PHM-Exch> Joint Press Release on UNHRC Joint Statement on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

Sat Mar 26 01:36:47 PDT 2011

From: David Legge <D.Legge at latrobe.edu.au>

*From:* activist-bounces at tac.org.za [mailto:activist-bounces at tac.org.za] *On
Behalf Of *Mark Heywood

*UN Human Rights Council: A Stunning Development Against Violence*

*Unprecedented Support for Statement on Sexual Orientation and Gender
Identity*

(March 22, 2011) In a stunning development for the principles of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, at the United Nations Human Rights
Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, today, Colombia delivered a Joint
Statementduring General Debate that called on States to end violence,
criminal
sanctions and related human rights violations based on sexual orientation
and gender identity, and urged the Human Rights Council to address these
important human rights issues. The statement was delivered on behalf of a
broad grouping of 85 States from all regions of the world.

Today’s statement enjoyed the support of the largest group of countries
to-date, on the topic of sexual orientation, gender identity and human
rights.  It is clear that every time these issues are addressed there is
measurable increase in state support.

During the same general debate, an intervention delivered by Nigeria on
behalf of the African Group, still reaffirmed the critical point that “laws
that criminalize sexual orientation should be expunged”. Other UN Member
States and entities, for example, the Russian Federation and the Holy See,
also spoke out against violence and discrimination on the basis of sexual
orientation. South Africa, a signatory to the State joint statement,
emphasized in a separate intervention, that sexual orientation is not a new
issue for that country, and called for an inter-governmental process to
ensure open dialogue on the issue.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navanethem Pillay, had stated :

“We are not trying to create new or special rights. We are simply trying to
address the challenges that prevent millions of people from enjoying the
same human rights as their fellow human beings just because they happen to
be lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.”

A group of 19 National Human Rights Institutions, including those from
Korea, Senegal and South Africa, also delivered a strong statement on the
importance of condemning human rights abuses based on sexual orientation and
gender identity.

 Since the UN Human Rights Committee’s landmark decision in 1994, affirming
that sexual orientation is a protected ground against discrimination, United
Nations experts have repeatedly acted against abuses that target LGBT
people, including killings, torture, rape, violence, disappearances, and
discrimination in many areas of life. UN treaty bodies have called on states
to end discrimination in law and policy.

Signatories to the Human Rights Council joint statement include:
Albania, Andorra,
Argentina, Armenia, Australia,
Austria<http://geography.about.com/library/maps/blaustria.htm>,
Belgium <http://geography.about.com/library/maps/blbelgium.htm>, Bolivia,
Bosnia-Herzegovina, Brazil,
Bulgaria<http://geography.about.com/library/maps/blbulgaria.htm>,
Canada, Central African Republic, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia,
Cuba, Cyprus <http://geography.about.com/library/maps/blcyprus.htm>, Czech
Republic <http://geography.about.com/library/maps/blczech.htm>,
Denmark<http://geography.about.com/library/maps/bldenmark.htm>,
Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador,
Estonia<http://geography.about.com/library/maps/blestonia.htm>,
Fiji, Finland <http://geography.about.com/library/maps/blfinland.htm>,
France <http://geography.about.com/library/maps/blfrance.htm>, Georgia,
Germany <http://geography.about.com/library/maps/blgermany.htm>,
Greece<http://geography.about.com/library/maps/blgreece.htm>,
Guatemala, Honduras,
Hungary<http://geography.about.com/library/maps/blhungary.htm>,
Iceland, Ireland <http://geography.about.com/library/maps/blireland.htm>,
Israel, Italy <http://geography.about.com/library/maps/blitaly.htm>, Japan,
Latvia <http://geography.about.com/library/maps/bllatvia.htm>,
Liechtenstein, Lithuania<http://geography.about.com/library/maps/bllithuania.htm>,
Luxembourg <http://geography.about.com/library/maps/blluxembourg.htm>,
Malta<http://geography.about.com/library/maps/blmalta.htm>,
Marshall Islands, Mexico, Micronesia, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Nauru,
Nepal, Netherlands<http://geography.about.com/library/maps/blnetherlands.htm>,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Palau, Panama, Paraguay,
Poland<http://geography.about.com/library/maps/blpoland.htm>,
Portugal <http://geography.about.com/library/maps/blportugal.htm>,
Romania<http://geography.about.com/library/maps/blromania.htm>,
Rwanda, Samoa, San Marino, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone,
Slovakia<http://geography.about.com/library/maps/blslovakia.htm>,
Slovenia <http://geography.about.com/library/maps/blslovenia.htm>, South
Africa, Spain <http://geography.about.com/library/maps/blspain.htm>,
Sweden<http://geography.about.com/library/maps/blsweden.htm>,
Switzerland, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tuvalu, Ukraine, United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America, Uruguay, Vanuatu,
Venezuela, and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

*Contacts: *

* *

ARC International,Kim Vance (Canada/Geneva)
 *+1-902-488-6404* or
kim at arc-international.net

International Commission of Jurists, Allison Jernow (Geneva) +41(0)22 979
3800) or allison.jernow at icj.org

Amnesty International, Peter Splinter (Geneva) +41 (0) 22 906 9483 or Emily
Gray (London) +44 (0) 20 7413 5865

Human Rights Watch, Juliette De Rivero (Geneva) +41 079 640 1649 or
derivej at hrw.org

COC Nederland, Björn van Roozendaal
(Netherlands) *+31 6 22 55 83 00* or
BvanRoozendaal at coc.nl

CAL – Coalition of African Lesbians, Dawn Cavanagh (South Africa) *+ 27 11
918 6115* or *dawn at cal.org.za*

GATE - Global Action for Trans* Equality, Mauro Cabral (Argentina) +54 (9)
351 5589876 or mauro.cabral at globaltransadvocates.org

IGLHRC - International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, Jessica
Stern (South Africa) +27 (0) 71 023 4015 or jstern at iglhrc.org

Heartland Alliance for Human Needs & Human Rights, Sean Casey (USA)

+1 312-296-2115 or Scasey at heartlandalliance.org

IDAHO - International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, Joel Bedos
(France) jbedos at dayagainsthomophobia.org

Thailand's Sexual Diversity Network, Paisarn Likhitpreechakul (Thailand) *+
66 81 634 3450 *or asiantrekker at yahoo.com

* *

*Germán Humberto Rincón Perfetti*

*Latin American Representative of the International Lesbian and Gay Law
Association **www.ILGLaw.org *

*Alternate Regional Gay Representative:  ILGA-LAC ILGA **www.ILGA.org*

*Bogotá, Colombia*

*www.rinconperfettiabogados.com*

*rinconperfettigerman at hotmail.com*
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