Letter by UN Experts to Qatar regarding gay man arrested for using dating app

Dominica High Court of Justice strikes down sodomy law

Dominica’s High Court of Justice on Monday [22 April 2024] struck down provisions of a law that criminalized consensual same-sex sexual relations.

More: https://www.washingtonblade.com/2024/04/23/dominica-high-court-of-justice-strikes-down-sodomy-law/

USA: South Carolina governor signs gender-affirming healthcare ban into law

South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster on Tuesday signed into law a gender-affirming healthcare ban for transgender minors.

House Bill (HB) 4624, known as the Help Not Harm bill, prohibits physicians, mental health providers and other healthcare professionals from “knowingly” providing gender-transition procedures to individuals under eighteen years of age. HB 4624 defines “gender transition procedures” as puberty-blocking drugs, cross-sex hormones or gender reassignment surgery “provided or performed for the purpose of assisting an individual with a physical gender transition.”

Healthcare professionals can continue to temporarily provide hormone treatments and puberty blockers to minors who are prescribed such treatment before August 1, 2024. The professional must determine and document that immediate termination of the treatment “would cause harm” to that individual, and the period for continued treatment must end by January 31, 2025.

The law further requires schools to notify the parents or guardians of minor students if the child has told a school employee that their gender is “inconsistent with” their sex or asks a school employee to address them by “a pronoun or title that does not align with the minor’s sex.”

House Representative Sylleste Davis stated in January that HB 4624 protects children by “ensuring they are not exposed to irreversible medical procedures at an age when they are most vulnerable.” McMaster offered a similar sentiment in January, stating the bill was “a good idea to keep our young people healthy and safe.”

Critics of HB 4624, however, emphasize the harm that the law will impose on transgender youth. Director of Communications for the Women’s Rights and Empowerment Network Kelli Parker stated, “Rather than prioritizing the real issues facing South Carolinians, our lawmakers shamefully chose to promote hate, fear, and discrimination under the guise of ‘protecting kids.’” Parker added, “Laws that block essential healthcare violate human rights and are a major setback for equality.”

The ACLU of South Carolina announced its opposition to the bill earlier this year, stating that gender-affirming care “is a best practice backed by scientific evidence and endorsed by leading medical organizations.” The organization also noted that such care is “life-saving” and “is the only effective treatment for trans youth to prevent self-harm and suicidal ideation.”

Critics have further emphasized that doctors and patients testified before the legislative committees that gender-transition surgeries are currently unavailable to minors in South Carolina and that patients can only begin hormone treatments after “extensive consultation with health professionals” and the consent of parents or legal guardians.

South Carolina is now the 25th state to restrict or ban gender-affirming treatment for minors. Similar legislation has been introduced in states such as West Virginia, Ohio, and Louisiana in the past few years, representing a spike in legislation that targets the LGBTQ+ community. Last month, the US Supreme Court allowed a gender-affirming care ban for minors in Idaho to go into effect, while the governor of Kansas vetoed a state ban on such care.

The ACLU is currently tracking 515 anti-LGBTQ+ bills in the US. Other types of bills targeting LGBTQ+ youth include policies that restrict personal pronoun usage in schools, prohibit transgender athletes from participating on sports teams that do not correspond with their sex assigned at birth, and limit transgender students’ access to bathrooms that align with their gender identity.

The post South Carolina governor signs gender-affirming healthcare ban into law appeared first on JURIST – News.

US Supreme Court declines hearing parent challenge to school gender identity policies

The US Supreme Court declined Monday to hear a challenge to a Maryland school district’s gender identity policy, which parents are alleging violates their rights.

In John and Jane Parents v. Montgomery County Board of Education, three parents with children who attend Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) allege the school enacted policies that violated their Fourteenth Amendment rights. The policies adopted by the school in the 2020-2021 school year enabled students of any age to “transition socially to a different gender identity at school without parental notice or consent.” The policies address a multitude of topics: establishing a gender support plan, protecting student privacy, the use of appropriate names and pronouns, and participation in gender based activities. The goal of the policies was to create a safe environment for students.

The complaint alleged no specific allegations regarding the application of the policies. The primary issue at hand was the portion of the guidelines that allow students to transition without parental involvement. School personnel was advised to avoid disclosing the student’s gender without the consent of the student. The US District Court for the District of Maryland previously dismissed the case for failure to state a claim for which relief could be granted under Rule 12(b)(6) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. The Supreme Court declined to hear the case upon appeal.

