NGO STATEMENT ON SOGIEI ISSUES
ILGA coordinated the preparation, sign-on and delivery of a joint statement made by over 400 civil society organizations, calling on governments to take concerted action at the HRC. ILGA also made, supported or was involved in the preparation and delivery of more than a dozen SOGI-specific statements made in the plenary by SOGIEI civil society. These included statements in response to discussions on the SOGI report itself, Trans rights, intersex rights in the context of FGM, Violence Against Women, the right to education for every girl, Freedom of Expression, Peaceful Assembly, the Right to Health, Discrimination against women, Women’s Rights, and extreme poverty.
The four co-sponsors of the last SOGI resolution (Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Uruguay – sometimes referred to as the LAC4 by the SOGI community) held a side event prior to the start of the HRC to discuss the new SOGI Report that was released a few days ago. Read the report in English, French, or Spanish.
In addition to the LAC4, Albania, Malta and Montenegro also spoke from a state perspective, as well as member of the UN Committee on Economic Social and Cultural Rights and a representative from ARC-International. The LAC4 confirmed they had no plans for a SOGI-specific resolution at either HRC29 or at HRC30 in September 2015. They did, however, organize a large joint statement signed by more than 70 States from all regions showing international support for SOGIEI and expressing commitment to non-violence and discrimination.
There was a Protection of the Family resolution brought by Egypt and a core group comprised of Bangladesh, Belarus, China, Côte d’Ivoire, El Salvador, Mauritania, Morocco, Qatar, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, and Tunisia, seeking to protect the family as the “natural and fundamental group unit of society”. An amendment presented by South Africa, Brazil and Uruguay to recognize that in different cultural, political and social systems “various forms of the family exist” was blocked by a procedural “no-action” motion from Russia. The resolution was ultimately adopted, but serious concerns were registered by states from all regions.
A resolution on Violence Against Women passed by consensus, including for the first time ever wording on comprehensive sexuality education. Read the resolution in English, French, or Spanish.