The Human Rights of LGBTI people
More than a third of the world’s countries criminalize consensual, loving same-sex relationships, entrenching prejudice and putting millions of people at risk of blackmail, arrest and imprisonment.
Many countries force transgender people to undergo medical treatment, sterilization or meet other onerous preconditions before they can obtain legal recognition of their gender identity. Intersex children are often subjected to unnecessary surgery, causing physical and psychological pain and suffering.
In many cases, a lack of adequate legal protections combined with hostile public attitudes leads to widespread discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people – including workers being fired from jobs, students bullied and expelled from schools, and patients denied essential healthcare.
LGBTI stories
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The ILO joins the international community to mark this International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia. Standing together under the banner of Alliances for Solidarity , we highlight the importance of human rights for all, irrespective of actual or perceived sexual…
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Statement for International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia 2018 (17 May 2018)
On this International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, stands with all members of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) communities…
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17 May 2017 – Marking the international day against homophobia, senior United Nations officials today called for respect for sexual and gender diversity and urged the protection of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people from discrimination…
For the first time in the Caribbean, young adults from secondary schools across the Caribbean area met in Port of Spain to simulate a debate of the United Nations General Assembly. 50 member states were represented by young men and women,…
1 July 2016 – The top human rights body at the United Nations has voted to appoint an independent expert on protection from violence and discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) people.
The Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council debated the…
Far too often young people in the Caribbean become victims of harassment and violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity. UN specialists have indicated a higher incidence of depression, academic failure and sucide among young LGBTI persons who are…
"If people can learn to hate, they can be taught to love. For love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite"
Nelson Mandela
former president of South Africa
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5 standards to help businesses tackle LGBTI discrimination
Being a trans ally is easier than you think
Culture of Love
History of LGBTI rights at the UN
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Tackling discrimination against LGBTI people : Standards of Conduct for Businesses | |
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Three steps to fight discrimination in the workplace and become an LGBTI ally | |
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UN Free and Equal material |
Bullying and violence in schools brochure |
In July 2013, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) launched UN Free & Equal – an unprecedented global UN public information campaign aimed at promoting equal rights and fair treatment of LGBTI people.
United Nations Resolutions -
- Sexual orientation and gender identity
Protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity (adopted 30 June 2016) - A/HRC/RES/32/2 - Human Rights Council resolution - Human rights, sexual orientation and gender identity (adopted 17 June 2011) - A/HRC/RES/17/19
- Human Rights Council resolution - Human rights, sexual orientation and gender identity (adopted 26 September 2014) -A/HRC/RES/27/32
- General Assembly resolution - Extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions - A/RES/69/182
Joint UN statement on Ending violence and discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people
On 29 September 2015, 12 UN entities (ILO, OHCHR, UNAIDS Secretariat, UNDP, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNICEF, UNODC, UN Women, WFP and WHO) released an unprecedented joint statement calling for an end to violence and discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people.
The statement is a powerful call to action to Governments to do more to tackle homophobic and transphobic violence and discrimination and abuses against intersex people, and an expression of the commitment on the part of UN entities to support Member States to do so.
