About us

ILGA World – the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association – is a worldwide federation of more than 2,000 organisations from over 170 countries and territories campaigning for the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex people.

We want a world where the human rights of all are respected and where everyone can live in equality and freedom: a world where global justice and equity are assured and established regardless of people’s sexual orientations, gender identities, gender expressions and sex characteristics (SOGIESC).

Established in 1978, ILGA World has ECOSOC consultative status at the United Nations.

Our members are based in our six regions: Pan Africa ILGA, ILGA Asia, ILGA-Europe, ILGALAC (Latin America and the Caribbean), ILGA North America and the Caribbean and ILGA Oceania.

Governed by an elected Board of 20 activists representing our global family, ILGA World is queer democracy in action!

August 1978. Coventry, United Kingdom.

Representatives of organisations from Australia, Britain, Denmark, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Scotland and the United States gathered together at a fringe meeting of the annual conference of the Campaign for Homosexual Equality: the (then named) IGA was born.

Many legal, political and social changes that have happened for rainbow communities in the past 40 years seemed unthinkable back then. We have been there ever since.

Read an extensive research on the history of ILGA World between 1978-2012
Learn more about ILGA World and the Ecosoc status controversy