What’s new?

• The joint statement recognizing human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity will now be delivered at the UN Human Rights Council on Monday 21 March. The deadline for States to sign on is Friday, 18 March.
• 58 States have now endorsed the joint statement. There are just two weeks left to contact your government, urging them to support the statement if they have not yet done so. A full list of endorsing States, and those that remain lobbying priorities, is below.
• This historic statement, which builds upon years of advocacy by activists from around the globe, will be delivered by the Ambassador of Colombia. It is important to act today to ensure the greatest possible support for sexual orientation and gender identity issues at the UN!

What can I do?

• The most important contact is your government’s Foreign Ministry in your capital. Contact details for the Foreign Ministry of each country can be found at:http://www.ediplomat.com/dc/foreign_ministries.htm
• It is also useful to copy any message to your country’s Ambassador in Geneva. Contact details for the Geneva missions of each State can be found at:http://tinyurl.com/t2cwt
• Please also forward this action alert, particularly to activists or organizations in the priority countries listed below. Don’t forget to also encourage mainstream human rights organisations, friends, Human Rights Commissions and other allies in priority countries to contact their government and make their voices heard!

What do I tell them?

• Send your Foreign Ministry a copy of the joint statement and the attached Fact Sheet.
• Point out that all human beings, irrespective of their sexual orientation or gender identity, are entitled to equal dignity and respect. No-one should be subject to violence, harassment, discrimination or abuse, solely because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
• Underline that the statement builds on similar past initiatives, and will not be subject to a vote. It is simply a straightforward statement focused on recognising that all human beings are entitled to be protected from serious human rights violations, such as killings, torture, rape or violence.
• Emphasise that the statement creates no new rights, and is non-binding. It affirms existing decisions of UN treaty bodies, and simply seeks the application of existing international standards to those who face human rights violations because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
• Point out that the statement has already attracted broad support from 58 States from around the world. Encourage them to join the statement, and ask for a specific and urgent response to your request. Follow up by phone.

Here is a list of the States which have already endorsed the statement, as well as States which it is urgent to contact:

Africa:

• Cape Verde and Mauritius have expressed support, but this support needs to be confirmed.
• States which have supported previous LGBTI initiatives but have not yet supported the joint statement include: Angola, Central African Republic, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe; South Africa (South Africa, which has sexual orientation in its Constitution, has still not provided a response).
• Other lobbying priorities include: Cameroon, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Guinea, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Mali, Mozambique, Seychelles, Togo.

Asia/Pacific:

• Current endorsers include: Cyprus, Japan, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Palau
• States which have supported previous LGBTI initiatives but have not yet supported the joint statement include: Fiji, India, Nauru, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Korea, Samoa, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Vanuatu
• Other lobbying priorities include: Bhutan, Cambodia, Kiribati, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uzbekistan, Viet Nam

Central and Eastern Europe:

• Current endorsers include: Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
• States which have supported previous LGBTI initiatives but have not yet supported the joint statement include: Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republic of Moldova, Ukraine
• Other lobbying priorities include: Belarus, Azerbaijan, Russian Federation

Latin America and the Caribbean:

• Current endorsers include: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Nicaragua, Uruguay
• States which have supported previous LGBTI initiatives but have not yet supported the joint statement include: Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Venezuela
  (Note: Peru has indicated it will not support the joint statement, even though it has supported OAS resolutions on the same subject)
• Other lobbying priorities include: Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Lucia, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago

Western Group:

• Current endorsers include: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States of America
• States which have supported previous LGBTI initiatives but have not yet supported the joint statement include: Israel
• Other lobbying priorities include: Turkey

Questions or further information?

Please keep us informed of your country’s response. A coalition of international NGOs is closely monitoring the initiative, and may be reached at: coordination@arc-international.net