LGBTQ and women’s rights are particularly targeted in the current proliferation of hate speech and backsliding on human rights in the world, including in some EU countries. This is acknowledged by the EU Special Representative for Human Rights, appointed in March, that explained his priorities, this week, to the new members of the European Parliament. “I think that rights that have been hard won over the course of the last century are now under pressure again. We are seeing in relation to LGBTQ people, in some countries. I think we are also seeing a push back in relation to the rights of women and that is why I think they are particular issues that we need to prioritize,” Eamon Gilmore, EU Special Representative for Human Rights told our reporter. The inhumane treatment of migrants and refugees is another worrying trend, despite the UN agencies appeals for governments to create safe mechanisms for their reception and triage.