IGLHRC granted consultative status in UN ECOSOC

United Nations Grants Official Status to US-Based International LGBT Rights Group

A victory against homophobic silencing of civil society

On July 19, 2010, the full United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) voted in favor of a US-led resolution to grant the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) consultative status. IGLHRC is only the tenth organization working primarily for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) human rights to gain such status at the United Nations.

"Today's decision is an affirmation that the voices of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people have a place at the United Nations as part of a vital civil society community," said Cary Alan Johnson, IGLHRC Executive Director. "The clear message here is that these voices should not be silenced and that human rights cannot be denied on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity."

The resolution passed with 23 in favor, 13 against, 13 abstentions and 5 absences.

This victory is particularly significant, coming as it does after a prolonged 3-year application process in the sub-committee that makes initial recommendations on status. Despite full compliance with all procedures IGLHRC faced deferrals, homophobic questioning, and procedural roadblocks in the ECOSOC NGO Committee.

Today's decision overturned a "no-action" vote in the NGO-committee that threatened to establish a dangerous precedent and the possibility of organizations deemed controversial being continuously denied the opportunity to have their application put to a vote even after undergoing the required review.

The vote also signals a recognition of the important role of a diverse and active civil society at the UN. In support of progress on IGLHRC's application, a group of over 200 NGOs from 59 countries endorsed a letter to all UN Member States, demanding fair and non-discriminatory treatment and supporting IGLHRC's goal of amplifying LGBT voices in the international arena.

"As human rights defenders and LGBT people living in countries where homophobic discrimination is a daily reality, we celebrate the accreditation of IGLHRC at the UN," said Frank Mugisha, Chairperson of Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG), one of 13 NGOs from Uganda to publicly call for IGLHRC to be accredited. "IGLHRC's access to the UN means that we too will have greater access to international human-rights mechanisms that can prove invaluable to LGBT people's lives."

The government of the United States stood strongly behind IGLHRC's application, calling for a vote in both the NGO Committee and ECOSOC. Ambassador Susan Rice, US Permanent Representative to the United Nations, publicly supported IGLHRC's application. Additionally, 14 members of the US House of Representatives and 4 Senators sent letters of support for IGLHRC's application to all UN Member States. Among them were Senator John Kerry, Chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, and Congressman Howard Berman, Chair of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

The victory continues the upward trajectory for LGBT rights at the UN. It allows IGLHRC to participate in a more formal way through attending meetings, submitting statements and collaborating with the UN and governments in the international human-rights arena.

"We celebrate this decision," stated Toni Reis, president of the Brazilian LGBT group, Associação Brasileira de Lésbicas, Gays, Bissexuais, Travestis e Transexuais (ABGLT) - that in 2009 was the last LGBT organization to receive status. "It is crucial that LGBT NGOs have the opportunity to participate in the UN human rights debate - though in future, organizations should receive full and fair reviews before the NGO Committee itself."

Despite the limited opportunities offered to non-accredited NGOs, IGLHRC has a long history of advocating at the UN for the rights of all people, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity. The organization advocated for sexual rights to be included in the official discussions at the 1995 UN Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing; spoke at the first UN General Assembly meeting on HIV and AIDS in 2001; and in recent years has been part of a collaboration between NGOs and supportive States that resulted in the groundbreaking 2008 UNGA Declaration on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, signed by 67 UN Member States.

The votes on this resolution granting IGLHRC special consultative status were as follows:

Vote For - 23

• Argentina
• Australia
• Belgium
• Brazil
• Canada
• Chile
• Estonia
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Guatemala
• Italy
• Japan
• Liechtenstein
• Malta
• Norway
• Peru
• Poland
• Rep. of Korea
• Slovenia
• United Kingdom
• United States
• Uruguay

Votes Against - 13

• Bangladesh
• China
• Comoros
• Egypt
• Malaysia
• Morocco
• Namibia
• Niger
• Pakistan
• Russian Fed.
• Saudi Arabia
• Venezuela
• Zambia

Abstaining - 13

• Bahamas
• Cote D'Ivoire
• Ghana
• India
• Mauritius
• Mongolia
• Mozambique
• Philippines
• Rep. of Moldova
• Rwanda
• Saint Kitts & Nevis
• Turkey
• Ukraine

Absent - 5

• Cameroon
• Congo
• Guinea-Bissau
• Iraq
• Saint Lucia

[Posted by Ging Cristobal of IGLHRC, AP-Rainbow mailing list, 2010-07-20]

Statement to new High Commissioner for human rights

[Posted by Grace Poore on ap-rainbow Yahoo! Group, 16 September 2008]

HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL, 9th SESSION
ITEM 2: UPDATE BY THE HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

