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Norway to ban LGBT conversion therapy

Frazer Norwell
Frazer Norwell - [email protected]
Norway to ban LGBT conversion therapy
Norway has set out five areas it wishes to focus on in its action plan. Photo by Stavrialena Gontzou on Unsplash

Norway will submit a bill to ban LGBT conversion therapy as part of a broader action plan aimed at improving the lives of LGBT people in the country, the government announced Thursday.

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The announcement that government would outlaw conversion therapy was made by Prime Minister Erna Solberg at the unveiling of an action plan focused on improving the lives of LGBT people in Norway and advocating for LGBT rights globally.

“Both nationally and internationally, it is more important than ever to stand up for LGBT rights,” Solberg told reporters at the event.

“The government will soon send for a consultation on a bill to ban conversion therapy. This is an important and big step in the right direction,” Solberg added.

Conversion therapy is the controversial act of attempting to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

The bill will be sent for public consultation before it is passed through parliament.

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READ MORE: Why Norway is one of the world's most inclusive nations 

Minister of Culture Abid Raja also spoke at the event and said conversion therapy was a key issue for the government.

“This is one of the focus areas. Conversion therapy takes the freedom from a person and exposes them to immense psychological pressure to try and destroy the self-image of the person,” Raja said.

The ban on conversion therapy is just one of 46 measures announced as part of the action plan with five focus areas.

The five priority areas government will be focusing on are increased knowledge and research of LGBT issues, increased transparency surrounding gender and sexual diversity with equal access to public services, equality in working life and safe local environments and public spaces for LGBT people, a ban on conversion therapy and to continue championing LGBT rights internationally.

13 government ministers are supporting the action plan.

Solberg also announced that next year’s pride event would be funded from the states national budget.

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