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E-Info-Tool Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity As HR Issues in DC
E-Info-Tool Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity As HR Issues in DC
Some definitions up front: The term ‘sexual minorities’ quantifies. As such, it might bol-
ster arguments on what is considered normal, given it implies
that there is a majority way. It might also suggest that SOGI
Sexual orientation refers to each person’s capacity for
rights are special rights or even minority privileges instead of
profound emotional and sexual attraction to individuals of a
human rights common to all human beings.
different gender, the same gender or more than one gender,
and to the capacity to have sexual relations with them. LGBTI is linked to the gay rights struggle in the West and is
often criticised as being Eurocentric. Groups in the Global
South argue, for example, that the label LGBTI is based on a
Gender identity refers to each person’s deeply felt individual
restricted catalogue of identities, which fails to grasp tradi-
experience of gender, which may or may not correspond
tional trans* identities common in other countries, such as
with the sex assigned at birth. Gender identity includes
hijras in Pakistan or metis in Nepal.
the personal sense of the body (which may involve, if freely
chosen, modification of bodily appearance or function) and Another self-description often used by social movements and
other expressions of gender, including dress, speech and activists is queer. Other terms are MSM (men who have sex with
mannerisms. men) and WSW (women who have sex with women). This avoids
mentioning LGBTI what are perceived as set identities.
Most societies are based on the assumption that there are two
complementary sexes, male and female, and that heterosexuality To avoid categorisations that lead to stigmatisation and to appre-
is universal and the only acceptable way. When heterosexual- ciate the diversity of gender identities and sexual orientations,
ity is perceived as the norm (heteronormativity), people with a it is important to bear in mind that the identities embraced by
different sexual orientation or trans* or any other, gender non- LGBTI do not manifest themselves in the same way worldwide
conforming identity are often seen and treated as a threat to this and that categories change with time and place.
order.
Resources
There are a number of self-descriptions that people with a differ-
ent sexual orientation or gender identity use. When working with Glossary of terms relevant to SOGI/LGBTI
such people or groups, it is important to ascertain what they call
themselves and what they would like to be called. New Zealand Human Rights Commission: Born Free and Equal: A
quick guide to sexual orientation, sex and gender identity (2012)
LGBTI is very common especially in the so-called Global North.
The acronym refers to people:
Rights relating to SOGI – an integral part of
whose sexual orientation is towards the same sex (lesbians
and gays); the international human rights framework
whose sexual orientation is towards both sexes (bisexual);
whose formally assigned birth sex does not equal the person’s The prohibition of discrimination is a fundamental human rights
gender (trans*); principle and is enshrined in all core human rights treaties,
born with a sex/gender that does not fit the concept of a including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
binary (male/female) gender order (inter*). (ICCPR) and the Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural
Rights (ICESCR). Most German partner countries have ratified
Others, often in the Global East and South, tend to refer to
the two covenants, along with other international human rights
themselves as sexual minorities, as this is how they perceive
treaties.
themselves within their society.
2
Both the ICCPR and the ICESCR ban discrimination on a variety While other individuals and groups at risk of exclusion such as
of grounds, namely ‘race, colour, sex, language, religion, political women, children and persons with disabilities can draw upon
or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other international legal instruments like the Convention on the
status’. Sexual orientation and gender identity are not mentioned Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women, no
explicitly. This is mostly due to the fact that this type of discrimi- such international protection mechanism exists for human rights
nation – just like discrimination based on gender (as opposed to relating to SOGI. An important step to confirm human rights
sex), age or disability – had not been considered human rights relating to SOGI as an integral part of the human rights frame-
issues at the time these instruments were drafted in the 1950s work was a June 2011 resolution in the UN Human Rights Coun-
and 60s. However, the prohibition of discrimination in both cov- cil (PDF, 97 KB, not barrier-free). This was the first resolution to
enants includes the notion of ‘other status’; so, even at that time, be adopted that dealt solely with human rights related to sexual
it was explicitly recognised that other discrimination grounds may orientation and gender identity. It asked the United Nations’
exist. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to undertake
a study on violence and discrimination related to people’s sexual
Common arguments: ‘SOGI rights are new rights’ orientation and/or gender identity (PDF, 706 KB), and this was
subsequently published in December 2011. It is the first UN
States opposed to guaranteeing human rights to LGBTI often report dedicated exclusively to human rights relating to SOGI.
claim that they are not obliged to do so, despite having rati-
fied the ICCPR and the ICESCR. They argue that by interpret-
ing ‘other status’ as including discrimination relating to SOGI, Examples of critical human rights concerns
the ICCPR and ICESCR treaty bodies have ‘introduced new
related to sexual orientation and gender
human rights’. These states argue they would have refused
to ratify had they known the treaty bodies’ interpretation identity
before. However, treaty bodies are tasked with the interpreta-
tion of the human rights treaties, which includes taking into (Most examples are taken from the OHCHR study 2011 (PDF,
account changing legal developments and practice. So, even 706 KB) and the 2012 OHCHR publication)
if the treaty bodies’ interpretation has evolved after treaty
ratification by most states, their interpretation advanced in
the General Comments is widely considered as an authorita- Right to privacy
tive interpretation of states’ human rights obligations.
