New Broad-Based Alliance Launched to Protect and Defend Universal Human Rights in Europe
Today a new alliance of organizations dedicated to building support for choice and dignity for all in Europe was launched at the European Parliament. High Ground: The Alliance for Choice and Dignity in Europe was formed to work toward a European legal and political landscape which secures and enables the full realization of human, sexual and reproductive health and rights and religious liberty, specifically those of women and LGBTI people.
“High Ground will be instrumental in fighting the spread of misinformation and fear by a vocal minority of religious extremists who seeks to undermine the rights of women and LGBTI people,” said Heidi Hautala MEP. “High Ground is dedicated to defending the rights of all, a position held by the majority of the people I represent.”
The alliance currently consists of six non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working in Europe. Each NGO has some of the strongest credentials in its own field, and is a trusted partner for numerous national and European elected representatives, policy-makers, and institutions. “High Ground is dedicated to informing, educating, and supporting policy-makers at the European level, journalists and civil society who believe that making decisions on how to conduct our own lives is essential to building a healthier, stronger and more just society,” said Dr. Elizabeth O’Casey, campaign coordinator.
The member organizations of the alliance include: Catholics for Choice, European Humanist Federation, European Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development, European Region of the International LGBTI Association, European Women’s Lobby, and International Planned Parenthood Federation – European Network. O’Casey says that this broad-based group reflects the views of the majority of Europeans who support the universality of rights for all.
“The member organizations of the High Ground platform bring unique expertise to ongoing discussions in the European Parliament about secularism, human rights and Sexual and reproductive health and rights,” said Helga Stevens MEP. “Education of MEPs and the public at large is a must-have in a robust democratic society. I look forward to working with and learning from this coalition.”
For more information about each of the individual organizations:
Catholics for Choice, Jon O’Brien, media@catholicsforchoice.org, +1 202 986 6093
European Humanist Federation, Pierre-Arnaud Perrouty, p-a.perrouty@laicite.net,
+32 2 627 68 24
European Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development, Neil Datta, ndatta@epfweb.org, +32 2 500 86 52
European Region of the International LGBTI Association – Europe, Evelyne Paradis, evelyne@ilga-europe.org, +32 2 609 54 13
European Women’s Lobby, Joanna Maycock, joanna.maycock@womenlobby.org,
+32 2 217 90 20
International Planned Parenthood Federation – European Network, Irene Donadio, idonadio@ippfen.org, +32 2 250 0950
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