ILGA at the United Nations in 2005: How long will LGBT Rights be ignored by the UN?

Following is a report on ILGA's initiatives around the debate on sexual orientation at the United Nations in 2005. ILGA's efforts to ensure sexual diversity and gender identity remain visible at the UNCHR in 2005 were supported by the Swedish and the German Foreign offices.

ILGA, the International Lesbian and Gay Association is an international network of activists created in 1978. It has been actively involved with the United Nations for a number of years: the first speech mentioning homosexuality in an UN forum was made in its name in August 1992.

In April 2003, Brazil presented a resolution on sexual orientation at the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in Geneva (UNCHR). The text banned all discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and simply asserted that sexual diversity is an integral part of Universal Human Rights.

In 2005, for the third year in a row, the UN Commission did not discuss nor vote the Brazilian initiative.

The Brazilian resolution finally dropped off the official agenda of the UNCHR this year. But the topic of sexual orientation was quite present in Geneva throughout the Commission.

In an atmosphere tainted by a possible reform of this UN body and the death of the Pope, a number of governements made public statements pushing the UN to address sexual orientation and defend it as a human right, international Ngos drew attention to the topic by organising public debates, activists gave speeches in the plenary room.

ILGA brought 27 activists from around the world in Geneva to make sure sexual diversity and Gender Identity would not be forgotten at the United Nations
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A full two weeks of initiatives around sexual orientation and gender identity was organised by NGOs during the 61st UNCHR

ILGA organised 4 public panels within the United Nations:

Multiple discrimination suffered by Lesbians

Transgender rights

Trade Unions and their role in the struggle for equality of LGBT people

Religions and Homosexuality

LGBT voices from the UN
Read the speeches given by activists

In the name of 32 countries, New Zealand gave a public statement in favour of a UN resolution on sexual orientation and Human rights.
Read this speech and other governments' statements

Next ILGA World Conference: Geneva 2006!
In 2006, ILGA 23rd World Conference will be held simutaneously in Geneva with the UN Commission on Human Rights

Other resources
A list of resources to better understand the debate on sexual orientation and gender identity at the UN

We wish to thank Arc International for their help in compiling this information.