[Viva] Fwd: Historic Decision at the United Nations: Human Rights Council Passes First-Ever Resolution on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

[Tami Starlight]

of course the heading of the cause is misleading.

the bill (as I thought it was) is about lgbt people and not "just gay
people".


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From: Support decriminalisation of Homosexuality at UN! <
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Date: Fri, Jun 17, 2011 at 10:56 AM
Subject: Historic Decision at the United Nations: Human Rights Council
Passes First-Ever Resolution on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
To: cosmictami at shaw.ca


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 Posted By: Maurizio Cecconi   To: Members in Support decriminalisation of
Homosexuality at UN!   Historic Decision at the United Nations: Human Rights
Council Passes First-Ever Resolution on Sexual Orientation and Gender
Identity

(Geneva, June 17, 2011) In a groundbreaking achievement for upholding the
principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the United
Nations Human Rights Council has passed a resolution on human rights
violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity (L.9/Rev.1).

The resolution, presented by South Africa along with Brasil and 39
additional co-sponsors from all regions of the world, was passed by a vote
of 23 in favour, 19 against, and 3 abstentions. A list of how States voted
is attached. In its presentation to Council, South Africa recalled the UDHR
noting that “everyone is entitled to all rights and freedoms without
distinction of any kind” and Brasil called on the Council to “open the long
closed doors of dialogue”.

Today’s resolution is the first UN resolution ever to bring specific focus
to human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity,
and follows a joint statement on these issues delivered at the March session
of the council. It affirms the universality of human rights, and notes
concern about acts of violence and discrimination based on sexual
orientation and gender identity. This commitment of the Human Rights Council
sends an important signal of support to human rights defenders working on
these issues, and recognizes the legitimacy of their work.

“The South African government has now offered progressive leadership, after
years of troubling and inconsistent positions on the issue of sexual
orientation and gender identity. Simultaneously, the government has set a
standard for themselves in international spaces. We look forward to
contributing to and supporting sustained progressive leadership by this
government and seeing the end of the violations we face daily”. (Dawn
Cavanagh, Coalition of African Lesbians)

The resolution requests the High Commissioner for Human Rights to prepare a
study on violence and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and
gender identity, and calls for a panel discussion to be held at the Human
Rights Council to discuss the findings of the study in a constructive and
transparent manner, and to consider appropriate follow-up.

“That we are celebrating the passage of a UN resolution about human rights
violations on the basis of sexual orientation is remarkable, however the
fact that gender identity is explicitly named truly makes this pivotal
moment one to rejoice in,” added Justus Eisfeld, Co-Director of GATE. “The
Human Rights Council has taken a step forward in history by acknowledging
that both sexual and gender non-conformity make lesbian, gay, trans* and bi
people among those most vulnerable and indicated decisively that states have
an obligation to protect us from violence.”

"As treaty bodies, UN special procedures, and national courts have
repeatedly recognized, international human rights law prohibits
discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity.”
(Alli Jernow, International Commission of Jurists)

The resolution is consistent with other regional and national jurisprudence,
and just this week, the 2011 United Nations Political Declaration on HIV and
AIDS recognised the need to address the human rights of men who have sex
with men, and the Organization of American States adopted by consensus a
resolution condemning violence and discrimination on the basis of sexual
orientation and gender identity.

Earlier in this 17th session of the Human Rights Council, the UN Special
Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences, Rashida
Manjoo, reported to the Council that:

“[C]ontributory factors for risk of violence include individual aspects of
women’s bodily attributes such as race, skin colour, intellectual and
physical abilities, age, language skills and fluency, ethnic identity and
sexual orientation.”

The report also detailed a number of violations committed against lesbian,
bisexual and trans women, including cases of rape, attacks and murders. It
is therefore regrettable that a reference to "women who face
sexuality-related violence" was removed from the final version of another
resolution focused on the elimination of violence against women during the
same session.

"Despite this inconsistency, we trust the UN resolution on sexual
orientation and gender identity will facilitate the integration of the full
range of sexual rights throughout the work of the UN." (Meghan Doherty,
Sexual Rights Initiative)

A powerful civil society statement was delivered at the end of the session,
welcoming the resolution and affirming civil society’s commitment to
continuing to engage with the United Nations with a view to ensuring that
all persons are treated as free and equal in dignity and rights, including
on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity.

“Now, our work is just beginning”, said Kim Vance of ARC International. “We
look forward to the High Commissioner’s report and the plenary panel next
March, as well as to further dialogue with, and support from, those States
which did not yet feel able to support the resolution, but which share the
concern of the international community at these systemic human rights
abuses.”


/// Attachment (Records of Vote and Co-Sponsorship) ///

States supporting the resolution: Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Cuba,
Ecuador, France, Guatemala, Hungary, Japan, Mauritius, Mexico, Norway,
Poland, Republic of Korea, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine, Thailand,
UK, USA, Uruguay

States against the resolution: Angola, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Cameroon,
Djibouti, Gabon, Ghana, Jordan, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Nigeria,
Pakistan, Qatar, Moldova, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Uganda.


Abstentions: Burkina Faso, China, Zambia

Absent: Kyrgyzstan, Libya (suspended)

Co-Sponsors of the resolution: Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria,
Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Honduras,
Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand,
Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland, Timor-Leste, United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland, United States of America, and Uruguay.


/// Downloads ///

See the text of the SOGI Joint Statement, and list of 85 State signatories:

English
http://www.arc-international.net/global-advocacy/statements-resolutions/sogi-joint-statement-04-2011-en.htm

French
http://www.arc-international.net/global-advocacy/statements-resolutions/sogi-joint-statement-04-2011-f.htm

Spanish
http://www.arc-international.net/global-advocacy/statements-resolutions/sogi-joint-statement-04-2011-es.htm

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-- 
Meegwetch/Thank you/Merci
*Tami M. Starlight*
Vancouver, Canada
tamistarlight at gmail.com
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