SCOTLAND is the best country in Europe for legal equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people, according to a new study.
Gay right campaigners welcomed the 2015 Rainbow Europe Index report, compiled by ILGA-Europe, an international human rights association, which shows Scotland ahead of the rest of the UK and Europe in LGBTI legal protection.
The annual index measures progress in European countries on LGBTI equality against 48 criteria, including legal protection from discrimination in work and services, measures to tackle hate crime, rights and recognition for transgender and intersex people, and equality in family law including same-sex marriage and parenting rights.
Following the legalisation of same-sex marriage from December 31 last year, Scotland now meets 92 per cent of the criteria, compared to 86 per cent for the UK as a whole.
Scottish LGBTI equality and human rights charity The Equality Network, which released details of the European study, said the UK’s overall figure was brought down by a “lack of protections for intersex people in England and Wales, and Northern Ireland’s failure to respect LGBTI human rights in a range of areas including its refusal to legalise same-sex marriage”.
The Equality Network welcomed Scotland’s place at the top of the index.
It said the rating was down to the Scottish Government and Parliament’s willingness to consult properly with LGBTI people.
The charity’s policy and public affairs coordinator Tom French said: “The fact that Scotland now ranks best in Europe overall on LGBTI legal equality is welcome recognition for the efforts of campaigners and the willingness of our politicians to properly consult with LGBTI people and then act on the evidence by passing progressive measures.
“However, the Equality Network warns against any complacency as we know there is still much more to do to achieve full equality for LGBTI people in Scotland.
“As ILGA’s review shows there are still areas where Scotland is failing to respect LGBTI human rights and falling behind the progress in other countries, particularly when it comes to the rights of trans and intersex people.
“There is also a big difference between securing legal rights and full equality for LGBTI people in their everyday lives.
“Despite real progress in the law, LGBTI people in Scotland are still facing unacceptable levels of prejudice, discrimination and disadvantage throughout their lives.”
Scotland is joined in the top five in Europe by the rest of the UK along with Belgium on 83 per cent, Malta on 77 per cent, and Sweden on 72 per cent.
The five countries ranked worst for LGBTI legal equality in Europe were ranked as Azerbaijan (five per cent), Russia (eight per cent), Armenia (nine per cent), Ukraine (10 per cent) and Monaco (11 per cent).
ILGA-Europe represents 417 member organisations in 45 European countries.
MSPs approved the Marriage and Civil Partnership Act at Holyrood last year and the Scottish Government said the move was the right thing to do.
The legislation said religious and belief bodies could opt in to performing same-sex marriages and Scottish ministers stressed that no part of the religious community would be forced to hold such ceremonies in churches.
The two main churches in Scotland – the Roman Catholic Church and Church of Scotland – were opposed to same-sex marriage.
Former Health Secretary Alex Neil said the move was an “important signal that our nation is absolutely committed to the same rights for all our citizens”.
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