Rainbow covenant is desperately needed!
11 October 2018DWARS, the GroenLinkse youth in Groningen welcome the rainbow covenant, which will be signed today by all mayors from the province of Groningen.
With this covenant, municipalities will be encouraged to work for the additional safety and social acceptance of LGBT+ people. And this is much needed, according to DWARS. LGBT+ people, people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, or in doubt about their sexual orientation and/or gender identity, still face violence and intolerance from different layers of society. Research shows that in the north, more than half of LGBT+ people still face verbal or physical violence. "In a free country like the Netherlands, this is really ridiculous," said Lieke Schoutens, board member of DWARS Groningen. "Even basic things like walking hand-in-hand can lead to verbal aggression on the street for a gay couple."
Young people are glad that now municipalities are also starting to pay more attention to these issues. They note that, at the municipal level, there is currently little LGBT+ policy to be seen. "While, precisely the local government can contribute well to social acceptance of this group and thus prevent violence," said Lieke Schoutens. So, with the rainbow covenant, the young people of DWARS are counting on progress. "We believe that love should be able to be celebrated, for everyone. After all, love is a human right. So the local government should rightly stand up for those who do not feel safe to come out for their love."
The signing of the rainbow covenant will be part of the annual rainbow symposium, which will take place at the provincial government building in Groningen.
