LGBTQ+ Action Plan for Wales: progress update

An oral statement on pride and progress on the LGBTQ+ Action Plan was made on 21 June 2022.

Following the consultation process, the final version of the LGBTQ+ Action Plan was published in February 2023.

The Action Plan was launched following an oral statement on 7 February 2023.

In May 2023, an "Evaluation Assessment Framework" project was launched. We are working with the Equality Evidence Unit to produce a framework to assess the impact and success of the LGBTQ+ Action Plan for Wales.

A Written Statement was published on 15 June 2023, to mark Pride Month 2023 and progress since the publication of the Plan.

Action 1: strengthen understanding of the human rights of LGBTQ+ people

Age Cymru was funded from January to July 2022 to deliver a human rights project in partnership with the Welsh Government.

The purpose of this project was to raise awareness of human rights, and to engage with older people across Wales. This was to embed the message that older people are citizens and participants in society, who should expect to have their human rights upheld.

This included a human rights toolkit and a video which covers the experiences of older transgender people, especially those in healthcare and social care settings.

Action 2: improve LGBTQ+ people’s understanding of how to assert their human rights

Welsh Government has supported Stonewall Cymru in launching its inaugural Future Leaders Programme on 23 January 2024. 

The programme was designed to empower LGBTQ+ people aged 22 to 30 from across Wales to develop their understanding of how our identities shape our experiences and how we can create inclusive environments where all LGBTQ+ people can thrive.

The day was marked by heartfelt conversations, creating a palpable sense of solidarity among delegates.

Action 3: ban all aspects of LGBTQ+ Conversion Practices

We have set up a Working Group on Banning Conversion Practices. The Group advises on proposed actions to ban conversion practices in Wales. This includes a research project, an awareness campaign, and support services for survivors.

We have worked with Galop to develop new bilingual support services for survivors of conversion practices in Wales.

We have commissioned research on the experiences of survivors of conversion practices in Wales, which started in May 2023.

Action 4: strengthen LGBTQ+ representation on equality forums

We have established the LGBTQ+ Action Plan Advisory Group. The non-statutory Group will advise on proposed actions in the LGBTQ+ Action Plan.

Action 8: international engagement showcases our LGBTQ+ values and support in Wales and globally

In April and May 2023, we met with the United Nations and their Independent Expert on Sexual Orientations and Gender Identities. They have recognised the LGBTQ+ Action Plan for Wales in their end of mission statement as:

“An example of good practice in human rights policymaking”.

Action 10: continue to invest in hate crime prevention programmes across Wales

We have updated our Hate Hurts Wales campaign with a focus on sexual orientation and issues faced by transgender people. This is supported by the Wales Hate Support Centre which is funded by Welsh Government.

Hate Hurts Wales has examples of online hate and clearly shows how survivors and targeted individuals to report online hate.

Action 11: counter online anti-LGBTQ+ attitudes and hate crimes

Schools can support young people, learners and their families with a range of online safety resources and guidance via Hwb. These resources promote considerate and respectful behaviour online.

Between December 2022 and March 2023, we rolled out a training package to support education practitioners via Hwb. This was to help them understand, prevent and respond to online sexual harassment. It included bespoke training for safeguarding leads.

Action 13: target violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence among LGBTQ+ communities

The “Live Fear Free” Helpline is the Welsh Government’s all-Wales Helpline. It offers confidential support to all survivors and victims of violence, domestic abuse, and sexual violence. This includes honour-based violence, female genital mutilation and forced marriage.

We published our 5 year Violence Against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (VAWDASV) National Strategy on 24^th May 2022.

It was developed with partner organisations such as the police, specialist sector and survivors. The VAWDASV National Strategy is being delivered through a blueprint approach. This strengthens partnership working between public, private and specialist sectors.

Action 14: homelessness services are inclusive of the specific needs of LGBTQ+ people

Tŷ Pride is a project funded through the Welsh Government Innovation fund. It's staffed 24 hours a day and supports the LGBTQ+ young people community who were experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness. This is in partnership with Denbighshire County Council, Viva LGBTQ+, and Llamau.

