For Immediate Release

Media Contact:
Roberta Sklar, Press Secretary, IGLHRC
+1-917-704-6358; rsklar@iglhrc.org

(New York, Dec 15) The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) welcomes today’s release of the first-ever United Nations (UN) report on human rights, sexual orientation and gender identity, titled, “Discriminatory laws and practices and acts of violence against individuals based on their sexual orientation and gender identity, A.HRC.19.41.”

The report, published by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navanethem Pillay, is the result of a Human Rights Council resolution passed on June 17, 2011. The resolution, which was presented by South Africa, received support from a majority of the members of the Human Rights Council, including countries from all UN regions. The report documents widespread discrimination and violence faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people worldwide and calls upon States to apply the international legal framework to end these human rights violations.

Among its most important recommendations is the report’s call for the decriminalization of same-sex relations between consenting adults. It also notes the particular experiences of lesbians and other women who suffer violence, killings, rape and abuse, often at the hands of family and community. The report includes a call for protection and recognition of the self-identified gender of trans persons.

Jessica Stern, Acting Executive Director of IGLHRC said, “The report is a tribute to all of the activists who have fought for recognition of homophobic violence and transphobic discrimination over decades, often in the face of extreme hostility. It will serve as an invaluable aid to each one of us who seeks to advance LGBT rights – not only at the United Nations but in cities and towns around the world.”

Grace Poore, IGLHRC Program Coordinator for Asia and the Pacific Islands said, “I hope that National Human Rights Institutions in Asia and the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission will use the report’s findings to more rigorously respect and protect the safety and equality of LGBT persons throughout Asia and the Pacific Islands.”

Hossein Alizadeh, IGLHRC Program Coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa said, “I welcome the UN’s increasing awareness of LGBT issues, and I believe that this report can be of great assistance as we continue to challenge systematic homophobia and transphobia in the Middle East”.

Jabu Pereira, IGLHRC Program Coordinator for Africa said, “The report will send a strong message to those African governments which continue to criminalize lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons under the guise of culture, religion and sovereignty.”

Marcelo Ferreyra, IGLHRC Program Coordinator for Latin America and the Caribbean, said “Initiatives such as this report and its precedents at the Organization of American States manifest a clear intention to provide real and concrete solutions to discrimination and violence on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.”

Stern added, “The publication of this report, coinciding with the 63rd anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, reminds us all once again that LGBT rights are human rights and that no person should ever experience discrimination or violence on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Coming at an historic moment for LGBT rights movements, the report illustrates that while full equality has not yet been adequately achieved around the world, there is a growing awareness of the fundamental importance of these issues.”

IGLHRC, in solidarity with colleagues and friends around the world, looks forward to the presentation of the report to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, and anticipates the accompanying panel discussion, which will take place March 1, 2012.

The report is already available in English, Spanish, Russian and Arabic; it will become available in Chinese and French in the coming weeks. When the additional translations are available, you may find them by visiting the 19th session of the Human Rights Council: Reports page and referencing report A/HRC/19/41.

For further information or inquiries about the report please contact the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR):

Fred Kirungi (OHCHR New York): kirungi@un.org. Tel. +1 917 367 3431

Rupert Colville (OHCHR Geneva): rcolville@ohchr.org. Tel. +41 22 917 9767

Background

• Human Rights Council Resolution 17/19 expressed grave concern at acts of violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and requested the High Commissioner for Human Rights to prepare the report. For a description of the vote and reactions from civil society at the time of this historic resolution, please see: http://www.iglhrc.org/cgi-bin/iowa/article/pressroom/pressrelease/1417.html
• The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) represents the world's commitment to universal ideals of human dignity. It has a unique mandate from the international community to promote and protect all human rights. The High Commissioner for Human Rights is the principal human rights official of the United Nations. She heads OHCHR and spearheads the United Nations' human rights efforts.
• For an explanation of the report, please see a background paper compiled by ARC International