Here is what happened with ILGA World at the High-Level Political Forum

Activists from Africa, Central Asia, the Caribbean and many other countries have raised their voices at 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 and shared their stories on sustainable development implementation.

“This is my first time being at the HLPF, and this space is really important because SDGs are about inclusion,” said Juliet Nnedinma Ulamno, Director of Programs at Women Initiative for Sustainable Empowerment and Equality (WISE). “There is also the principle of ‘Leave no one behind’, meaning that everyone – irrespective of identity, 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, expression – you are supposed to be included in the SDGs. It is crucial for us to be here because, in various countries, there are indicators that the LGBTIacronym for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex people. Although this is not the acronym available to describe people of diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, and sex characteristics, it is the most commonly used in United Nations spaces and advocacy. More community is being left out of sustainable development policies and action plans. If we are not in the space to talk about this exclusion and how we can be included, we cannot achieve the Agenda 2030.”

Image showing Juiet Nnedinma Ulanmo preparing to deliver a statement on behalf of the LGBTI stakeholder group during the session on SDG 7.

Through the support of the Free to Be Me program, ILGA World brought activists from the African region to New York to attend the HLPF this July. During the forum our activists attended sessions on SDGs 6 (clean water and sanitation), 7 (affordable and clean energy), 9 (industry, innovation and infrastructure) and 11 (sustainable cities and communities); they also took part in Voluntary National Review-related sessions, prepared statements in collaboration with all the members of the LGBTI Stakeholder group, attended meetings with States’ permanent missions and ambassadors, and participated in several side events.

In a collaboration between the Free to be Me and Power of Pride programs, ILGA World, ILGA Asia, ILGA PAI and COC Nederland welcomed country and civil society representatives to hear directly from activists about their LGBTI stories on sustainable development in a side event that highlighted the outcomes of their Voluntary National Review spotlight reports and brought together the often silenced development experiences of our communities.

Image showing the ILGA World team arriving at the UN headquarters in New York. Guillermo Ricalde, Senior Programme Office on UN SPs and SDGs, Alejandra Fierro Castro, Junior Professional Consultant on SPs and SDGs and Juliet Nnedinma Ulanmo, Director of Programs at Women Initiative for Sustainable Empowerment and Equality (WISE).

ILGA World is committed to the inclusion of LGBTI persons in the Agenda 2030 discussions. We owe the progress already achieved to all the members of the LGBTI Stakeholder group, who have tirelessly advocated for our communities in this space, including those who participated in this year’s HLPF. We will continue these efforts next year with more unified voices and even stronger strategies to ensure that no one is left behind.

Notes to editors:

Free to be Me is a program that aims to sustain LGBTIQ+ organisations advocating for their human and socio-economic rights. The program supports organisations across Africa, the Middle East and Asia to help mainstream LGBTQI+ rights through economic development to create change locally, nationally and internationally. The program is funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and partnered with ILGA World, Positive Vibes, Hivos, Global Interfaith Network, Workplace Pride and Sogicampaigns

The LGBTI Stakeholder Group is one of the Major Groups recognised by the UN for civil society engagement with the 2030 Agenda. The Group brings together LGBTI civil society organisations and activists from across the globe who advocate for LGBTI and SOCIESC issues in Sustainable Development discussions, including at the annual High-Level Political Forum.

Image showing the opening remarks for the Ministerial segment of the HLPF