Toespraak staatssecretaris Judith Tielen (Onderwijs en Emancipatie) bij de World Pride Human Rights Conference

Good morning everyone,

It is a real pleasure to be here with you today. 
Let me begin with a simple exercise. 
I am going to call out just one word. 
As soon as you hear it, I would like you to picture a person. 
Someone who, in your eyes, truly represents that word. 
Okay, here it goes. 
The word is…
Courage. 

Take a moment. 

Who came to mind? 
Was it a man, a woman or a non-binary person?
What was the color of their skin?
Was it someone known to many, or someone from your own life?   

Let me assure you: there is no right or wrong answer. 
But it does invite us to reflect on something important. 
Even those of us who fight every day for freedom and equality are not immune to unconscious assumptions about who we see as courageous, who we see as influential, and who we believe can change the world. 

And those assumptions are not only shaped by gender.
They are also shaped by age. 

So let me ask you one more question - and, I promise, it is the last one. 
How old was the person you pictured? 
Perhaps you thought of a seasoned activist, human rights defender or a politician.
Someone who could stand on a stage like this. 

I personally was thinking of an eleven-year-old boy, who lives just thirty-six kilometers from where we are standing today.  
I recently read his story in a national newspaper. 
Not long ago, he came out as part of the LGBTIQ+ community. 
During Pride Month, he hung a Pride flag outside his home in the Dutch city of Haarlem for the very first time.  
Not because he wanted attention. 
But because he wanted others to know they are not alone. Because he believes everyone deserves the freedom to be themselves. 

A few days later, he received a threatening letter demanding that he remove the flag. 

This story could have ended there. 
The boy and his family could have removed the flag. 
They could have stowed it away somewhere. 
Out of sight. 
Out of mind. 

But that is not what happened. 
When his neighbors learned about the letter, they could have looked the other way. 
They could have stayed silent. 
Instead, they chose to speak up. 
They chose to act.
They ordered their own Pride flags and hung them outside their homes.  
Before long, a large part of the street became a powerful symbol of solidarity.  

That is what unity means. 
Unity strengthens our courage. 
Not by simply standing beside one another when it is easy, but by choosing to stand together when it matters most. 

And today, that same spirit of unity is needed. 

Because this story is not just about one street in Haarlem. 
It is a reminder of a larger reality: the struggle for LGBTIQ+ equality is far from over. 
Across the Netherlands, Europe and beyond, LGBTIQ+ people and communities continue to face discrimination, hostility and exclusion. 
We see Pride flags being torn down, vandalized or stolen from homes, community spaces and public buildings. 
We see LGBTIQ+ people being attacked and intimidated, both online and offline. 
And we see the rights and freedoms that previous generations fought so hard to secure being openly questioned, undermined, and sometimes taken away. 
The unity that has carried the fight for equality forward for so many years is being tested.   

Dear friends,

That is why it is so important that we are gathered here today. 
Previous generations have done tremendous work. 

They showed courage. 
They challenged injustice.
They fought for equal rights. 
And they laid the foundations that allow many LGBTIQ+ people to live more openly and freely today. 
To be themselves and to be recognized as an integral part of our communities.  
Significant steps have been taken, but the work is far from done. 
Let’s take legislation as an example. 
I gather that many of you are familiar with ILGA-Europe’s Rainbow Map. 
Every year, it ranks 49 European countries based on their laws and policies that have a direct impact on the human rights of LGBTIQ+ people. 

It shows us where progress is being made.
It shows us where challenges remain.
And it reminds us that equality depends on continued commitment and action.

That applies to the Netherlands as well.
We have a proud history of advancing LGBTIQ+ equality, but in recent years our progress has stalled while others have moved ahead. 
And no country can afford to stand still. 
The moment we stop moving forward, we risk moving backwards. 

That is why it is so valuable that we are gathered here today. 
Not only to discuss challenges.
But to exchange solutions. 
Not only to share concerns. 
But to share experiences, best practices and inspiration. 
To learn from one another. 
And to discover how we can strengthen our shared efforts to advance equal rights for everyone. 

Regardless of where you live.
Regardless of who you love.
Regardless of who you are. 

That is also what I, as the Dutch Minister for Primary and Secondary Education and Equality, am committed to: ensuring that everyone in Europe feels safe and has the freedom to be themselves.
That is why the Dutch government called for an ambitious strategy from the European Commission, which has since presented its new LGBTIQ+ Equality Strategy. 
Looking further ahead, the Dutch government welcomes the expected adoption of the first-ever Council of Europe Strategy for the Equality of Rights of LGBTI Persons later this year. 

Beyond Europe, protecting human rights also requires us to work together across borders.
The Netherlands will continue to support international cooperation and stand up for equal rights for all. 
For example, we do this through the Human Rights Council and by supporting the mandate of the UN Independent Expert on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity.

But progress is not made through commitments and policies alone. 
It is made when people and communities turn those commitments into reality.

That is why meetings like this matter.

Today, you will discuss how we can connect the work we do in our own countries with the opportunities available at both the European and international level.

Because none of us has all the answers.
We need each other.
We need unity. 
And that brings me back to the eleven-year-old boy I spoke about at the beginning of my speech.
His story shows us what unity can achieve.

One person showed courage.
Several neighbors chose to stand together.
And together, they showed what is possible when people look out for one another.

In that street in Haarlem, people of different ages, different backgrounds, and different experiences stood united by a shared belief: everyone deserves the freedom to be themselves.

That is the unity we need to protect.
That is the diversity we need to celebrate.

So let’s do that together. 
Across our communities and across our countries: protect and celebrate, celebrate and protect. 
For freedom and equality for all. 

Thank you.