This article originally appeared in Women's eNews Tuesday, August 21, 2012 »

By Grace Poore
Regional Program Coordinator for Asia and the Pacific Islands

CEDAW--the international beacon for women's rights--does not shine on lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people in Indonesia. This is a painful disappointment, given LBT people's need for protection from a fundamentalist backlash.

Two protest signs that read, "Against harassment to the Prophet Mohammed" and "Gay and lesbians are sinful." Credit: Ardhanary Institute.

(WOMENSENEWS)--Lesbians, bisexual women and transgender (LBT) people in Indonesia have been part of the women's movement for over a decade, fighting for equality for all Indonesian women.

Yet because LBT rights are not seen as women's rights by the Indonesian state, the global beacon for women's rights, the Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), does not apply to LBT people in the country.

At the CEDAW Committee's review of Indonesia held at the United Nations headquarters in New York City in July 2012, even Komnas Perempuan (the Indonesian National Commission of Women) was reluctant to raise LBT issues.

"The fundamentalists are saying that when we push for women's rights we are pushing for same-sex marriage," said one Komnas Perempuan commissioner. "If we bring up LBT, it will weaken our advocacy."

That was terrible news for LBT people, who are in dire need of support.

The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission has been aware over time, through activists reports, that since 2008 fundamentalist thugs have been leaving threatening phone messages for LBT groups. They are stalking LBT activists and violently disrupting human rights workshops. They are using the conservative media to incite violence against LBT people.

Read the full article at Women's eNews »

To read the original version of this article, including quotes and a more thorough review of the CEDAW session, please visit the IGLHRC blog. »