In a significant step towards equality and inclusion, the Barcelona Provincial Council has launched the LGTBIQ+ Consultation Service, a pioneering initiative designed to strengthen support for city councils in serving the LGTBIQ+ community. This new resource, telematic in nature, promises to be a fundamental pillar for professionals who work every day with this group, offering specialized advice and support in various situations.
An Essential Resource for Diversity
Activated this October by theFeminisms and Equality Area, the LGTBIQ+ Consultation Servicefocuses on providing technical support and accompaniment to professionals from local entities in the district. Its objective is clear: to guarantee an adequate, respectful and adjusted response to the needs of LGTBIQ+ people throughout the territory.
What type of support does this service offer? The range is wide and crucial:
- Discrimination and LGTBI-phobic violence: Advice and response to situations of discrimination and attacks.
- Sexual and gender identity: Guidance and support on issues related to gender identity and expression.
- Empowerment and emotional support: Resources to strengthen individuals and provide them with psychological support.
- Family support: Assistance to families with sexual and gender diversity.
Legal and administrative advice: Legal and administrative guidance, with referral to specialized services if necessary.
Immediacy is key in this service, which is committed to offering a response within a maximum of 24 business hours, via telephone, email or telematic meeting. Once the query has been received through a form, the managing entity will contact the local entity to determine the most suitable channel and response modality.
The LGTBIQ+ Program: A Strategic Framework for the Future
This online consultation service is not an isolated initiative, but is part of a much broader strategy: the LGTBIQ+ Program. This framework document, prepared by the Feminisms and Equality Area of the Barcelona Provincial Council, brings together for the first time all the actions and policies aimed at the LGTBIQ+ community that will be deployed between 2025 and 2027.
Although many of these actions were already being developed, the creation of this program provides a more structured and strategic perspective, consolidating and making these public policies visible. Why was this common framework necessary? Because it allows a comprehensive and coordinated vision of the actions, ensuring that efforts are more effective and reach those who need it most.
The origin of this program is found in an exhaustive diagnosis: the document ‘State of the art and aspects for improvement in the field of emotional, sexual and gender diversity in the municipalities of the Barcelona district’. This study, the result of collaboration with city councils, local entities and key agents, identified important shortcomings:
- Insufficient specific personnel and budgetary limitations in LGTBIQ+ policies, especially in small municipalities.
- Need for more specialized training in the Comprehensive Care Service Network (SAI).
- Lack of coordination and networking between administrations and entities.
As a result of this diagnosis, the LGTBIQ+ Program proposes key actions such as specific training for technical and elected personnel, protocols against LGTBI-phobia, support and accompaniment to the territory, creation of methodological tools and resources, and awareness-raising adapted to the needs of the municipalities.
The Barcelona Provincial Council demonstrates its commitment by allocating more than one million euros this year to resources, services and projects in the LGTBIQ+ field. Support includes a benefit fund for municipalities with less than 20,000 inhabitants, workshops and artistic activities linked to key dates such as May 17 (International Day against LGTBI-phobia) and June 28 (LGTBIQ+ Pride Day), technical advice and calls for subsidies for non-profit entities.
This joint effort seeks to build a future where diversity is celebrated and protected in every corner of the province. Are we laying the foundation for a truly inclusive society, where each person can live their identity without fear or discrimination? The answer lies in the commitment and continuous action of everyone.
