Belize’s appeal courts just unanimously ruled that gay sex is definitely legal

A German trans man underwent mandatory sterilisation to legally transition. Now he wants justice

https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2020/01/02/germany-trans-man-tsepo-bollwinkel-sterilised-transition-compensation/

Judgments of 18^th December 2019 regarding the the complete transcription in France of the foreign birth certificate of the child born through surrogacy.

https://www.courdecassation.fr/jurisprudence_2/premiere_chambre_civile_568/111_18_44102.html

https://www.courdecassation.fr/jurisprudence_2/premiere_chambre_civile_568/112_18_44103.html

Judgment of 18^th December 2019 concerning a couple of women who went through medically assisted procreation; this judgment opens the way for children born under assisted procreation to have the name of their two mothers mentioned on their birth certificate :

https://www.courdecassation.fr/jurisprudence_2/premiere_chambre_civile_568/113_18_44101.html

Courtesy of Caroline Mecary

UN Official Nils Melzer Equates Chelsea Manning Incarceration to Torture

Nils Melzer, the U.N.’s special rapporteur on torture, stated in his letter that coercive jail sentences like those imposed on Manning amount to torture under international law and called for Manning’s release.

Prosecutors and the judge have said that Manning faces the same obligations as all citizens to comply with lawful subpoenas and that she can end her jail term at any time by agreeing to testify.

US Ambassador to Zambia forced to leave country after confronting government over jailing of gay couple

https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2019/12/24/zambia-us-ambassador-zambia-daniel-foote-forced-leave-country-recalled/

The SOGICA project is pleased to announce a call for submissions for its final conference taking place at the University of Sussex, Brighton, UK on 7-8 July 2020. The conference will:
•    present the SOGICA project findings and recommendations;
•    give a platform to academics, policy makers, practitioners, activists and refugees addressing sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) asylum in innovative ways;
•    foster interdisciplinary, cross-sector and international engagement between individuals with an interest in this topic, including those most directly involved as asylum claimants in European countries.

About the project
‘SOGICA – Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Claims of Asylum: A European human rights challenge’ is a four-year project (2016-2020) funded by the European Research Council (ERC). Based in the School of Law at the University of Sussex, it will produce the necessary evidence base for a more just and humane asylum process for individuals seeking refuge in Europe on the basis of their SOGI.

Considering the frequently unfair treatment of SOGI asylum claims, the disproportionately high refusal rate, and the particular difficulties in establishing SOGI claims (in particular concerning credibility, relocation and discretion), the project addresses the following questions:
•    How have European countries incorporated SOGI related human rights violations into asylum policies?
•    How do these violations constitute, and how are they seen to constitute, causes of asylum requests?
•    How are SOGI related asylum claims legally adjudicated at domestic, EU and Council of Europe levels?
•    Does the legal adjudication of SOGI related asylum claims influence claimants’ identity and integration in the host society and community of fellow nationals/ethnic group? If so, how?
•    How can domestic, EU and Council of Europe legal frameworks adjudicate SOGI related asylum claims more fairly?

We welcome submissions on a range of relevant topics, including, but not restricted to:
•    The SOGICA project questions above;
•    Country of origin factors;
•    Social integration of SOGI asylum claimants and refugees;
•    Roles of different actors at international, regional and national level, including United Nations, Council of Europe, European Union, domestic asylum authorities, NGOs and support groups;
•    Theoretical approaches to SOGI asylum, including those building on queer theory, feminism, human rights, intersectionality and homonationalism;
•    Practical work presenting new ways of addressing specific group and individual needs;
•    Interpreting and SOGI asylum;
•    SOGI asylum in the context of asylum reforms and policies, including externalisation of migration controls, at EU, German, Italian and UK level;
•    Comparative work on SOGI asylum policies and experiences in different European states – including the SOGICA project fieldwork countries of Germany, Italy and the UK – and beyond;
•    Methodological analysis, including ethical issues in relation to research with SOGI claimants;
•    Social experiences of SOGI claimants, including the role of place and space;
•    ‘Vulnerability’ and SOGI claims;
•    Activism and lobbying in the field of SOGI asylum.
Proposals can take the form of individual oral presentations, panels or thematic sessions, posters, workshops, dramatic and interactive sessions. You may also be able to give a paper via Skype, depending on conference space and project resources. Exhibition space will be available at the conference, details of which will be published on our website in due course. Individuals and organisations attending the conference will be offered the opportunity to have a stand and distribute materials related to their SOGI and asylum related work.
Submissions should be made by email by Wednesday 22 January to info@sogica.org and include:
•    Title of the submission;
•    Abstract of up to 300 words;
•    If not an oral paper presentation, specify duration, space or other presentation requirements;
•    Contact details and brief biography (up to 50 words) for each author.
We will respond to all submissions by 22 February 2020.
Conference papers and other submissions can be published on the SOGICA project website after the event, with the permission of the authors. For these purposes, authors are asked to submit a final version of their work by 30 June 2020.

