Forbidden Colours

Forbidden Colours collects and raises funds to support initiatives that help LGBTIQ+ people to fully live their lives in freedom with self-respect and dignity in Europe. They are also a leading advocate in exposing anti-LGBTIQ+ initiatives in Europe, and therefore conduct extensive advocacy with media, EU-institutions and member states.

Forbidden Colours is a NPO linked to a fund managed by the King Baudouin Foundation, the major Belgian public benefit foundation, whose mission it is to contribute to a better society.

We want all LGBTIQ+ persons to be able to get up every morning feeling it is okay to be who they are. We use our extensive network in the European institutions, and in several member states of the EU, to address the backlashes on LGBTIQ+ rights. With our media contacts across the world, we expose anti-LGBTIQ+ initiatives. By putting pressure through the media, we were able to put several cases higher on the political agenda.

The organization is considered as one of the most effective organizations to protect LGBTIQ+ rights on the European level. By closely monitoring the geopolitical forces behind state-sponsored anti-LGBTIQ+ campaigns, Forbidden Colours was able to expose several European governments for scapegoating the LGBTIQ+ community as a deception for their anti-democracy campaigns.

They revealed cases such as the anti-LGBTIQ+ propaganda law in Hungary, an anti-LGBTIQ+ education reform in Poland and the needs of LGBTIQ+ persons fleeing Russia's war with Ukraine in the international media. With this, Forbidden Colours has gained the attention of the world media and has been featured in amongst others The Guardian, VICE & Sky News. The non-profit has led a campaign aiming to take down Hungary's infamous anti-LGBTIQ+ propaganda law. After 1,5 year of campaigning by Forbidden Colours, the Hungarian government was taken to the Court of Justice of the European Union. For the first time in the history of the EU, a member state was taken to court on the basis of violations of human dignity and human rights. Forbidden Colours was also able to convince the largest group of member states ever to intervene in a lawsuit against another member state.

They also help organisations from all over the world to advocate more successfully at the European Union institutions and, for example, also works with local partners on the EU Global Human Rights Sanction Regime. Besides its political advocacy work, Forbidden Colours also works with the corporate world to create a more diverse, equal and inclusive workplace. They give trainings, keynotes and develop projects to raise awareness to the issues of the LGBTIQ+ community within the company. They also develop 'corporate social responsibility'-projects about LGBTIQ+ rights together with the corporate world. This helps companies to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

Visit their website for more info: https://www.forbidden-colours.com/