CONFERENCE URGES STATES TO EXPLICITLY PROTECT LGBTI PEOPLE

By (Mask Admin)

AFRICA ABROAD – 05 May 2009: Governments endorsing the Durban Review Conference declaration should do more to address multiple and aggravated forms of discrimination by protecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) people from criminalisation, torture and beatings, so said a coalition of NGOs during the conference on 20-24 April 2009 in Geneva.

The conference, which aimed to evaluate the progress towards the goals set by the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerances, was the second following the 2001 World Conference which took place in Durban, South Africa. 

In a joint statement, this coalition, which includes the International gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC), the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA), RC International, etc, called upon the governments to recognise the importance of addressing multiple forms of discrimination and to include sexual orientation and gender identity as grounds that are inextricably linked to racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia.

Akim Ade´ Lacher, Director of policy and Research at Egale Canada said that the current declaration does not explicitly provide protection to human rights abuses on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity.

“The adoption of this document [conference declaration] means states have an obligation to address contemporary forms of discrimination, which in light of today’s realities, represents the grave human right abuses faced by racialised LGBTI people.”

At a side-event co organized by ARC-International, COC Netherlands, Egale Canada, IGLHRC, ILGA, Mulabi, RFSL, on the intersectionality of race, sexual orientation and gender identity, panelists called upon States to respect the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which articulates that “all human beings are free and equal in dignity and rights”

They said it was an urgent call for States to recognize the human rights abuses faced by LGBTI people and to respect the current spirit and intent of the adopted text to protect multiple and aggravated forms of discrimination, such as sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression.

“The interwoveness of identities not the intersectionality of them is perhaps a better picture to paint in our struggle and recognizing this indivisibility of human rights within this adopted text has the potential of opening up space for new formulations of doing struggle and recognises these connections.”

The Durban Review Conference provided an opportunity for participants to assess and accelerate progress on implementation of measures adopted at the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and related Intolerances, held in Durban, South Africa in 2001.