Following historic UN statement in 2008 - History in making: 66 countries, including Armenia, signed a joint UN statement against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity - Armenia consistently endorsed major international statements on gay rights and against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. [for other examples - see here]
As reported by international media and gay rights groups world-wide, yet another important step forward was achieved on Tuesday 22 March when 85 countries endorsed a Joint Statement delivered at the UN Human Rights Council. This statement was put forward and intensively lobbied world-wide by US president Obama’s administration.
As in the past, Azerbaijan, Turkey and Russia did not endorse the statement. I will put #fail here.
The full text of the statement delivered at the Human Rights Council on 22 March 2011 by the representative of Colombia on behalf of 85 countries is provided below (source). Within the comments section of this post you may also read some immediate reactions of prominent gay rights groups.
ILGA-Europe reports that 43 European countries, including Armenia and Georgia, signed the statement. Only 6 countries from the European region did not sign up: Azerbaijan, Belarus, Moldova, Russian Federation, Turkey, Vatican.
Now what we need more is to move from the ‘paper’ to real-life implementation of the principles outlined in this statement. Only then I will call this a breakthrough, for real.
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Joint statement on ending acts of violence and related human rights violations based on sexual orientation & gender identity
Delivered by Colombia on behalf of: Albania, Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Bosnia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, the Central African Republic, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lichtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the former-Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malta, the Marshall Islands, Mexico, Micronesia, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Rwanda, Samoa, San Marino, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tuvalu, the United States of America, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Ukraine, Uruguay, Vanautu and Venezuela
1. We recall the previous joint statement on human rights, sexual orientation and gender identity, presented at the Human Rights Council in 2006;
2. We express concern at continued evidence in every region of acts of violence and related human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity brought to the Council’s attention by Special Procedures since that time, including killings, rape, torture and criminal sanctions;
3. We recall the joint statement in the General Assembly on December 18, 2008 on human rights, sexual orientation and gender identity, supported by States from all five regional groups, and encourage States to consider joining the statement;
4. We commend the attention paid to these issues by international human rights mechanisms including relevant Special Procedures and treaty bodies and welcome continued attention to human rights issues related to sexual orientation and gender identity within the context of the Universal Periodic Review. As the United Nations Secretary General reminded us in his address to this Council at its Special Sitting of 25 January 2011, the Universal Declaration guarantees all human beings their basic rights without exception, and when individuals are attacked, abused or imprisoned because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, the international community has an obligation to respond;
5. We welcome the positive developments on these issues in every region in recent years, such as the resolutions on human rights, sexual orientation and gender identity adopted by consensus in each of the past three years by the General Assembly of the Organization of American States, the initiative of the Asia-Pacific Forum on National Human Rights Institutions to integrate these issues within the work of national human rights institutions in the region, the recommendations of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, the increasing attention being paid to these issues by the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights, and the many positive legislative and policy initiatives adopted by States at the national level in diverse regions;
6. We note that the Human Rights Council must also play its part in accordance with its mandate to “promote universal respect for the protection of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, without discrimination of any kind, and in a fair and equal manner” (GA 60/251, OP 2);
7. We acknowledge that these are sensitive issues for many, including in our own societies. We affirm the importance of respectful dialogue, and trust that there is common ground in our shared recognition that no-one should face stigmatisation, violence or abuse on any ground. In dealing with sensitive issues, the Council must be guided by the principles of universality and non-discrimination;
8. We encourage the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to continue to address human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity and to explore opportunities for outreach and constructive dialogue to enhance understanding and awareness of these issues within a human rights framework;
9. We recognise our broader responsibility to end human rights violations against all those who are marginalised and take this opportunity to renew our commitment to addressing discrimination in all its forms;
10. We call on States to take steps to end acts of violence, criminal sanctions and related human rights violations committed against individuals because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, encourage Special Procedures, treaty bodies and other stakeholders to continue to integrate these issues within their relevant mandates, and urge the Council to address these important human rights issues.
UNHRC Statement a major step in the fight against transphobia and homophobia
ReplyDeletehttp://ilga.org/ilga/en/article/mTSb5pg1Em
Compared to a similar Human Rights Council joint declaration on this topic in 2006 and to a UN General Assembly Statement in 2008, this Statement establishes as a principle that “no one should face stigmatization, violence or abuse on any ground, and that in dealing with sensitive issues, the Council must be guided by the principles of universality and non-discrimination. This was enabled by the preceding 2008 UN General Assembly Statement, which for the first time inserted sexual orientation and gender identity in the UN interpretation of the Universal declaration of Human Rights, by reaffirming the non-discrimination principle of international law, requiring that human rights apply equally to each human being.
Today’s joint declaration by 84 member countries of the United Nations’ Human Rights Council, calling for an end to violence, criminal sanctions and human rights violations against people because of their sexual orientation or gender identity is a very significant step forward towards international consensus on LGBTI people’s rights, according to ILGA, the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association. ILGA considers the fact that the amount of countries willing to sign on to a declaration like this is approaching a majority of UN members, is a credit to the increased sensitivity of national governments, and the work of international, regional and local LGBTI human rights activists all over the World, particularly the International Coalition of LGBTI organizations that worked together with national governments and provided the information they requested through the process of preparing the declaration.
