Why should we care about minority rights?

.@lwvdlaan former member of European Parliament opening speech at the conference #bbc4 #prideinsport pic.twitter.com/8xosM4yLzp

— EGLSF – LGBTIQ Sport (@eglsf) March 7, 2014

ALDE Party – Liberals and Democrats for Europe Vice President Lousewies van der Laan answers in her speech at the opening of European LGBT Sports Federation conference:

“The answer is simple. Because how we treat minorities is the ultimate litmus test of civilisation. Democracy is not about a majority imposing its will. Democracy starts with the protection of minorities and sexual minorities remain among the most vulnerable in the world. In this regard, recent times have been horrible with new discrimination laws being adopted in Uganda, Nigeria and Russia. It shows how far we still have to go.”

Exactly. There is lots still to do and it is an essential matter for all of us.