In September 2023, the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership visited the Tŷ Pride project in Rhyl. It supports LGBTQ+ young people who are either homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. At the meeting with Denbighshire County Council, Llamau, and Viva LGBT+, the Deputy Minister said:

  “Across Wales, we are investing more than £210m in homelessness prevention services this year alone, including continuing to invest over £3.1m in the Youth Homelessness Innovation Fund.

  I look forward to sharing the values that have helped shape Tŷ Pride with other local authorities to ensure homelessness services are equipped to sensitively engage with LGBTQ+ people.”

Action 15: identify, safeguard and signpost LGBTQ+ people in claiming asylum

The Deputy Minister for Social Partnership wrote to the UK Government about the processing of asylum claims in Rwanda. This was also to discuss how to take forward the action to amend the Asylum Support Application Form (ASF1).This allows for asylum seekers to record their sexual orientation and gender reassignment.

Action 18: understand and improve the experience of LGBTQ+ people in the health and social care sectors

The Deputy Minister for Social Partnership met with Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) service leads, the Equality group at BCUHB, and community groups from North Wales to discuss the needs of LGBTQ+ people in health.

Action 21: publish and act on a new HIV Action Plan

We published our HIV Action Plan for Wales 2023 to 2026 in March 2023.

Several task-and-finish groups and an HIV Action Plan Oversight Group have been established since April 2023.

Action 22: overcome barriers to LGBTQ+ people accessing sexual health services

We work with Public Health Wales (PHW), to make prevention and online testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) more accessible.

We also worked with PHW to develop the latest advice and information about Mpox vaccination.

The online postal HIV test kit offered by Sexual Health Wales is promoted widely by PHW to tackle inequalities.

Action 24: continue to develop the Wales Gender Service

We continue to develop the Welsh Gender Service (adults). It is based at St David’s in Cardiff and has local gender teams (LGT) based in each health board.

Action 26: provide national trans guidance for schools and local authorities

The Welsh Government will be responsible for the content of the guidance.

To inform policy development the Welsh Government has established external groups to provide information and to enable the consideration of a range of views.

We are also undertaking a wider programme of stakeholder engagement, including:

• ongoing meetings with individual organisations
• engagement through networks and events
• engagement with young people themselves

External groups include involvement from:

• local authorities
• education practitioners from range of settings
• other stakeholder organisations  

Some stakeholder organisations attend with observer status.

Stakeholder organisations on our external groups include:

• Barnardos
• Brook, a charity supporting people with sexual health and wellbeing
• Catholic Education Service
• Children's Commissioner for Wales
• Equality and Human Rights Commission
• Estyn
• LGBTQ+ charity/voluntary group
• NAHT Cymru, the school leaders trade union
• Public Health Wales, NHS Trust
• School of Social Sciences, Cardiff University
• Welsh Women’s Aid
• Women’s Equality Network (WEN) Wales
• Youth work organisation

There will be a full public consultation during the 2023 to 2024 academic year. The outcome of this will be published in 2024.

Action 28: design and implement a whole school approach that is fully LGBTQ+ inclusive

The new curriculum for Wales was updated on 31 January 2023. It supports the Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) Code.

We have supported Stonewall Cymru and Peniarth to translate into Welsh two books. 'Early One Morning' and 'Bedtime Not Playtime!' focus on LGBTQ+ families. The books have been distributed to primary schools. This ensures children have access to inclusive materials that reflect on the diversity of Wales.

Action 29: ensure that all colleges and universities in Wales are LGBTQ+ inclusive environments for learners, students and staff

In July 2022, the Welsh Parliament’s Children, Young People and Education Committee published its report on peer on peer sexual harassment among learners.

In June 2023, we published a review of peer-on-peer sexual harassment among 16 to 18 year old learners in further education colleges across Wales. The review was commissioned on behalf of the Minister for Education and Welsh Language.

Action 30: support the family lives of LGBTQ+ people

Our bilingual Parenting. Give it Time website includes links to trusted organisations. It offers support for parents from LGBTQ+ communities, or whose children are LGBTQ+, or are in the process of transitioning. The website also provides The website also provides support to parents and carers requiring additional help.

