HRC SESSION 39 (SEPTEMBER 2018) – ILGA’S ENGAGEMENT
HRC 39 – 39th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council
Geneva, 10-28 September 2018
ILGA’s involvement at the 39th session of the Human Rights Council (HRC):
In this section:
- Clustered Interactive Dialogue: Special Rapporteur on the right to development and Special Rapporteur on unilateral coercive measures
- Item 4 – General Debate
- Annual Half-Day Panel Discussion on the rights of indigenous peoples
- Annual discussion on Integration of a Genderrefers to a social construct which places cultural and social expectations on individuals based on their assigned sex. Perspective
- Item 10 – General Debate
(more statements will be added as the session unfolds)
- 21 September 2018: Global research on trans rights
- Azerbaijan
- Cameroon
- Colombia
- Germany
- Uzbekistan
Statements at the HRC
CLUSTERED INTERACTIVE DIALOGUE: SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON THE RIGHT TO DEVELOPMENT AND SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON UNILATERAL COERCIVE MEASURES
In this joint statement with RFSL, delivered on behalf of a coalition of 20 LGBTQI human rights defenders from all regions who were present at this Council Session, we highlighted how essential it is that LGBTQI people have equal access to development, and that we are recognised as equal stakeholders, and can actively participate in society.
Click here to read the full statement, or watch the video of the statement being delivered
ITEM 4 GENERAL DEBATE – HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATIONS THAT REQUIRE THE COUNCIL’S ATTENTION
With this statement, ILGA drew the Human Rights Council’s attention to cases of 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. against 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. persons that have occurred in the past few months: “We cannot remain complacent before the scope and severity of the ongoing 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. that lesbianadjective/noun to describe a woman whose enduring physical, romantic, and/or emotional attraction is to other women. Women and non-binary people may use this term to describe themselves., gayadjective to describe people whose enduring physical, romantic, and/ or emotional
attractions are to people of the same gender. Men, women and non-binary people may use this
term to describe themselves., bisexualadjective used to describe a person who has the capacity to form enduring physical, romantic, and/ or emotional attractions to those of the same gender or to those of other genders., transadjective/umbrella term to describe a person whose gender identity does not match the sex they were assigned at birth., queerpreviously used as a derogatory term to refer to LGBT individuals in the English language – and still perceived as offensive by some - queer has been reclaimed by people who identify beyond traditional gender categories and heteronormative social norms. Although not universally accepted, it is often used as a catch-all to include many people within the larger community of people with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, and sex characteristics. people are facing.”
Click here to read the statement, or watch a video of the statement being delivered
ANNUAL HALF-DAY PANEL DISCUSSION ON THE RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
With this joint statement endorsed by several organizations from around the world that work on indigenous and LGBTIQ issues, we highlighted how the negative impact of colonization on the ancestral sexualities, genderrefers to a social construct which places cultural and social expectations on individuals based on their assigned sex. identities, expressions, and spiritualities of Indigenous peoples has had devastating consequences, including loss of acceptance of people of diverse identities within their own societies.
Click here to read the statement, or watch the video of the statement being delivered
ANNUAL DISCUSSION ON THE INTEGRATION OF A GENDER PERSPECTIVE
With this statement, we highlighted how stigmatisation 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. on the basis of genderrefers to a social construct which places cultural and social expectations on individuals based on their assigned sex. and SOGIEabbreviation standing for sexual orientation, gender identity and expression. increase during times of turmoil, often leaving LGBT people to experience a level of violence and exclusion beyond that borne by others.
Click here to read the statement, or watch the video of the statement being delivered
ITEM 10 – GENERAL DEBATE
With this statement, we shared with the 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. a few examples of countries where we have recently seen progressive measures taken to protect 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. persons, in the hope that these best practices can help build other countries’ capacities.
