19th session of the Human Rights Council

Geneva, 27 February – 23 March 2012

In a resolution at its 17th session (A/HRC/RES/17/19) the Human Rights Council requested the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, to prepare a study on human rights, sexual orientation and gender identity.

The 25-page report documents discriminatory laws and practices and acts of violence against individuals based on their sexual orientation and gender identity, in all regions of the world, and outlines how international human rights law can be used to end violence and related human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

The findings of the report are due to be presented and discussed by governments at an expert-led panel at the Human Rights Council at this session.  This will be the first UN debate specifically on human rights relating to sexual orientation and gender identity, and is expected to include discussions of what might be appropriate follow up to the report.

Links
1. Report of the High Commissioner – Study documenting discriminatory laws and practices and acts of violence against individuals based on their sexual orientation and gender identity - English, French, Spanish, Russian, Arabic, Chinese, German¹
2. Backgrounder (Français, Español)
3. NGO Press Release (Français, Español)
4. UN Press Release
5. UN website – 19th session of the Human Rights Council

1. The German translation, courtesy of Sandra-Isabell Trautner,  has been marked 100% accurate by the UN revisioning process