My Wednesday was a true immersion into what I was hoping international work involved. The day started with Meg Grieve and Emma Jennings, as we walked to the EU House here in Nicosia. We were so well-welcomed into the premises of this organization. We had a very fruitful interview focused on the influence of EU policy on LGBTQIA+ rights in the Republic of Cyprus and the northern part of the island. I learned about the role of the European Court of Human Rights in decriminalizing same-sex relations through a court case presented by a Cypriot citizen in the 1990s against the Republic of Cyprus. Since then, the country has been advancing its policies regarding the LGBTQIA+ community by criminalizing hate speech, hate crimes, and discrimination in the workplace. As a country in the Middle East, it was very insightful to see the EU play the role of a catalyst for Human Rights.
MERG
