 100% (respect of human rights, full equality).
: The Rainbow Map and Index is published annually during the week of May 17, International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, Biphobia, and Intersexphobia (IDAHOBIT). Throughout the year this website is updated on a continuous basis to reflect legislative and policy changes in every European country.

ILGA-Europe constantly monitor the legal and policy situation for LGBTI people with the help of our member organisations, working with a team of national experts to validate all the relevant data. In addition to this, ILGA-Europe work with partner organisations Transgender Europe, OII Europe, and ERA for their expertise and advice which ensures the module is as up-to-date as possible.
: The Rainbow Map ranks 49 European countries. These are 46 Member States of the Council of Europe, Belarus, Russia and Kosovo (as a separate jurisdiction following UNSCR 1244/1999).
: The Rainbow Map has been developed for the European context of laws and policies and it only covers the European countries. ILGA-Europe believe that different indicators of progress should be determined for the other regions.

ILGA-Europe work on Central Asia and monitor the developments and events in the region with different tools, including the Annual Review. At the current political and legal context, it is not effective or strategic to analyse and rank the Central Asian countries under the same list of criteria.

For information about other world regions, you can refer to a range of tools such as the ILGA World Database that tracks laws on SOGIESC worldwide; TGEU’s Trans Map that illustrates laws and policies in Europe and Central Asia; IGLYO’s Education Index; or OII Europe’s Good Practices Map on intersex human rights.
: We rank the countries on the basis of effective laws and policies that have a direct impact on LGBTI people’s human rights under 75 criteria – divided between seven thematic categories: equality and non-discrimination, family, hate crime and hate speech, legal gender recognition, intersex bodily integrity, civil society space and asylum.

The 75 criteria under seven categories make up 100 points in total and they are attributed different weights. Points may be allocated partially in countries where legislation and policies are governed on a regional level.
: This means that legislation and policies in that country that have a direct impact on the human rights of LGBTI people, under the 75 criteria and across the seven thematic categories, as defined by ILGA-Europe, is nearest 100% in terms of respect of human rights, full equality compared to the other countries in the ranking. It does not mean that full equality is achieved, neither in legislation nor in lived realities of LGBTI people.
: This is because the country that is higher in the ranking has introduced more legislation and policies that protect the human rights of LGBTI people, under the 75 criteria and across the seven thematic categories, as defined by ILGA-Europe. Legislation does not always mean it is fully implemented, while many other factors also determine what the lived reality of LGBTI people in a country is like.

We are paying significant attention to how effective laws and measures are in each country, which impacts on a country’s ranking.

The Annual Review adds this perspective and together the two give a nuanced picture of the situation of the protection of LGBTI rights in a given country.
: Sometimes the media reports countries that rank higher on the Rainbow Map as LGBTI-friendly holiday destinations. This is false. Neither does the ranking show what countries are safest for LGBTI people. As the narrative in ILGA-Europe’s Annual Review of the Human Rights Situation of LGBTI People reports, LGBTI-phobia continues to exist and impact on the lives and safety of LGBTI people in every European country.

The Rainbow Map specifically ranks countries based on their legislation and policies, it does not give information about societal acceptance of LGBTI people, or the general safety of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex people.
: In order to create our country ranking, ILGA-Europe examine the laws and policies in 49 countries using a set of 75 criteria – divided between seven thematic categories:

equality and non-discrimination

family

hate crime and hate speech

legal gender recognition

intersex bodily integrity

civil society space

and asylum
: ILGA-Europe consistently improve the Rainbow Europe benchmarking system, aiming at developing benchmark indicators to better reflect implementation of existing legislation and thus the lived experience of LGBTI people. The criteria are determined by ILGA-Europe staff and board members, in consultation with member organisations and national experts.
: The first edition of the Rainbow Map in 2009 consisted of a map which provided information concerning 13 issues.

In the 2010 edition, ILGA-Europe added an index and collected data with regard to 14 indicators.

A year later the Annual Review was added to the Rainbow Europe module and the Index grew to cover 24 indicators.

The latest edition provides an Index with regard to 75 criteria – divided between seven thematic categories:

equality and non-discrimination

family

hate crime and hate speech

legal gender recognition

intersex bodily integrity

civil society space

and asylum

Since 2013, ILGA-Europe has used a scale between 0% (gross violations of human rights, discrimination) and 100% (respect for human rights, full equality), which makes the data comparable.

You can compare the country rankings with the previous year’s edition. The weight for each criterion has been changed over the years, allocated to different issues that are captured.

As a result of these alterations, the Rainbow Map and Index gives a more accurate picture of what LGBTI people really need, and what matters to the lives of people in different parts of LGBTI communities across Europe.
: ILGA-Europe monitor legal and policy situation of LGBTI people in Europe and collect relevant data sets throughout the year, via our work advocating for human rights and equality, strengthening the LGBTI movement, and strategic litigation.

The ILGA-Europe team verifies data with member organisations and its network of country experts who provide detailed information about various developments in every country. We fact-check the information with original sources. ILGA-Europe’s network of country experts consist of LGBTI human rights defenders, researchers, lawyers, and other experts from 49 countries.
: The Rainbow Map and Index presents a picture of what the policy landscape is like right now, while our country-specific recommendations attempt to answer the question: What’s next?

These recommendations are intended to encourage national policymakers to address the most pressing legal and policy priorities within the framework of our Rainbow Map and Index.

The recommendations are gathered following an online consultation with a wide range of our member organisations and country experts. As a result, they are tailored to the needs of activists working on the ground.

For clarity we tend to stick to three suggestions per country but naturally this can be difficult, as our members are often working on a whole range of issues.

We hope our recommendations will help to direct policymakers to the areas where they can improve the legal and policy situation for LGBTI people. Our list of recommendations is not intended to be exhaustive. Rather, it pinpoints where respective domestic laws are lacking and suggests where legislators can start to be proactive.
: The Rainbow Map gives a picture of how Europe is progressing or regressing in the area of LGBTI rights, both on a macro level and country by country. It provides information about legislative and policy moves that will directly affect the human rights of LGBTI people in Europe, and so gives an overall picture of how governments are committed to LGBTI rights, or to the restriction of LGBTI rights in the region.

If reporting on LGBTI developments in a particular European country or sub-region, the Annual Review gives clear information about government and legal commitments in that country, and a picture of how this has developed over the past 15 years. It provides a clear picture behind the information provided in the Rainbow Map, so that reporting can have depth of understanding.
: The Rainbow Map provides a clear comparative overview of legislation to protect human rights of LGBTI people across our region. Activists can use the map to showcase to their governments how they are performing compared to other countries in Europe and Central Asia, showing how many countries have moved to raise standards in a certain area and adopted comprehensive legislation. The map can also be used as a roadmap for the work activists expect their governments to do to achieve equal protection and rights.
: The Rainbow Map allows policymakers to get a good sense of how their country is performing on the legal protection of LGBTI people in comparison to other countries in Europe and Central Asia. It shows the state of the art of legislation protecting the rights of LGBTI people and helps them identify good practice examples in law and policy making. The Rainbow Index provides links to the legislative texts, which is a rich source of information for policy-makers working on legislation in their countries.