Spain appoints its first Ambassador for Global LGBTQ+ Rights

Spain has formally established its first-ever ambassadorial post dedicated to promoting LGBTQ+ rights worldwide, marking a significant step in the country’s long-standing commitment to equality.

Jorge Noval Álvarez, a seasoned diplomat, has been appointed as Spain’s inaugural Special Ambassador for LGBTQ+ Rights. The position - created as part of Spain’s feminist and human‑rights–centred foreign policy - aims to bolster international advocacy efforts at a time of rising hostility toward LGBTQ+ communities in several regions. 

The new ambassadorial role is designed to coordinate Spain’s diplomatic actions in defence of sexual and gender diversity. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the post will spearhead initiatives to decriminalise same-sex relations in countries where they remain punishable, including those imposing long prison terms or even the death penalty. It will also lead efforts to combat the spread of anti‑LGBTQ+ hate speech online. 

The initiative is aligned with Spain’s commitments under the Foreign Action Strategy 2025–2028 and follows the country’s assumption of the co‑presidency of the Equal Rights Coalition (ERC), a 44‑nation intergovernmental alliance promoting LGBTQ+ rights. Officials emphasise that the new ambassador will work closely with civil society organisations, multilateral bodies, and ERC partners to ensure rapid responses to rights violations worldwide.

In recent years, Spain has positioned itself as a global leader in LGBTQ+ rights. Despite its relatively recent transition to democracy in 1978 - after a dictatorship under which same‑sex relations were criminalised - the country has moved rapidly to advance equality. It legalised same-sex marriage in 2005 and enacted landmark reforms, including gender self‑determination laws and workplace protections.

Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares stated that the creation of the ambassadorial role “strengthens Spain’s international leadership on LGTBIQ+ rights” and reinforces the nation’s determination not to “stand on the sidelines” amid global regression in LGBTQ+ freedoms. He described the issue as a “decisive frontier of democracy in the 21st century.”