Many parties sign "Rainbow Agreement" supporting LGBTQ+ rights; NSC, PVV and BBB do not

Numerous parties have signed the so-called "Rainbow Agreement" in the Media Park in Hilversum, in which they make several promises to emancipate the LGBTQIA+ community. These include VVD, GroenLinks-PvdA, D66, CDA, Partij voor de Dieren, SP, Volt, and BIJ1.

Of the largest parties in the polls, NSC, PVV, and BBB were not present on Saturday. The initiator COC Netherlands reported that Pieter Omtzigt's Nieuw Sociaal Contract and Caroline van der Plas' BoerBurgerBeweging have indicated that they will not sign the agreement. The interest group for members of the LGBTQIA+ community thinks this is a shame.

"Especially in these times, it is incredibly great and important that parties show that they stand up for our community despite their differences," said COC President Astrid Oosenbrug.

This is the fourth time that the COC has signed a rainbow agreement with national parties. The first time was in 2012. Among other things, the parties promise to take action against discrimination, be it based on sexual orientation, gender, or skin color.

The agreement was also about the introduction of an LGBTQIA+ emancipation policy, a legal ban on LGBTQIA+ conversion attempts to "cure" those concerned, as well as the introduction of legal transition leave for trans people and the elimination of waiting lists for transgender care, according to COC Netherlands.

The signatories want higher legal penalties in cases of violence. The number of discrimination investigators should be increased from four to 40, and asylum shelters for illegal immigrants should be made safer. Schools should also pay more attention to the issue. The nine parties want schools to stop requiring so-called identity declarations. In this way, students or their parents endorse a certain philosophy of life and, for example, distance themselves from homosexuality.

According to the COC, 50PLUS has also pledged its support for the agreement.