Joint statement by: International Lesbian and Gay Association-Europe, Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, Lesbian and Gay Federation in Germany (LSVD), COC Netherlands, Danish National Organisation for Gay Men and Lesbians (LBL), Center for Women’s Global Leadership, Global Rights-Partners for Justice, Federación Estatal de lesbianas, gays, transexuales y bisexuales, Swedish Federation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights (RFSL)[1]

- delivered by John Fisher, September 9, 2008

Thank you Mr. President, Madam High Commissioner, Excellencies, distinguished delegates,

I am pleased to take the floor on behalf of 9 ECOSOC-accredited NGOs working to address human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity, as well as a number of supporting NGOs which do not yet enjoy ECOSOC status.

We join with all those who have expressed their strong support to you, Madam High Commissioner, as you assume your new office. We share your vision of a world in which every person can live in dignity, and enjoy all human rights free from discrimination. And yet, even today there remain all too many groups and individuals who continue to struggle for recognition of their most basic rights to dignity, equality and non-discrimination.

In her final report to the last session of this Council, for example, your predecessor identified sexual orientation and gender identity issues as human rights concerns of ongoing priority, stating:

“Let me also point out that the perpetuation of prejudices continues to deny equal rights and dignity to millions worldwide on the basis of nothing more innocuous than their sexual identity or orientation ... international human rights law cannot be pigeon-holed to deny protection to those whose discriminatory exclusion is real, and who are entitled to turn to the law for their protection.”

Numerous UN Special Procedures have documented extensive human rights violations on these grounds in all regions of the world, including violence, sexual abuse, denials of rights to peaceful assembly and expression, arbitrary detentions, torture, killings, discrimination and denial of economic, social and cultural rights.

Particularly as we celebrate this 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, it is critical to ensure that there is no erosion of the principle of universality, which requires that all human beings are entitled to the full enjoyment of all human rights. In this regard, we commend to your attention the Yogyakarta Principles on the application of international human rights law in relation to sexual orientation and gender identity, recently developed by a group of distinguished international human rights experts. These Principles provide a sound jurisprudential framework for addressing these issues, and include constructive recommendations to your Office.

One of the challenges faced by any High Commissioner is to rise beyond the political and regional tensions that so often inhibit the capacity of the international community to adequately respond to serious human rights violations, particularly in sensitive areas such as sexual orientation and gender identity that have often gone unaddressed or not yet received due consideration. We agree that the common commitment to ending human rights violations against all persons can serve as the basis for a developing consensus in favour of applying the principles of universality and non-discrimination to all marginalised groups.

In this regard, we note the advances that have already been realised, both internationally and in regions around the world. We join with you, Madam High Commissioner, in welcoming the progressive nature of the South African Constitution, the first in the world to explicitly prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation. As then South African Minister of Health stated at the Beijing 4th World Conference on Women:

“To show that we do not have a short memory regarding matters of discrimination, our Constitution has a non-discriminatory clause and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is prohibited. Though the number of people may be small, we do not discriminate against them, as we do not discriminate against anyone.”

We welcome the fact that during the recent UPR, States from all 5 UN regions committed to the principle of non-discrimination on the ground of sexual orientation. At an ECOSOC meeting, just six weeks ago, States from all 5 UN regions voted in favour of granting UN consultative status to NGOs working on sexual orientation and gender identity issues, including those taking the floor for the first time with this statement.

As High Commissioner for Human Rights, you have a crucial role to play in promoting and protecting the human rights of the most marginalised. It is a role that we know you will fulfil with dignity, integrity, commitment and independence, and we look forward to working with you, Madam High Commissioner, throughout the years ahead.

[1] This statement is also supported by the following non-ECOSOC accredited NGOs: ARC International, International Lesbian and Gay Association, International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, Heartland Alliance.

LGBT groups gain consultative status in UN

United Nations: Defeat for Discrimination, Victory for Inclusion
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Groups Gain Consultative Status

(New York, July 23, 2008) – The decision by the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) granting consultative status to two groups that work on sexual orientation and gender identity is a victory in the ongoing struggle for inclusion at the UN, a coalition of six human rights organizations said today. The two groups approved on July 21 and 22, 2008 are COC Netherlands and the State Federation of Lesbians, Gays, Transsexuals and Bisexuals of Spain (FELGTB), national organizations representing lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in the Netherlands and Spain.

“COC Netherlands is delighted about obtaining consultative status with the UN,” said Björn van Roozendaal, COC international advocacy officer. “It means we can join the efforts at the UN to address human rights violations against people with an alternative sexual orientation or gender identity.”

