“As 76 countries still criminalize same sex sexual activities between consenting adults, while around the world too many people still face violence and discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity, the importance of a campaign launched by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights cannot be overstated: it shows not only how serious the commitment of High Commissioner Navanethem Pillay and her staff on equality is, but it also powerfully undermines any attempt to defend the indefensible, i.e. the idea that, “somehow”, one can make an exception as to the universality of human rights when it comes to LGBTI people.
We invite all our members to spread this campaign globally in all their networks.” said Gloria Careaga and Renato Sabbadini, Co-Secretaries General, ILGA
The campaign follows an OHCHR report published in December 2011, which was the first ever official UN report on violence and discrimination against LGBT persons. The report documented widespread human rights abuses. Today, more than 76 countries still criminalize consensual, same-sex relationships, while in many more discrimination against LGBT people is widespread – including in the workplace as well as in the education and health sectors. Hate-motivated violence against LGBT people, including physical assault, sexual violence, and targeted killings, has been recorded in all regions of the world.
Follow the Free & Equal campaign on social media:
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Learn more about the Free & Equal campaign at www.unfe.org
Learn more about the human rights challenges facing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people everywhere and the actions that can be taken to tackle violence and discrimination and protect the rights of LGBT people everywhere. These United Nations fact sheets break down the problems and the solutions:
LGBT Rights: Frequently Asked Questions
International Human Rights Law