UN Human Rights Council for the first time responds to LGBT intervention
This morning the joint statement of LSVD, ILGA-Europe and LBL Denmark was presented to the HRC this morning and for the very first time.
Image: UN High Commissioner Louise Arbour
According to our sources Madam High Commissioner Louise Arbour responded to the concerns expressed by the three organisations who all were granted consultative status with the UN ECOSOC last year. She used the words "sexual orientation", stated that this is no reason for discrimination and asked also the governments and the NGOs to take care of these issues. Below is a transcript of her response and the text of the joint intervention of the LSVD, ILGA-Europe and LBL:
“On a related question of discrimination, but from a different point of view, I’d like to address the issue that was put by the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender groups advocating the promotion of human rights in their environment. On that issue I wish to stress that all rights-holders are entitled to turn to their government to ensure their protection from violence, in particular from State-sponsored violence, and this principle of human security - protection of human life and security - suffers no exception, and has to be applied regardless of any personal characteristic, so that protection against violence, based in large part on prejudice, I think needs to be addressed by all governments. In the same way, it’s incumbent on States to exercise restraint in the use of their criminal sanctions so as to not unduly invade rights of privacy.”
- UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour, Interactive Dialogue at UN Human Rights Council, March 15, 2007
Here is the text of the LSVD, ILGA-Europe and LBL joint intervention:
4th session of the Human Rights Council, Geneva, 15 March 2007
Interactive dialogue with Madam HCHR Louise Arbour
Thank you Mr. President, Madam High Commissioner, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen
This is the first intervention of the Lesbian and Gay Federation in Germany (LSVD), the European Region of the International Lesbian & Gay Association (ILGA Europe) and the Danish National Association for Gays and Lesbians (LBL Denmark) and I would like to take this opportunity to thank especially those countries which supported our ECOSOC accreditation which we obtained last December. We would also like to thank you, High Commissioner, and your office for all your support in addressing sexual orientation and gender identity issues.
We welcome your acknowledgement of the importance of the universal protection of human rights and non-discrimination as key pillars of the UN human rights system. We also echo your comments that the Special Procedures have a crucial role to play in highlighting the human rights violations experienced by vulnerable groups.
In the upcoming weeks, this Council will hear from numerous Special Procedures who have documented extensive human rights violations experienced on grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity, including arbitrary detentions, violence, denials of rights to peaceful assembly and expression, sexual abuse, torture and even killings.
The joint statement delivered by Norway last December on behalf of 54 countries from 4 of the 5 UN-regions, which followed the draft resolution from Brasil in 2003, expressed deep concerns about those human rights violations and called on the Human Rights Council to pay due attention to these issues.
Therefore we would welcome your suggestions, Madam High Commissioner, regarding how the Council can most effectively address these issues, and what support your Office can provide, in order to ensure universal human rights protection without discrimination, including on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity.
And one last sentence please Mr. President, Madam High Commissioner, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen from around the world: Please do not forget those people with HIV and Aids regardless of their sexual orientation, they need all our support. So please help them.
Thank you very much for your attention.