“Spanish-speaking LGBT voices will be heard in UN meetings where human rights questions are debated,” said David Montero, FELGTB Spain’s officer for international issues and human rights. “We thank all who have contributed to this exciting outcome, and especially Spain’s UN mission for their support.”

Consultative status is a key means for civil society to access the UN system. It allows nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to deliver oral and written reports at UN meetings, and to organize events on UN premises. With it, these groups can share their information and analysis of the abuses and discrimination LGBT people confront around the world.

ECOSOC, consisting of 54 member states of the UN, grants consultative status to NGOs after reviewing recommendations made by its subsidiary body – the NGO Committee – which screens the applications.

COC Netherlands and FELGTB Spain join approximately 3,000 other NGOs with consultative status at the UN. However, only a handful of LGBT groups have received the status. In recent years, some states have treated LGBT groups’ applications with intense hostility, and ECOSOC has only granted such groups consultative status after first overturning negative recommendations from its NGO Committee. ECOSOC approved the Danish National Association for Gay and Lesbians, the European Region of the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA-Europe), and the Lesbian and Gay Federation in Germany in December 2006. The Gay and Lesbian Coalition of Québec and the Swedish Federation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights gained consultative status in July 2007.

The US-based International Wages Due Lesbians and Australian-based Coalition of Activist Lesbians have had consultative status at the UN for more than a decade.

At its January session, the committee tied 7-7 on consultative status for FELGTB Spain, meaning the motion to recommend it failed, but at the following session in June it voted 7-6 to grant the status for COC Netherlands. At the July session in New York, ECOSOC adopted by consensus the recommendation on COC Netherlands and voted to overturn the recommendation not to grant status to FELGTB Spain.

“ECOSOC has recognized the place of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender people in the work of the United Nations,” said John Fisher from ARC International, which supported the groups’ advocacy efforts. “In this 60th anniversary year of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, it is particularly important to affirm the core principle that all human beings are entitled to the full enjoyment of all human rights, without discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Yesterday’s vote sends a clear message that discrimination has no place in the UN system, and that sexual orientation and gender identity issues can, and must, be addressed.”

“Many states that harass or persecute LGBT people at home also try to shut down scrutiny of their records internationally,” said Boris Dittrich, advocacy director of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Program at Human Rights Watch. “This vote ensures that two more voices will be raised to defend basic human rights at the UN.”

“States from all five regions voted to overturn the negative recommendation from the NGO Committee in regards to FELGTB Spain,” said Philipp Braun, co-secretary general of the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA). “We would like the committee to acknowledge the repeated message sent by ECOSOC that it should recommend LGBT groups. We also congratulate our members COC and FELGTB on their victory.”

“Many states claim that ECOSOC’s votes need to follow the recommendations of its NGO Committee; the view of those who voted in favor of the LGBT groups, however, is that this cannot be done at the price of discriminating against anyone, including LGBT voices,” noted Adrian Coman from the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC), who participated in monitoring the ECOSOC and NGO Committee meetings.

The NGO Committee is due to review a number of additional applications from LGBT groups at its next two sessions in January and May 2009.

For more of Human Rights Watch’s work on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender rights: http://www.hrw.org/doc/?t=lgbt

For more information, please contact:

• In Amsterdam, Björn van Roozendaal (COC Netherlands): +31-622-55-83-00; or bvanroozendaal@coc.nl
• In Madrid, David Montero (FELGTB Spain): +34-67-452-541; or areainternacional@felgt.org
• In Geneva, John Fisher (ARC International): +41-79-508-3968; or john@arc-international.net
• In New York, Hossein Alizadeh (IGLHRC): +1-212-430-6016; or halizadeh@iglhrc.org
• In Brussels, Stephen Barris (ILGA): +32-2-502-2471; or stephenbarris@ilga.org
• In New York, Boris Dittrich (Human Rights Watch): +1-212-216-1280; or boris.dittrich@hrw.org

URGENT: ECOSOC ACTION ALERT!

What’s up?

Next Monday, July 21 2008, the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) is due to vote on whether to accredit the NGO Federación Estatal de Lesbianas, Gays, Transexuales y Bisexuales (FELGTB), a Spanish NGO which addresses human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

ECOSOC accreditation governs whether NGOs can attend UN meetings, submit written statements, make oral interventions, host panels – even get in the door of UN buildings. NGOs working on these issues address important human rights questions and it is critical that they have a voice at the UN.

This fact sheet provides more information about the core issues.

What can I do?

The vote will be extremely close – voting predictions suggest that a single vote could make the difference between winning or losing, and there is a real possibility that the NGO might be rejected.

Listed below are key States that need to be encouraged to support the applications. If you live in or have connections with any of these States, please write to them or call them TODAY.

