ISIL attacks on sexual minorities on UN meeting agenda

The UN Security Council will hold a meeting to discuss Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) attacks on sexual minorities in what will be the first ever council meeting focused on gay rights.  

The United States ambassador to the UN, Samantha Power told reporters that the informal meeting will highlight "ISIL and its systematic targeting of LGBT persons who find themselves in ISIL-controlled territory."   

The US and Chile will host the meeting which will be open to all member-states interested in the plight of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people persecuted by the armed group: "This will be a historic meeting. It will be the first Security Council meeting on LGBT rights," Power said. Read More

Analysis of the HRC: Denying the rights of LGBTI persons

via ARC International: The highlight of the 29th Session of the Human Rights Council from the point of view of the rights of LGBTI persons was the release of the report of the High Commissioner on human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity. 

The increasing mainstreaming of the rights of LGBTI persons was reflected in the fact that LGBTI issues found mention in the reports of many Special Rapporteurs including the Special Rapporteurs on the right to health, and the protection of human rights during counter terrorism, as well as in state and civil society responses to the same.

Even as the rights of LGBTI persons are possibly more mainstreamed than ever before, the opposition to granting these rights remains as strident as ever. Apart from openly homophobic statements by states opposed, the opposition is also crafting other strategies. Part of the new strategy is to couch their opposition in more subtle terms. An example in this Council is how the resolution to protect the family became a theatre for shadow boxing wherein the code for supporting the resolution was seen as an opposition to the so-called ‘LGBTI agenda’. 

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UNAIDS chief: Today's HIV epidemic is 'completely different'

The health community is celebrating a victory at the Third International Financing for Development conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, this week: the successful completion of the 6th Millennium Development Goal for combating the HIV and AIDS epidemic. Speaking on the sidelines, UNAIDS Executive Director was asked on the challenges moving forward to bring an AIDS-free generation. 

One concern raised was that HIV programing and funding has expanded beyond HIV. Michel Sidibé noted that the epidemic is 'completely different' than it was 30 years ago, noting that there are multiple epidemics and multiple 'driving forces of death.' He continued: 

"It’s the same for reforming laws. With bad laws you know that people will just go underground. Gay people are not anymore reached in many places because of homophobic laws. I don’t think they are going beyond their mandate, because giving only pills is not changing the face of the epidemic. We are talking also about restoring [the] dignity of people."  Read More

UN says major strides have been made to eradicate HIV and AIDS

The world has exceeded the UN goal of reversing the spread of HIV around the world by the end of 2015, according to a new report from UNAIDS, titled: How AIDS changed everything.

The 515-page report says that since the Millennium Development Goals were set in 2000, unprecedented strides have been made to eradicate HIV and AIDS: 15 million people with HIV are now on antiretroviral treatment, up from fewer than 700,000 people in 2000, and new HIV infection rates have fallen by 35%. The number of deaths related to AIDS has fallen by 41%. Combating AIDS, malaria and other diseases was one of eight goals UN member nations and other organizations pledged to address by this year.

There's still much work left to be done in the fight against HIV/AIDS, especially in relation to LGBT people, sex workers, and intravenous drug users around the world, who are often ignored and discriminated against. And nearly half of people living with HIV do not know their status.

"HIV prevention efforts need to be adapted to respond to the new realities and needs of men who have sex with men," the report says. It adds that transgender people are typically excluded from public policy discussions as well as social services for HIV/AIDS and measures should be taken to eliminate gender-based violence and inequality. Read More

Access the report, infographics, and other tools here.

Human Rights Council: Sexual Rights Initiative condemns resolution on “Protection of the Family”

excerpt: The Sexual Rights Initiative condemns the adoption of the 'Protection of the Family' resolution at the UN Human Rights Council’s 29th session. [...] While this serves to further polarise the HRC, it is heartening that the strength of the opposition to the resolution was considerable. How this resolution will now be used needs to be monitored closely. It is likely, for example, to be referenced in regressive positions taken on the Post-2015 development agenda.

The text of this resolution is extremely problematic in that amongst other concerns it sought to elevate the family as an institution in need of protection without acknowledging that families perpetuate patriarchal oppression, traditions and harmful practices, and that human rights abuses do occur within families (i.e., marital rape, child abuse, FGM, early and forced marriage, dowry related violence, so-called “honour” killings and other forms of domestic violence). Further, the core group continuously did not include in the text the recognition that various family forms exist, despite many delegations requesting them to do so. Without such recognition, it cannot be assured that the family-friendly and family-oriented public policies referred to in the resolution will address the needs of all family members in diverse families.

Read the specifics of the resolution.

