The Covid-19 pandemic and its consequences have highlighted the fragility of the human rights of LGBTI people, according to the annual report by a leading rights NGO, published on Tuesday (15 February). “Progress which has been taken for granted is not only increasingly fragile, but particularly vulnerable to exploitation by anti-human rights forces,” concluded the 10th annual review of the human rights situation of LGBTI people in Europe and Central Asia. The review was put together by ILGA-Europe, an umbrella organisation of over 600 LGBTI advocacy groups. The unprecedented events of 2020 pushed the LGBTI communities in Europe “to the brink”, ILGA-Europe said. The report brings together data from 54 countries. Evelyne Paradis, executive director of ILGA-Europe said there has been a “stark rise” in abuse and hate speech against LGBTI people. Many in the LGBTI community “who have became vulnerable to homelessness have been forced to move back in to hostile family and community situations,” she added.