On December 13th, 2008 the Ukrainian LGBT Council was created. Its Declaration was signed by nine gay and lesbian non-governmental organisations of that country.

Mr. Svyatoslav Sheremet, the Head of the Ukrainian Gay Forum (on photo), said that it was a long and hard way toward this landmark decision. "The talks on establishing of a united LGBT movement of Ukraine have been held since Spring 2005, as far as I can remember. However, our union de-facto was in force since Summer 2006 when all nationwide acting gay and lesbian organisations followed the principle to act unanimously before the state structures and social institutions".

The Council's goals are: 1) greater civil equality and social comfort for lesbians, gays, bisexual and transgender people in that country, 2) establishment in Ukraine of proper conditions for overall development and social formation of an individuality irrespectively to his/her sexual orientation or gender identity, 3) fight HIV/AIDS on national level, 4) promote LGBT community as a full and active member of political and social life of Ukraine.

Mrs. Laima Gaydar, the leader of "Feminine Net", a Feminist-Lesbian Organisation of Ukraine, comments: "For us to be united is very important for political reasons. Together we are stronger! The Council is established first of all to protect our rights on national level, to counteract discrimination of LGBT people. But it is not all. Besides partnership with the Ukrainian Government we will care on all levels for the health of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people".

Mr. Sheremet explains: "Consensus is the only form of decision making in the Council. We can act in Council's name only when all its members have unanimously taken a decision. At first sight, this form would be ineffective because our members might have their own and different views on the issues. But to seek the most suitable one, to discuss and to agree - that is our complicated mission - to ameliorate the life of hundred thousands of our LGBT compatriots".

The Declaration establishing the Ukrainian LGBT Council at present time signed by the representatives of nine Ukrainian LGBT NGOs: "Insight", "Nash Mir" (Our World), "Gay-Alliance", "Feminine Net" (Kyiv), "Donbass-SocialProject" (Donetsk), "Credo" (Krivoy Rog), "Ravnodenstvie" (Equinox (Makeyevka)), "Gay-Alliance Cherkassy" (Cherkassy) and Gay Forum Ukraine. The Declaration is open for signature by other existing and newly founded LGBT NGOs of Ukraine.

The post of the Council's Chairman is vacant.

Reference by Gay Forum Ukraine

The Ukrainian LGBT Council is not the only LGBT organisation in that country. In Summer 2008 the three Ukrainian LGBT NGOs have established the Interregional gay organisation of Ukraine. Its aim is to perform effective activities on a regular basis by gays and bisexuals in Kyiv, Donetsk, Lugansk and Cherkassy regions.

14 LGBT NGOs are officially registered up to date. About twenty other NGOs grant social services to gays, and forty initiative gay/lesbian groups and more than 150 active members of LGBT movement are working in this field.

The number of homosexuals and bisexuals, and straight people that practise same-sex sex in Ukraine is about 0.8-1.2 mln people.

Translated by Yerdna Bananes