Human Rights Council Holds Interactive Dialogue with the Independent Expert on Protection against Violence and Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
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The Council also held an interactive dialogue on the report of the Independent Expert on sexual orientation and gender identity, Victor Madrigal-Borloz.
Presenting the report, Mr. Madrigal-Borloz said it was about the intersections between the right to freedom of religion or belief and the right to be free from violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Religion was not inherently pro- or anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. Yet, religion and the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender-diverse persons were often placed in antagonistic positions in social and political discourse. In some cases, religious narratives had been deliberately used to justify violence and discrimination, often in defiance of the doctrine of those faiths. The resulting sense of conflict undermined the ideal of peaceful human coexistence. The world needed to condemn the wrongful use of religious beliefs as an excuse for violence or discriminatory denial of the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons.
Mr. Madrigal-Borloz also reported that he had undertaken three country visits to the United States, Cambodia and the United Kingdom. He planned to publish reports on these visits before the end of his tenure in October of this year.
In the ensuing discussion, many speakers thanked the Independent Expert for his valuable work and reaffirmed the importance of the protection of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons from violence and discrimination, and for the progressive development of international human rights norms and standards. Speakers expressed concern about the alarming rates of violence, discrimination, and stigmatisation against this group worldwide, including discrimination based on religion or belief. Speakers said they condemned any invocation of freedom of religion or belief to justify violations against persons on the basis of their sexual orientation and gender identity, as well as any violence against these people under the pretext of a religious practice. Some speakers were concerned that some States were invoking religious and traditional values to adopt laws that coerced and discriminated against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people, such as those criminalising consensual same-sex sexual relations with penalties, including death. States that had not done so should decriminalise consensual same-sex conduct in line with their obligations under international human rights law.
Speaking in the dialogue were Brazil, European Union, Argentina on behalf of a group of countries, Netherlands, Portugal, Liechtenstein, United Nations Women, United Kingdom, Israel, Peru, Luxembourg, United Nations Children’s Fund, Viet Nam, Costa Rica, Belgium, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Ecuador, Iceland on behalf of group of countries, Germany, United States, France, Spain, Australia, Colombia, Canada, Malta, Venezuela, New Zealand, Ireland, South Africa, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Austria, Greece, Switzerland, Chile, Albania, Georgia, Cuba, Italy, Montenegro, Bolivia, Cyprus, Nepal, Uruguay, Hungary and Thailand.
Also speaking were Federatie van Nederlandse Verenigingen tot Integratie Van Homoseksualiteit – COC Nederland, International Lesbian and Gay Association on behalf of Southeast Asia Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression Caucus Inc., GIN SSOGIE NPC on behalf of Southeast Asia Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression Caucus Inc., British Humanist Association, Humanists International, Swedish Federation of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights on behalf of Southeast Asia Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression Caucus, Inc., International Organization for the Right to Education and Freedom of Education, Swedish Association for Sexuality Education, International Service for Human Rights on behalf of Southeast Asia Sexual Orientation, and Right Livelihood Award Foundation.
The webcast of the Human Rights Council meetings can be found hereOpens in new window. All meeting summaries can be found here. Documents and reports related to the Human Rights Council’s fifty-third regular session can be found hereOpens in new window.
International and Comparative SOGIESC Law - Professor Andreas R Ziegler 