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Summary: Since the adoption of the 2011 UN resolution on sexual orientation and gender identity, a series of regional workshops have taken place to identify challenges faced by LGBT persons, and to discuss what tools would be the most useful for an effective response.
In 2011 South Africa led the first resolution ever adopted by the Council on sexual orientation and gender identity. Two years later follow-up to this resolution is an urgent requirement, to ensure it does not fall off the Council’s agenda. With this in mind, a series of regional meetings have been held, in Kathmandu, Brasilia, Banjul and Paris, with the aim of identifying the challenges faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons (LGBT), and to discuss what tools would be the most useful for an effective response. A meeting in Olso earlier this month brought together the findings of those regional meetings, and key among the conclusions was the need for the UN to create a mechanism to systematise attention on violations and discrimination against LGBT people. Expert mechanism On such a sensitive issue, the creation of an expert mechanism charged with regular reporting to the Council on developments in the area of LGBT rights would be a huge achievement. It remains to be seen whether South Africa will choose to pursue this goal at the coming session. It is noteworthy, however, that the political composition is the most favourable it has ever been on this issue. For more details, visit the website of the Internatonal Service for Human Rights. The issue is set to be high on the agenda at the upcoming 23rd session of the Human Rights Council, opening on 27 May. Visit CRIN's session page. Further Information
pdf: http://www.ishr.ch/council/428-council-not-in-feed/1498-council-alert-hu...