This case comes not long after Maryland parents were denied the right to request to have their children opt out of education on LGBTQ+ history and topics. Parents also alleged that the policy violated their due process rights under the Fourteenth Amendment and their children’s freedom of speech under the First Amendment. These claims were dismissed.

The post US Supreme Court declines hearing parent challenge to school gender identity policies appeared first on JURIST – News.

US State Department issues worldwide travel warning ahead of Pride month

The US State Department issued a “Worldwide Caution” alert on Friday warning US citizens overseas to exercise increased caution amid fears of potential terrorist-inspired violence against LGBTQI+ persons and events. The alert is given two weeks before the start of Pride month in June, known for parades and events that celebrate LGBTQI+ communities.

The State Department advised citizens traveling abroad to be cautious and vigilant in tourist spots, especially if they attend Pride celebrations and places that are usually visited by the LGBTQI+ community.

Additionally, citizens traveling abroad were urged to enroll in the Smart Travel Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive information and alerts from US Embassies about safety conditions in destination countries. This program helps embassies to contact US citizens in cases of emergency, including natural disasters or civil rest, and connect them to their families and friends.

The alert coincided with the commemoration of the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia and Transphobia by Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. Blinken wrote on X that the US is committed to promoting the safety and dignity of LGBTQ+ persons as a component of advancing national interests.

Earlier this month, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security issued a similar statement warning of the potential targeting and exploitation of LGBTQIA+ large gatherings by foreign terrorist organizations. The statement brought to attention past attempts targeting the LGBTQIA+ community, including the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando which left 49 killed or repeated published messages from ISIS to its followers to conduct attacks on the LGBTQI+ venues and events.

The post US State Department issues worldwide travel warning ahead of Pride month appeared first on JURIST – News.

Peru protesters call for repeal of legislation classifying transgender identities as mental illnesses

Hundreds of demonstrators marched Friday in Peru’s capital Lima to call for the repeal of recent legislation that classifies transgender individuals as having a mental illness to provide them access to health benefits.

The law includes transgender identities as mental health conditions in the country’s Essential Health Insurance Plan, which outlines the health conditions covered by health insurance policies. Activists, including Gianna Camacho of the Coordinacion Nacional LGTBIQ+, said the law was transphobic and offensive because it defined their identity as an illness.

The Peruvian government approved a law last week that classifies people who identify as transgender, cross-dressers, and those with gender identity disorders as having “illnesses” that qualify them for mental health services from both public and private providers.

Following this occurrence, around 500 protesters took to the streets of Lima, the capital of Peru, to voice their demands for the repeal of the recently approved law.

The Peruvian Ministry of Health released a statement shortly after the law’s enactment, expressing its opposition to the stigmatisation of LGBTQ+ individuals and clarifying that the legal language aims to enhance health coverage. The ministry further stated that it does not consider sexual orientation and gender identity an indicator of illness, and condemned the practice of conversion therapy. The ministry said that it would not repeal the decree, arguing that doing so would remove “the right to care” as provided by the country.

The protests coincided with the International Day Against Homophobia, a yearly event since 2005 that marks the removal of homosexuality, once considered a mental illness, from the World Health Organisation’s International Classification of Diseases on May 17, 1990.

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Nouvelle publication: Le statut des couples de même sexe dans la jurisprudence strasbourgeoise: (obs. sous Cour eur. dr. h., Gde Ch., arrêt Fedotova et autres c. Russie, 17 janvier 2023)

JL Renchon – Revue trimestrielle des droits de l’Homme, 2024

L’arrêt Fedotova c. Russie du 17 janvier 2023 de la Grande Chambre de la Cour
européenne des droits de l’homme fournit l’occasion de faire le point de l’état actuel
de la jurisprudence strasbourgeoise relative au statut juridique à conférer aux …

Plus: https://www.cairn.info/revue-trimestrielle-des-droits-de-l-homme-2024-2-page-497.htm&hl=en&sa=X&d=9723299469472630346&ei=xahHZvHcM9eJ6rQPjeSN2Aw&scisig=AFWwaebvfghO-bNtwkyJq50kdVQI&oi=scholaralrt&html=&pos=0&folt=rel&fols=

Liechtenstein legalizes same-sex marriage in near-unanimous vote

Liechtenstein’s parliament voted to legalize same-sex marriage on Thursday, making it the 22^nd country in Europe to do so.

