HRC 53 Side event: Advancing the human rights of trans persons at the United Nations

Side event at the 53rd session of the Human Rights Council 

22 June 15:00-16:00 | Room XXV Palais des Nations

Since 2011, the United Nationsan international organisation comprising 193 member States. It has the mission of maintaining peace and security, protecting human rights, providing humanitarian aid and ensuring economic and social development across the globe. It is a network of many different bodies and agencies, each of which has a particular role and responsibility. More Human Rights Councilan inter-governmental body within the United Nations which has the responsibility to promote and protect human rights. It is comprised of 47 member States, each elected to 3-year terms by the 193 member States of the United Nations. More has been taking significant steps towards the protection of transadjective/umbrella term to describe a person whose gender identity does not match the sex they were assigned at birth. More persons through the series of resolutions aiming to combat violence and discriminationunequal or unfair treatment which can be based on a range of grounds - such as age, ethnic background, disability, and diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions or sex characteristics, amongst others. More based on Sexual Orientationrefers to a person’s capacity for profound emotional, affectional and sexual attraction to - and intimate and sexual relations with - individuals of a different gender or the same gender or more than one gender. More and Gender Identityrefers to a person’s deeply felt internal and individual experience of gender, which may or may not correspond with the sex assigned at birth. More (17/19,27/32, 32/2, 41/18, 50/10) and through the work of the Independent Expert on SOGIabbreviation standing for sexual orientation and gender identity More.

More recently, UN Member States have been vocal about the further need to protect and fulfill the human rights of trans persons. In 2021 a group of 27 States recalled the Human Rights Council to take further action on protecting trans women from violence, while in March 2023, a cross-regional group of 28 countries called for laws and policies that allow legal gender recognitionlaws, administrative procedures or processes by which a person can change their sex/gender marker and names on official identity documents. More based on self-identification for the first time at the UN.

The multi-sectoral collaboration and solidarity across UN state members, LGBTIQA+ civil societies and individual activists, and allies from across the world played significant roles in the pathway to such advancements. This side event will offer the space for stakeholders to share their lessons learned and advocacy strategies tackling multidimensional and intersectional discrimination as well as forms of violence against trans communities across the world and contributing to the continued progress and promotion of trans rights at HRC.

Co-organizers

• ILGA World
• RFSL
• GATE
• APTN
• TGEU
• EATHAN

Remarks

• Jessica Stern, Special Envoy to LGBTIQ from the USA

Speakers

Member States

• Alba Rueda, Special Envoy from Argentina to SOGI (panel discussion)
• Simmy Larat, Brazilian LGBTIQA+ National Secretary, Ministry of Human Rights (panel discussion)

Civil Society

Three human rights defenders from Trans Advocacy Week;

• Best Nithiwana, Founder of Young Pride Club, Thailand
• Karla Guevara, Secretary-General of El Salvadoran Federation of LGBTQI Rights, El Salvador
• Barbra Wangare, Executive Director, EATHAN – East Africa Trans Health & Advocacy Network, Kenya

Moderator

• Nhuun Yodmuang, Senior Human Rights and Advocacy Officer, Asia Pacific Transgender Network