Click here to read the statement, or watch the video of the statement being delivered
Side events
GLOBAL RESEARCH ON TRANSadjective/umbrella term to describe a person whose gender identity does not match the sex they were assigned at birth. RIGHTS
This panel discussed current research on trans rights from different sources, critically investigate the approaches to research and data collection on 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. and gender expressionrefers to how a person presents their gender through physical appearance – including dress, hairstyles, accessories, cosmetics – and mannerisms, speech, behavioural patterns, names and personal references., and evaluate the pros and cons of different approaches and methodologies. Watch a recording of the event below:
Adoption of UPR outcomes
During the 39th session of the 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., ILGA will work with human rights defenders from various countries to help deliver statements during the UPR adoptions.
AZERBAIJAN
During the 30th UPR Working Groupthe body that conducts the Universal Periodic Review and consists of all 193 member States of the United Nations meeting together. All States can engage in the interactive dialogue and make recommendations. The Working Group convenes three times per year in Geneva, Switzerland in what is called a Working Group session. Fourteen (14) member States are reviewed during each Working Group session. Sessions, Azerbaijan received 8 SOGIESCabbreviation standing for sexual orientation and gender identity & expression, and sex characteristics. recommendations. Click here to read the ILGA and COC joint statement, made on behalf of 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. Community in Azerbaijan, or watch the video of the statement being delivered below
CAMEROON
During the 30th UPR Working Groupthe body that conducts the Universal Periodic Review and consists of all 193 member States of the United Nations meeting together. All States can engage in the interactive dialogue and make recommendations. The Working Group convenes three times per year in Geneva, Switzerland in what is called a Working Group session. Fourteen (14) member States are reviewed during each Working Group session. Sessions, Cameroon received 12 SOGIESCabbreviation standing for sexual orientation and gender identity & expression, and sex characteristics. recommendations.
Click here to read the ILGA and COC joint statement, delivered in consultation with Humanity First Cameroon and Alternatives Cameroun, or watch the video of the statement being delivered below
COLOMBIA
During the 30th UPR Working Groupthe body that conducts the Universal Periodic Review and consists of all 193 member States of the United Nations meeting together. All States can engage in the interactive dialogue and make recommendations. The Working Group convenes three times per year in Geneva, Switzerland in what is called a Working Group session. Fourteen (14) member States are reviewed during each Working Group session. Sessions, Colombia received 3 SOGIESCabbreviation standing for sexual orientation and gender identity & expression, and sex characteristics. recommendations, and accepted all of them.
Click here to read the ILGA statement, delivered in consultation with Colombia Diversa, or watch the video of the statement being delivered below
GERMANY
During the 30th UPR Working Groupthe body that conducts the Universal Periodic Review and consists of all 193 member States of the United Nations meeting together. All States can engage in the interactive dialogue and make recommendations. The Working Group convenes three times per year in Geneva, Switzerland in what is called a Working Group session. Fourteen (14) member States are reviewed during each Working Group session. Sessions, Germany received 8 SOGIESCabbreviation standing for sexual orientation and gender identity & expression, and sex characteristics. recommendations.
Click here to read the ILGA statement, delivered in consultation with Bundesvereinigung Transadjective/umbrella term to describe a person whose gender identity does not match the sex they were assigned at birth.* (BVT*), or watch the video of the statement being delivered below
UZBEKISTAN
During the 30th UPR Working Groupthe body that conducts the Universal Periodic Review and consists of all 193 member States of the United Nations meeting together. All States can engage in the interactive dialogue and make recommendations. The Working Group convenes three times per year in Geneva, Switzerland in what is called a Working Group session. Fourteen (14) member States are reviewed during each Working Group session. Sessions, Uzbekistan received 12 SOGIESCabbreviation standing for sexual orientation and gender identity & expression, and sex characteristics. recommendations. It accepted one of them, and noted the remaining 11.
Click here to read the ILGA and COC joint statement, delivered in consultation with the Central Asian Genderrefers to a social construct which places cultural and social expectations on individuals based on their assigned sex. and Sexuality Advocacy Network (CAGSAN), or watch the video of the statement being delivered below