Belgium - November 2022

A new law banning conversion practices was approved by the Belgian Cabinet, introducing a maximum punishment of two years in prison. Conversion practices involve attempts to force a change in a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity, with methods ranging from psychotherapy, electroshock therapy, medication, and physical violence. Conversion practices are condemned by the European Union, and the European Parliament has called on member states to implement bans. The Council of Ministers also adopted a framework law which defines femicide as a crime and establishes a system for the official collection and analysis of data related to femicides. State Secretary for Gender Equality Sarah Schlitz, who sponsored the law, has said that it intends to create “effective tools to better understand the phenomenon and protect the victims.”

Sources: Brussels Times, European Parliament, Sarah Schlitz, Euractiv