In Latin America/Caribbean:

• Barbados, Cuba, El Salvador, Guyana, Haiti, Paraguay, Saint Lucia: likely to abstain - lobby to support
• Support of at least some of these Latin American/Caribbean countries will be critical. You may point out that many of them endorsed the recent OAS resolution on sexual orientation, gender identity and human rights.

In Asia:

• South Korea, Philippines: - lobby to support;
• Indonesia: likely to vote no - lobby to abstain (last year, Indonesia initially abstained, but then voted against following regional pressure).

In Africa:

• Angola, Cape Verde, Cameroon, Congo, Mozambique: lobby to abstain;
• Guinea-Bissau: lobby to support (last year Guinea-Bissau voted in support of accrediting NGOs working on sexual orientation and gender identity issues).

How do I contact my government?

Please approach any contacts you may have within your country’s Foreign Ministry. A list of Ministries of Foreign Affairs for each country can be found here.

You may also wish to send a copy of any correspondence to your country’s Ambassador or mission in New York. A list of New York missions is available here.

What do I tell them?

Urge your government to support the NGO application. Some States will support this as a question of access and fairness, but do not want their support to be seen as an endorsement of sexual orientation or gender identity issues. It may therefore be helpful to emphasise that this is a question of basic non-discriminatory access and maintaining a fair process. Your government doesn’t have to agree with the position of every NGO, but these NGOs are entitled to participate in the work of the UN and make their perspective known.

Best wishes, and good luck!

John Fisher
Co-Director, ARC International
62, rue de Vermont, #44
Geneva 1202

Ph: +41-22-733-4705
Cell: +41-79-508-3968
Fax: +41-22-734-4761
john@arc-international.net
www.arc-international.net

CEDAW debates equality

http://www.iglhrc.org/site/iglhrc/section.php?id=5&detail=880

The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) takes seriously the opportunity to engage with various United Nations processes such as the Universal Periodic Review where we bring our perspectives on the need to decrimininalize sexual orientation, gender identity and expression and the need to establish free speech, assembly, association and expression for LGBT peoples and organizations. IGHLRC is particularly committed to making visible the rights and struggles of the more marginalized groups in the LGBT community, namely lesbians and transgender people. We have followed closely the work of Committee for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) to make sure that issues relating to sexual orientation and gender identity are included in discussions about equality for women.

On July 16, 2008, the CEDAW Committee called for a meeting with NGOS to hear recommendations relating to Article 2 of the CEDAW Convention. Article 2 deals with equality and is considered central to the Convention. The Committee is in the process of developing its recommendations on how to use, interpret, administer and implement Article 2 for governments that have ratified CEDAW.

Adrian Coman, Program Director, and Grace Poore, Regional Coordinator for Asia and the Pacific Islands, participated in the July 16 meeting at the United Nations. They presented a statement to CEDAW on behalf of IGLHRC and ILGA-Europe. The following report by Grace Poore captures their experience.

UN Technical Working Group on MSM and HIV, Nanjing, China, July 10 - 15

The UN Technical Working Group on MSM and HIV (China) will hold its next meeting in Nanjing on July 10 through July 15. Because of the recent events in Sichuan and the convergence of the Olympics and International AIDS Conference (Mexico City) dates, we are holding two consecutive working group meetings. Over 70 invited community participants including MSM living with HIV are expected to attend.

Dates:

• July 10 – 11 - MSM community strategy consultation session
• July 12 – 15 - MSM joint community action plan workshop

Expected Outcomes:

1. MSM community strategy to respond to HIV and AIDS drafted and outcomes endorsed
2. Skills to identify and develop local partnership (local MSM CBOs, local health departments and local MSM business establishments) strengthened
3. Capacity to develop joint community action plans and funding proposals inline with China’s national MSM strategy enhanced – including increased converge, sustainability and monitoring
4. Potential mechanism to facilitate funding to CBOs through national and local partners established
5. National (China) Coalition of MSM Networks initiated (modeled on APCOM)

Partnering Organizations:

• Chengdu Tongle Health Center, Beijing Gender Health Institute
• Asia Pacific Coalition on Males Sexual Health (APCOM) Board Member
• Hong Kong AIDS Foundation
• China STD/AIDS Association (national/local); China Preventive Medicine Association
• SCAWCO, China CDC/NCAIDS, Nanjing STD Center, Jiangsu Provincial CDC
• Gates Foundation including local programme officers from 13 urban areas
• UN Technical Working Group on MSM and HIV (UNDP, International AIDS Alliance)

Support for these meetings was provided by UNAIDS PAF 4, Ford Foundation, International AIDS Alliance and UNDP China.