“We welcome the Statement just read at the UN Human Rights Council and signed by 84 Countries, as a sign of the growing international, cross-regional consensus around the need to protect people persecuted because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Also to engage in a truly universal application of human rights”, said Renato Sabbadini, one of ILGA’s two Co-Secretary Generals, speaking from ILGA’s headquarters in Brussels. According to Sabbadini “The strength of this Statement makes the defence of discrimination against lesbians, gays, bisexual, trans and intersex people on the basis of a mistaken sense of “tradition” or “natural order” more untenable than ever. Homophobia and transphobia are more and more acknowledged for what they truly are: the last crumbling pillars of a patriarchal order which belong with other dark pages of our past, like slavery and the Inquisition.”
Compared to a similar Human Rights Council joint declaration on this topic in 2006 and to a UN General Assembly Statement in 2008, this Statement acknowledges for the first time also the positive developments on recognition of LGBTI human rights in each region of the world. It also establishes as a principle that “no one should face stigmatization, violence or abuse on any ground, and that in dealing with sensitive issues, the Council must be guided by the principles of universality and non-discrimination. This was enabled by the preceding 2008 UN General Assembly Statement, which for the first time inserted sexual orientation and gender identity in the UN interpretation of the Universal declaration of Human Rights, by reaffirming the non-discrimination principle of international law, requiring that human rights apply equally to each human being.
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ReplyDelete“We are very pleased and proud of the results achieved through the hard work of the International Coalition of Organizations for LGBTI rights and each of the groups that made the efforts in its country. This work has raised awareness not only of more and more governments, but obviously has been steadfast in its commitment to human rights protection. It is a historical moment we're happy to be part of”, said Gloria Careaga, ILGA’s other Co-Secretary General today in Mexico-City. Careaga stressed that “This time more countries have joined. The ongoing discussions on violence and discrimination raised by LGBTI people in international arenas, especially in the Human Rights Council, have opened the eyes of those that did not recognize the abuse that happened daily”.
Apart from more countries signing the joint declaration, 84 this year to 66 in 2008 and 54 in 2006, there is also a shift towards more countries from the South signing on, including from regions where these issues are still highly sensitive like Africa, Asia and the Caribbean. Among the newcomers in signing the declaration are countries like: Dominica, Honduras, Central African Republic, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and Seychelles.
ILGA is set to encourage countries all over the world to embrace the contents of this declaration by incorporating them in national policies and national law, and as such will keep coordinating its work with the international coalition of LGBTI organizations. In this context ILGA is presently planning an International Panel to be held parallel to the next Human Rights Council meeting in June on “The Growing Consensus: Towards the End of Criminalization and Human Rights Violations based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity”.
GROUNDBREAKING STATEMENT AT THE HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL
ReplyDeletehttp://www.dayagainsthomophobia.org/Groundbreaking-Statement-at-the,516
The IDAHO Committee welcomes the Declaration on sexual orientation and gender identity, which was presented today at the Council of Human Rights United Nations.
A crucial statement has just been presented today at the United Nations’ Human Rights Council, calling to end violence and criminal sanctions against homosexuals and transgender people. It was read by Colombia on behalf of more than 80 countries from all world regions.
This figure is to be paralleled with the 68 countries that had signed the Declaration of December 18, 2008 on the same subject at the UN General Assembly. It is therefore an important development. More and more countries are recognizing that human rights are indivisible, and this recognition stretches across all world regions.
The IDAHO Committee, which promotes the May 17 International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia, has actively been campaigning for the universal decriminalization of homosexuality. The appeal to this end it launched in 2006 was backed by several Nobel Prize laureates (Desmond Tutu, Elfriede Jelinek, Amartya Sen, Dario For, Jose Saramago) and by artists and leading intellectuals such as Merryl Streep, Elton John, Judith Butler, Noam Chomsky, etc... The campaign contributed significantly to the UN General Assembly Declaration of 2008.
Today, a new step was taken. The IDAHO Committee can only rejoice and congratulate the governments, civil society alliances and all the other stakeholders who played an active role in these developments.
We now invite all concerned parties to keep building coherent and time-bound strategies that will lead up to a UN Resolution, which, as a binding commitment at UN level, would exert greater pressure on the 76 countries in the world that still criminalize same-sex relationships.
Ending Violence Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
ReplyDeletehttp://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/03/22/ending-violence-based-sexual-orientation-and-gender-identity
Amidst so many crises and tragedies around the world, there was one unequivocal step forward for the human rights of all people today. The UN gave a pivotal recognition to the rights of LGBT persons around the world, a move the US pushed hard to build the consensus for as Press Secretary Jay Carney said in a statement just out:
President Obama believes that advancing the human rights of minorities and the marginalized is a fundamental American value. The President was pleased to announce during his trip to Brazil that he and President Rousseff agreed to promote respect for the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals through the establishment of a special rapporteur on LGBT issues at the Organization of American States. This special rapporteur will be the first of its kind in the international system.
Over the past months our diplomats have been engaged in frank, and at times difficult, conversations about the human rights of LGBT persons with governments from around world. This morning, at the United Nations Human Rights Council, some 85 countries joined the United States in reaffirming our joint commitment to end acts of violence and human rights abuses on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. The President is proud of the work we have done to build international consensus on this critical issue and is committed to continuing our determined efforts to advance the human rights of all people, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.