Lawmakers in the German-speaking microstate voted nearly unanimously in favor of the measure, with 24 of its 25 members supporting it, Liechtensteiner Vaterland reported.

More: https://www.politico.eu/article/liechtenstein-legalizes-same-sex-marriage-in-near-unanimous-vote/

European Union: FRA’s third LGBTIQ survey shows that people still experience hate-motivated violence and discrimination

Trans and intersex people face even greater victimisation. Yet, signs of progress show that the EU’s and Member States’ efforts can positively affect people’s lives. More LGBTIQ people are open about their sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics.

More: https://fra.europa.eu/en/publication/2024/lgbtiq-crossroads-progress-and-challenges

World Bank and IMF can press Ghana to rethink ‘punitive’ LGBTQ law, charities say

Charities and campaign groups are calling on bodies to say they may stop funding country if legislation comes into effect

The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund are coming under pressure to use their financial might to persuade Ghana to reconsider a proposed law that could lead to anyone who identifies as LGBTQ+ being jailed for three years.

Charities and campaign groups are calling on the global development bodies to tell Ghana they may stop funding the country if the proposed legislation – which will be challenged in the country’s supreme court next week – comes into effect.

The “promotion of proper human sexual rights and Ghanaian family values” bill recommends jailing anyone convicted of identifying as gay for up to three years, imprisoning “promoters” of gay rights for up to five years, and increasing the term for having gay sex from three to five years.

Elana Berger, executive director of the Bank Information Center, a charity that campaigns for better transparency, accountability and inclusion in development finance, said the World Bank was in a unique position to “persuade Ghana to reconsider” with the prospect of losing its promised $3.8bn (£3bn) of funding.

“We believe that everything the World Bank does should be moral, fair and inclusive,” she said. “Funding a country with this law will lead to discrimination against LGBTQ+ people. We’re not anti the World Bank, but it can do a lot more to improve the inclusion of its projects.”

She said the Ghanian parliament’s vote to pass the bill in February despite the threat of losing World Bank funding suggested “the desire to harm LGBTQ+ people trumps the desire to develop the economy”.

Ghana’s finance ministry has warned that if the law comes into effect it could lead to the country losing $3.8bn in World Bank financing over the next five to six years.

Losing that funding, the ministry said, could “derail” a $3bn bailout programme from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and its efforts to restructure its $20bn debt pile. “This will in turn trigger a market reaction which will affect the stability of the exchange rate,” the ministry said in a leaked memo.

The World Bank last year halted some funding to Uganda due to the country’s newly passed anti-LGBTQ legislation, which includes the death penalty or life imprisonment for some same-sex acts, saying “fundamentally contradicts the World Bank group’s values”.

“We believe our vision to eradicate poverty on a livable planet can only succeed if it includes everyone irrespective of race, gender, or sexuality,” the bank said. “This law undermines those efforts.”

Winnie Byanyima, executive director of UNAids, said evidence showed that punitive laws such as Ghana’s were “a barrier to ending Aids, and ultimately undermine everyone’s health”.

She added: “Approaches rooted in inclusion of all people have been crucial to Ghana’s progress in the HIV response … if this bill becomes law, it will obstruct access to life-saving services, undercut social protection, and jeopardise Ghana’s development success.”

Genevieve Partington, Amnesty International’s Ghana country director, said: “The bill is one of the most draconian in Africa and seeks to further criminalise lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people.

“It also seeks to punish anyone who supports or advocates for LGBT people, including human rights defenders, medical professionals, journalists, teachers, and landlords in violation of the right to freedom of expression and association, with a prison term.”

A spokesperson for the World Bank said: “The bill has not yet been signed into law, and we generally do not comment on draft legislation. We have a longstanding and productive relationship with Ghana.”

An IMF spokesperson said: “We have learned from extensive experience that more inclusive development is more successful development. In this case, we recognise that this bill is being challenged in the courts; it is important to let that process play out.”

During a visit to Ghana earlier this year, Kristalina Georgieva, the IMF’s managing director, said: “At this point, what we know is that citizens in Ghana have challenged the constitutionality [of the law]. I will not comment on the details of the bill. Let’s see what the court have to say.”

The supreme court adjourned its hearing on the proposed law to 17 May.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/business/article/2024/may/11/world-bank-and-imf-can-press-ghana-to-rethink-punitive-lgbtq-law-charities-say