HRC session 57 (September – October 2024) – ILGA World’s engagement

In this page, you will find information about the work of ILGA World during the 57th UN 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, and about how the human rights of 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 people worldwide were addressed during the session.

the page will be upheld regularly as the session unfolds

Panel discussion on promoting and protecting economic, social and cultural rights within the context of addressing inequalities

During this session, we highlighted how the ILO’s Philadelphia Declaration reminds us that “poverty anywhere constitutes a danger to prosperity everywhere” — a principle that especially relevant when we consider the economic exclusion and marginalisation of LGBTI persons worldwide.

“When LGBTI individuals are denied equal access to economic opportunities, education, and social services, it is not just their personal prosperity that suffers, but the prosperity of society as a whole.”

Follow this link to read our statement

Dialogue with the Independent Expert on the human rights of older persons

During this session, ILGA World took the floor to commend the efforts of the Independent Expert to highlight the specific challenges faced by older LGBTI people, and asked how to ensure that the issues of older LGBTI people are fully included in the international agenda – including the goals set by the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing.

Follow this link to read our statement

Interactive dialogue with the Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order

During this dialogue, we raised awareness of how the criminalisation of 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, the persecution of advocacy work and the legal barriers to local and foreign funding constitute some of the main challenges for LGBTI communities to fully participate in democracies.

We also sounded the alarm on how anti-gender and anti-rights movements are becoming more organised through transnational networks, while authoritarian and right-wing populist regimes scapegoat sexual and reproductive health rights and LGBTI people’s rights — presenting them as threats to the family and the nation to advance their anti-democratic projects.

Follow this link to read our statement in full

Item 4: human rights situations requiring urgent attention

During the 57th Human Rights Council, we raised awareness of LGBTI people’s human rights situations requiring urgent attention — including in Malawi, Ghana, Bulgaria, and Kazakhstan.

We express concern about the findings of the courts in Malawi and in Ghana that upheld legislation criminalising consensual same-sex conducts, and we are appalled by the fast-tracked law adopted in Bulgaria banning the portrayal of LGBTI identities in schools.

We also the call by UN Experts to the Kazakhstan Government to fully reject the partly approved petition to adopt a “law to fully ban open and hidden propaganda of LGBT” issues, and expressed particular concern with the ongoing attacks waged against Palestine and Lebanon. Read our full statement.  

Item 8: Follow-up and implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action

During the 57th Human Rights Council, we took the floor to highlight how the ongoing campaign against the participation of transadjective/umbrella term to describe a person whose gender identity does not match the sex they were assigned at birth. More, gender-diverse, and intersexan umbrella term for the spectrum of variations of sex characteristics that naturally occur within the human species. Intersex people are born with variations of sex characteristics (such as genitals, reproductive organs, hormonal and chromosomal patterns) that are more diverse than stereotypical definitions of male or female bodies. Up to 1.7% of the global population are born with such traits; yet, because their bodies are seen as different, intersex children and adults are often stigmatised and subject to harmful practices – including in medical settings - and discriminated against. More women in sports — including within 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 system — reinforces genderrefers to a social construct which places cultural and social expectations on individuals based on their assigned sex. More and racial stereotypes and particularly affects women in countries with lesser legal protection against human rights violations.

Such campaigns also shift the focus from real issues in women’s sport —  like equal resources and opportunities, and the risk of abuse.

Follow this link to read our full statement.

Chile

During the adoptions of UPR outcomes for Chile, we praised the State for recognising that the legal protections for LGBTI people must be improved, as well as the fight against violence and hate speechany kind of communication in speech, writing or behaviour that attacks or uses
pejorative or discriminatory language with reference to a person or a group on the basis of who
they are – including on the grounds of their gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and
expression, or sex characteristics amongst others. More. However, we also pointed out that Chile has not yet taken a firm position regarding the transphobic wave experienced in recent years.

Read our statement, drafted in consultation with OTD Chile.

Cyprus

During the adoptions of UPR outcomes for Cyprus at the 57th UN Human Rights Council #HRC57, we praised the State for accepting recommendations aimed at combating hate speech 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 orientation and gender identity. However, we also expressed disappointment with the decision to note critical recommendations – including on marriage and adoption equality – and we remain concerned about ongoing discrimination in employment, housing, and healthcare faced by LGBTI communities.

Read our statement, delivered in consultation with Human Rights Platform and the 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. More Cyprus Association.

North Macedonia

During the adoptions of UPR outcomes for North Macedonia at the 57th UN Human Rights Council #HRC57, we commended the government for supporting the recommendations aimed at strengthening the enforcement of laws against gender-based violence and discrimination against LGBTIQ people, but we also stressed that these efforts will remain insufficient without the recognition of hate speech based on sexual orientation and gender identity and the introduction of a “quick, transparent and accessible” procedure for 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-determination.

Read our statement, drafted in consultation with Coalition Margins.

Dominican Republic

During the 57th session of the UN Human Rights Council, we took the floor during the adoption of the outcomes of the Universal Periodic Review – commending the State for accepting recommendations aimed at targeting violence and discrimination against LGBTI persons. However, we also pointed out that key recommendations – including those aimed at recognising hate crimes and banning conversion therapy – were only noted.

Read our statement, delivered in consultation with Comunidad de Liderazgos y Espacios Inclusivos Dominicana – COLESDOM.