SOGI Statements

Human Rights, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity have been addressed in various statements, joint statements and a few resolutions in the United Nations and/or regional bodies and organisations.

UNITED NATIONS

Human Rights Council

1) Resolutions

• Human Rights, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, (HRC/RES/17/19) introduced by South Africa, adopted by vote, June 2011

2) Joint statements

• Ending Acts of Violence and Related Human Rights Violations based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, delivered by Colombia on behalf of 85 States, UN Human Rights Council, March 2011

• Human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity, delivered by Norway on behalf of 54 States, Human Rights Council, December 2006

3) Statements by the High Commissioner for Human Rights – click here

4) Statements by the UN Secretary General

• Message to the Human Rights Council panel on human rights, sexual orientation and gender identity, 7 March 2012

• Written statement at Human Rights Council side-event, 17 September 2010

Commission on Human Rights

• Sexual Orientation & Human Rights, delivered by New Zealand on behalf of 32 States, March 2005

General Assembly

• Message of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, GA side-event, 8 December 2011

• Speech by UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Ivan Simonovic, GA side-event, New York, 8 December 2011

• Speech by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, GA side-event, 10 December 2010

• Speech by Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Ivan Simonovic,  GA side-event, 10 December 2010

• Holy See Statement, December 2009

• Human Rights, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, delivered by Argentina on behalf of 66 States, UN General Assembly, December 2008

• Joint Statement, delivered by Syria,  December 2008

• Gender identity, sexual orientation and human rights, address by Ms. Navanetham Pillay, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, December 2008

REGIONAL BODIES

Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Organisation of American States

Resolutions

• Human Rights, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, AG/RES. 2435 (XXXVIII-O/08), adopted by consensus, June 2008

• Human Rights, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, AG/RES.  2504 (XXXIX-O/09), adopted by consensus, June 2009

• Human Rights, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, AG/RES.  2600 (XL-O/10), adopted by consensus, June 2010

• Human Rights, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, AG/RES. 2653 (XLI-O/11), adopted by consensus, June 2011

• Human Rights, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, AG/RES. 2721 (XLII-O/12), adopted by consensus, June 2012

African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights

Resolutions

• Resolution to end all forms of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in Africa, TRES/001/11/09, adopted by the Forum on the Participation of NGOs in the 46th Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, Banjul, the Gambia, November 2009

Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions

• Conclusions of Workshop on the Role of National Human Rights Institutions in the Promotion and Implementation of the Yogyakarta Principles, May 2009

Council of Europe

• Recommendation CM/Rec (2010) 5 of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to Member States on measures to combat discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity, March 2010.