Action 35: support Pride organisations across Wales

We have set up an All-Wales Grassroots Pride Fund. It helps smaller Pride events engage and support LGBTQ+ people and broader communities. For instance, we have offered support to:

• Barry Pride
• Cowbridge Pride
• Glitter Pride by Glitter Cymru
• North Wales Pride in Bangor
• Pride in the Port (Newport)
• Swansea Pride
• Colwyn Bay Pride
• Abergavenny Pride
• Hay Pride

We continue to support and sponsor Pride Cymru and its event in Cardiff, in line with our Programme for Government commitment. 

Action 37: support LGBTQ+ Veterans of the Armed Services

We worked with Lord Etherton KC and team on the independent review into the impact of the criminalisation of being gay in the British military.  The review looked into the service and experience of LGBT veterans who served in the Armed Forces between 1967 and 2000.

This included close collaboration with the charity Fighting with Pride in Wales. This offered advice concerning the suggestions and recommendations for Wales in the LGBT Veterans Independent Review published in May 2023. Its Analysis Report was published in July 2023.

The Deputy Minister for Social Partnership released a Written Statement on 20 July 2023 to update about progress made in this area.

Action 38: improve the representation, inclusion, and participation of LGBTQ+ people in sports

The Welsh Government has supported the new Out and Wild Festival 2022 to 2024.

Set in Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, this Festival focuses on wellness, the outdoors and sport. It is designed for LGBTQ+ women and non-binary people.

This is in line with our LGBTQ+ Action Plan commitments; the National Events Strategy for Wales 2022 to 2030; and well-being objectives in the Programme for Government to enable our tourism sports and arts industries to thrive.

Action 39: Improve the access and participation of transgender people in sport

The Deputy Minister for the Arts and Sports opened the Football vs Transphobia Week of Action. Launched in 2023, this restated the support of Welsh Government for trans inclusion in sports.

Action 40: celebrate and improve the representation of LGBTQ+ communities in the heritage and culture of Wales

We fund LGBTQ+ language and history training for local museums, archives and libraries. This helps staff and volunteers work with LGBTQ+ communities to showcase, share and celebrate local LGBTQ+ history and culture in their collections.

The training has resulted in a project to create timelines of LGBTQ+ histories, and including references to collections and stories held in local collections, for each Welsh county area. This was published in February 2024.

Action 41: increase the involvement of LGBTQ+ people and organisations in the design of cultural events and activities

Through Creative Wales, we want to ensure creative industries can continue to grow. This will help nurture talent from all communities, including LGBTQ+ communities. We have supported the Iris Prize Festival many times through Creative Wales.

Through the Creative Skills Fund, Creative Wales is funding 2 projects with Beacons Cymru.

The "Resonant project" empowers gender diverse and marginalised young people (aged 18 to 25) to work behind the scenes in the Welsh music industry.

The "TransForm Music project" to develop a training package for music and creative venues. This partnership focuses on making music industry spaces in Wales safer for, and more inclusive of, transgender and non-binary people. It is being delivered to 6 music industry stakeholders across Wales.

Action 44: Encourage private sector employers to be LGBTQ+ inclusive 

The Deputy Minister for Social Partnership met with Principality Building Society’s LGBTQ+ network to discuss inclusive practice in workplaces.

We continue to support the Wales TUC (Trades Union Congress) 10 steps towards LGBTQ+ inclusive workplaces action plan published in May 2023.

The Minister for Economy and Deputy Minister for Social Partnership launched the Retail Action Plan in May 2023. The Plan includes actions to promote Fair Work and workforce equality, diversity, and inclusion. 

The Deputy Minister met with the Lloyds Banking Group and their Rainbow Network, speaking at their annual Rainbow Network event in Cardiff in November 2023 and addressed the importance of inclusive practices and LGBTQ+ staff networks.

Action 46: undertake a thorough investigation into how LGBTQ+ people, particularly LGBTQ+ young people and LGBTQ+ disabled people, in Wales have been impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic

We commissioned research to see what actions could help address the impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on LGBTQ+ communities.

We have launched a dedicated LGBTQ+ Action Plan Bulletin for stakeholders in Wales. Subscribe to the LGBTQ+ Action Plan bulletin.