United Nations

As the global federation 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 organisations, ILGA conducts work in various 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 fora.

We do this in multiple ways including:

• giving visibility to and raising support for LGBTI issues globally by conducting advocacy and outreach at 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. More, making oral interventions and organising panels on various subjects driven by the priorities of our member organisations

• helping our members work with their government on improving LGBTI human rights in the country in the frame of the Universal Periodic Review
• providing support and guidance to NGOs engaging with the Treaty Bodies, working to ensure LGBTI persons are not forgotten in international law
• engaging with the UN Special Proceduresindependent human rights experts within the UN Human Rights Council with mandates to report and advise on human rights from a thematic or country-specific perspective. They are non-paid and elected for 3-year mandates that can be re-conducted for another three years. Special procedures can undertake country visits, and act on individual cases of reported violations by sending communications to States and others. They also engage in advocacy, raise public awareness, provide advice for technical cooperation, and contribute to the development of international human rights standards.
  More to ensure the most egregious human rights violations get the attention of governments, and provide input and guidance on their work
• advocating for LBTI women’s issues at the Commission on the Status of Women.

ILGA has consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), and uses it to help secure the rights of LGBTI persons everywhere.

Read “ILGA’s engagement” below to learn more about how we work with these United Nations mechanisms.