Barbados: UN chief concerned about HIV/AIDS approach in the region

With over a quarter of a million HIV-infected persons reportedly living in the Caribbean, visiting UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is renewing a call for regional governments to make swift changes to legislation that promote discrimination as a measure to contain the spread of the mostly sexually transmitted virus which causes AIDS.

Addressing the launch of the Report of the UNAIDS and Lancet Commission that coincided with the 36th regular CARICOM Heads of Government Summit here, Ban noted that regional countries were struggling to address the epidemic with limited resources at their disposal.

“The epidemic is only made worse by laws and stigma. These are [impacting] our vulnerability to HIV infection and our answers to life saving achievements. They threaten both human rights and public health. We cannot tolerate discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or on the basis of gender identity,” the UN chief said, also calling for the human rights of sex workers and persons who inject drugs.

“We can leave no one behind. AIDS can only end when we protect the human rights of all . . . We have to [correct] all kinds of societal ills including stigma, intolerance, discrimination and violence. To end this epidemic, we need gender equality. We need to protect the sexual and reproductive rights,” Ban emphasized.  Read More

Turkey: UN rights office urges authorities to tackle anti-LGBT violence and discrimination

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) expressed deep concern over attacks and incitement to violence against LGBT people in Turkey, a UN spokesperson said today.

After listing recent disturbances, he said the Office is “further concerned about allegations that in the [Ördek case], police officers trivialized the attack, used discriminatory language, tried to dissuade the victim from filing a complaint, and did not provide protection from additional threats by the alleged perpetrators.”

“We call on the Turkish authorities to take active measures to combat homophobic and transphobic violence and discrimination, to uphold the rights of LGBT people to peacefully assemble and express themselves and to ensure that LGBT victims of crimes are treated with respect and dignity and have access to protection mechanisms and effective remedy,” Mr. Colville said. Read More 

Harvey Milk Foundation awards medal to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon

The Harvey Milk Medal is seen as one of the most significant recognitions from the LBGT human rights community. Stuart Milk, nephew of Harvey Milk and co-founder of the Harvey Milk Foundation, presented the award to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

excerpt from Sec-Gen's remarks: I have been travelling to many countries and where there was discrimination, I talked to Heads of State or Government. Sometimes, I have been successful.

One day, for example, in  [Malawi] there was [a] gay couple that was put in prison for many years. It became big news in the world. So I told [the president], “this is a violation of human rights principles; can you release them? I’m not going to say publicly but if you release them, I will welcome your decision. He said that I don’t agree with your point but since you are the Secretary-General of the United Nations, saying and asking for that, I will consider what I can do”.

I thought that it would take about two or three months for his decision. Then, when we were having a joint press conference, he announced, “I’m pardoning this couple, right now.” Then they were set free on the same day. [...] I was successful. But in some other countries, when I raise this issue, of course, we have some confrontational dialogue. But they listen to my appeal, and I will continue to help those who are being discriminated. Read the full speech

OHCHR: Sexual and reproductive health and rights

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) launched a new information series on sexual and reproductive health and rights. The series includes topics such as Abortion, Adolescents, HIV and AIDS, Violence against Women, LGBTI people, among others. For each topic, it provides the latest data, the human rights standards and the international agreements. Find the series here  

The 29th session of the Human Rights Council concluded on 3 July at a report was presented to updated the Office of the High Commission on violence and discrimination against individuals based on their sexual orientation and gender identity. The report can be read here. 

Thailand: Stand against homophobic and transphobic bullying in schools

Asia-Pacific countries have committed to taking steps to address bullying in schools during a regional consultation organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Asia-Pacific regional offices.

 “We know [that] exclusion, bullying and violence have immediate, long-term and intergenerational effects. This includes school attendance, performance, and completion,” said UNESCO Bangkok Director Gwang-Jo Kim. “And for those that think that bullying based on sexual orientation and gender identity only affects LGBTI [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex] people? This is wrong. It affects the whole climate of the school and community." Read More

UNAIDS: Using new media for the health and well-being

UNAIDS, in collaboration with the Global Forum on MSM & HIV, the USAID funded LINKAGES programme and Health Policy Project, hosted health and media experts, including representatives of private dating platforms, programme implementers, researchers, and advocates for a meeting on using new media and communication technologies to affect the health of gay men and other men who have sex with men (MSM). 

Participants consulted to develop a framework to engage the private and public sectors in using new media technologies for HIV prevention.

Geng Le, Chief Executive Director of Chinese app 'Blued,' said: “Undeniably, gay social networking applications can be a great tool. Blued, as a gay dating application with social responsibility, is keen to make our platform available for HIV interventions. We just need to learn how to work more effectively and innovatively.” 

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