UN renews crucial human rights expert mandate on sexual orientation and gender identity

Leave a reply

UN renews crucial human rights expert mandate on sexual orientation and gender identity

The Human Rights Council has renewed the mandate of the only human rights expert within the United Nations system that is specifically dedicated to addressing violence and discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans (LGBT) and gender diverse persons.

More: https://ishr.ch/latest-updates/un-renews-crucial-human-rights-expert-mandate-on-sexual-orientation-and-gender-identity-2/

___________________________________________

The United Nations voted to renew the mandate of the Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) on Monday.

The UN Human Rights Council adopted the resolution with 29 votes in favor, 15 votes against, and 3 abstentions in its 59th session.

The renewal of the mandate for another three years reaffirms the core Universal Declaration of Human Rights principle that “all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.” States are obligated to ensure the lives and rights of LGBTQ+ people are protected, enabling them to live free from discrimination and violence.

The mandate of the Independent Expert on SOGI was created in 2016 to address global discrimination and acts of violence committed against individuals based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Initially created for a period of three years, the mandate was renewed in 2019 and 2022. Since 2023, the mandate has been held by South African scholar, Graeme Reid, who previously acted as director for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights Program at Human Rights Watch.

International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA World) Executive Director, Julia Ehrt, stated, “The renewal of this mandate is a spark of hope in a time when reactionary powers worldwide are trying to dismantle progress that our communities fought so hard to achieve.”

The United States, under President Donald Trump’s administration, withdrew from the UN Human Rights Council, issuing a series of executive orders earlier this year targeting the rights of transgender individuals. Rights groups have warned of the harmful impacts of such laws on transgender youth, their families, communities, and the healthcare system. Most recently, the US Supreme Court upheld legislation restricting access to gender-affirming care for transgender youth. The independent expert on SOGI issued a statement on the decision, urging that a “rights-based, person-centred approach to gender-affirming care” be upheld.

Ahead of the 59th session of the Human Rights Council, Human Rights Watch urged UN member states to support the renewal of the resolution. ILGA World delivered a statement at the session calling to “Renew IE SOGI” on behalf of a coalition of 1,259 NGOs and civil society groups from across 167 countries and territories. They noted that adopting the resolution would reiterate that “violence and discrimination against people of diverse sexual orientations and/or gender identities cannot be tolerated,” emphasizing that “specific, sustained and systematic attention” is necessary to address human rights violations perpetrated against LGBTQ+ people globally.

The post UN Human Rights Council renews mandate of LGBTQ+ rights expert appeared first on JURIST – News.

Germany: Berlin Administrative Court: “Progress Pride” flag allowed to hang in primary school nursery (No. 33/2025)

Leave a reply

Verwaltungsgericht Berlin: „Progress-Pride“-Flagge darf im Grundschulhort hängen (Nr. 33/2025)

25.06.2025
Die „Progress-Pride“-Flagge darf im Hort einer Grundschule hängen. Das hat das Verwaltungsgericht entschieden. Kläger sind die Eltern und ihre Tochter, eine Schülerin einer Berliner Grundschule, die auch den Schulhort besucht. In einem der Horträume hängt an der Wand eine selbstgemalte „Progress-Pride“-Flagge in etwa der Größe DIN A3, wobei sich auf der linken Seite der Flagge ein Keil in den Farben rosa, hellblau, weiß, schwarz und braun sowie ein gelbes Dreieck mit lila Kreis befindet. „Progress-Pride“-Flagge darf im Grundschulhort hängen (Nr. 33/2025)Weitere Informationen

Hong Kong government proposes to legally recognize same-sex couples registered abroad

Leave a reply

Hong Kong government proposes to legally recognize same-sex couples registered abroad

On Wednesday, the Hong Kong government released an official document that proposes to establish a registration system for same-sex couples who were married or whose marriages are registered overseas.

This document, released by the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau, mandates that both partners must be of the same sex and at least 18 years old. Further, one of them must be a Hong Kong resident. Such a framework, if implemented, would confer certain important rights upon same-sex couples. These include rights related to the health of their partner, such as hospital visits, access to medical information and organ donations, as well as the right to handle a partner’s post-death affairs, like applying for a death certificate, claiming the body and arranging funeral matters.

Commenting on this proposed framework, the Bureau stated, “It is essential to establish appropriate registration requirements under an alternative framework that aligns with practical realities and public expectations, while safeguarding registrants’ rights and preventing abuse.” 

Importantly, this government proposal comes on the back of a crucial ruling given by the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal in September 2023, in the case of Sham Tsz Kit v. Secretary for Justice. Herein, the Court held that Article 14 of the Hong Kong Bill of Rights obligates the government to create a legal framework to recognize the rights of same sex couples, with a timeline of two years. However, it stopped short of deciding that there is a constitutional right to same-sex marriage. 

Since this ruling, human rights groups as well as the UN have called upon the government of Hong Kong to take legislative steps in furtherance of the court’s decision. The Court of Final Appeal itself has also gone ahead to affirm the rights of same-sex couples to public housing and inheritance.

Hong Kong remains one of the few places in Asia to have created a legal framework for same-sex couples, along with other countries like Thailand, Japan and South Korea. Countries in other parts of the world, such as Poland have also recently moved to give legal support to same-sex unions.

This proposal is the first of such steps taken pursuant to the Court’s ruling, and will be discussed in the legislative council of Hong Kong on Thursday.

The post Hong Kong government proposes to legally recognize same-sex couples registered abroad appeared first on JURIST – News.

Webinar: a discussion on two LGBTQ-related cases decided this term by the Supreme Court: United States v. Skrmetti and Mahmoud v. Taylor – 10 July2025

Leave a reply

Webinar: a discussion on two LGBTQ-related cases decided this term by the Supreme Court: United States v. Skrmetti and Mahmoud v. Taylor – 10 July2025

Join us for a discussion on two LGBTQ-related cases decided this term by the Supreme Court: United States v. Skrmetti and Mahmoud v. Taylor. UCLA Law Professor Cary Franklin, Faculty Director of the Williams Institute and constitutional law scholar, will analyze the decisions, explain their broader implications, and discuss what they mean for access to gender-affirming care, LGBTQ school curricula, and the legal landscape of LGBTQ rights moving forward.    

Register here:https://ucla.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_zu4TMhC8QEiZOMy2Vo58BQ

The Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law is an academic research institute dedicated to conducting rigorous, independent research on sexual orientation and gender identity law and public policy.