Attachments and links

• www.sogica.org/en/final-conference

Fifth run:   Summer school – Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity in International Law, The Hague & Amsterdam, 22 – 31 July 2020

https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/education/study-programmes/summer-schools/sexual-orientation-and-gender-identity-in-international-law-human-rights-and-beyond.

The fifth edition of the Summer School on Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity in International Law – Human Rights and Beyond will take place from Wednesday 22 July to Friday 31 July 2020.

It will start in The Hague, while the last few days will be in Amsterdam (coinciding with Amsterdam’s Pride week). This Summer School is offered by Leiden University’s Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies in The Hague. Previous editions have received very good evaluations. The draft programme for the 2020 edition is now available at www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/education/study-programmes/summer-schools/sexual-orientation-and-gender-identity-in-international-law-human-rights-and-beyond.

Course information

This summer school focuses on the recognition of sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) and intersex issues in different areas of international law, such as human rights law, refugee law and international criminal law. Some lectures will focus specifically on sexual orientation, on gender identity/expression, or on sex characteristics, while other sessions will focus on specific regions (including Africa and the Middle East) or countries. Special attention will be given to important test-cases that have helped to achieve some international protection against homophobia and transphobia. Themes include: global and regional human rights mechanisms, sexual and gender minorities in refugee law, protection for LGBTI persons in international criminal law. 

Why this course?

This summer school offers a great opportunity to learn from established academics from leading universities, as well as from world-renowned legal experts from important international and non-governmental organisations.  Many speakers have been involved in research, advocacy or test-cases that have helped to achieve international recognition for the human rights of LGBTI persons. Leiden University’s Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies is home to the world’s only university chair in Comparative Sexual Orientation Law, currently held by the academic coordinator of this summer school, professor Kees Waaldijk. The summer school provides a platform to network with fellow participants, and with speakers from all over the world. In each of the previous editions there were participants from at least five continents. And last but not least, this summer school allows you to discover two vibrant Dutch cities: The Hague and Amsterdam.

Target audience

Practicing lawyers, legal and other professionals in governmental and non-governmental organisations, as well as advanced students are invited to apply. Completion of at least one year of university education is required, as is some knowledge of law, of human rights and of SOGI issues. To ensure active participation and exchange with teaching staff and fellow participants, a maximum of 50 participants will be admitted to this course. Application for participation in this summer school will open in January 2020 at www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/education/study-programmes/summer-schools/sexual-orientation-and-gender-identity-in-international-law-human-rights-and-beyond.

Please inform others about this unique summer school.

Interesting Article:

The latest issue of Europa Ethnica (Vol. 76, nos. 3/4, 2019). Contents include:

• Maria Chiara Vitucci, The protection of sexual orientation in international law: between the principles of non-discrimination and human dignity
• http://www.europaethnica.at/home

INVITATION: Promoting human rights, tolerance and non-discrimination: role of education Monday 16 December 2019, 18:30 – 20:00 Auditorium A2 | Maison de la paix, Geneva Slurs and stereotypes are not only hurtful, but also symptomize ignorance and misunderstanding. Ideologies anchored in hate and prejudice threaten the realization of all peoples’ human rights and attack our […]

INVITATION: Promoting human rights, tolerance and non-discrimination: role of education (16 December 2019 Geneva) — International Law Association – Swiss Branch