Laws criminalising homosexual acts: homosexual acts are illegal
The treaty bodies (see Human Rights ABC for development in 78 countries, forcing homosexuals to hide their true identity
cooperation (PDF, 221 KB)) are the expert bodies trusted with the or live in constant danger of legal persecution or stigmatisation.
interpretation of human rights treaties. In a landmark decision in
1994 (Toonen/Australia), the Human Rights Committee, which Statutory rape: often there are higher age limits for consensual
is responsible for monitoring the ICCPR, confirmed that prohibi- homosexual sex than for consensual heterosexual sex. For exam-
tion of homosexual acts among consenting adults amounts to ple, the age of consent is higher for both lesbians and gays in the
discrimination and violates the right to privacy. Bahamas, Chile, Paraguay and Suriname.
3
Right to education Rights of participation in cultural and
family life
The UN Special Rapporteur on the right to education noted that
girls who display same-sex affection face discrimination and
The obligation to protect individuals from discrimination on the
expulsion from educational institutions. He also concluded that
basis of sexual orientation extends to ensuring that unmarried
sex education is a basic tool for ending discrimination against
same-sex couples are treated in the same way and entitled to the
people of diverse sexual orientations and must pay special atten-
same benefits as unmarried opposite-sex couples (Report of the
tion to sexual diversity.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, 2011, para. 68).
Where States require legal registration of non-governmental Rights of human rights defenders
organisations, LGBTI groups have had applications rejected or
their legal registration revoked. The threat of deregistration has In her 2010 report to the Human Rights Council, the Special
been used to curtail advocacy on sexuality and gender issues and Rapporteur on human rights defenders noted that she had sent
intimidate individuals in the organisations concerned. Peaceful 47 communications regarding defenders working on LGBT issues
gatherings to promote equality on the grounds of sexual orienta- during the previous year. Killings of LGBT human rights defend-
tion and gender identity are banned by authorities, and partici- ers were alleged in five communications, with rape and sexual
pants are harassed and intimidated by police and extremists. violence (directed at both women and men) being reported in a
further six. (See the report of the Special Representative of the
UN Secretary-General on human rights defenders (PDF, 133 KB,
Right to the highest attainable standard not barrierfree).
of health
Impunity and rights of redress and
The criminalisation of homosexuality may deter individuals from
seeking health services for fear of revealing ‘criminal conduct’. It accountability
also results in services, national health plans and policies that fail
to reflect the specific needs of LGBTI. Healthcare professionals Often violence by third parties against sexual minorities goes
are often insensitive to the needs of LGBTI and lack the neces- unpunished. The Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial executions
sary professional training. noted that criminalisation increases social stigmatisation and
makes people more vulnerable to violence and to human rights
For trans* persons wishing to change their biological sex, gender abuses, including death threats and violations of the right to life,
reassignment therapy, where available, is often prohibitively as these crimes are often committed in a climate of impunity.
expensive and State funding or insurance coverage is rarely avail-
able. Inter* children, who are born with atypical sex charac-
teristics, are often subjected to medically unnecessary surgery, The Yogyakarta Principles
performed without their informed consent, or that of their
parents, in an attempt to ‘fix’ their sex. In 2007, an international group of renowned human rights
experts published ‘The Yogyakarta Principles on the Application
of International Human Rights Law in relation to Sexual Orien-
Freedom of movement and to request asylum tation and Gender Identity’. These principles comprehensively
identify the existing obligations of states to respect, protect and
Having fled their countries, LGBTI often face rejection and igno- fulfil the human rights of all persons regardless of their sexual
rance when applying for refugee status. Guidelines of the United orientation or gender identity. They also map the specific human
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (PDF, 231 KB) demand rights violations that people of different sexual orientations and
that refugee protection should be accorded to people facing a gender identities often experience.
well-founded fear of persecution based on sexual orientation
and/or gender identity. Even though the Yogyakarta Principles (PDF, 357 KB, not barrier-
free) were published by people acting in a private capacity, they
Due to social stigmatisation, LGBTI often face considerable bar- have attracted considerable attention. Some states, including
riers when moving around. In order to avoid verbal and physical the Netherlands, Canada (PDF, 357 KB, not barrier-free), and
abuse, they either have to resort to costlier private transporta- Germany (PDF, 1,6 MB), have committed to use the Principles as
tion or restrain their movements. foreign policy guidelines (p. 23 to 24, PDF, 730 KB, not barrier-
free). Movements working on SOGI issues worldwide use the
4
principles to fight for decriminalisation, protection and recogni- Latin America
tion. Case studies are documented in ‘The Activist’s Guide to the
Yogyakarta Principles’ (PDF, 2.5 MB, not barrier-free) and the Latin American SOGI movements have achieved a relatively high
‘Copenhagen Catalogue of Good Practices’. degree of recognition over the last two decades. Many laws crimi-
nalising homosexual behaviour have been repealed and tolerance
towards LGBTIs has partly increased. Yet, social attitudes to
The situation in different world regions homo- and transsexuals remain hostile and often violent. Police
often resort to provisions such as ‘acts against decency’, ‘public
The situation of LGBTI people differs markedly between regions, scandal’, or ‘moral contravention’ to justify abuse of LGBTIs.
from country to country within each region, within each country, Lesbians have been forcefully institutionalised, and shock therapy
and often even between the major cities and rural areas. The and other inhumane treatments have been used to ‘cure’ them.
following provides very brief regional overviews on SOGI rights, Trans* people, fearing mistreatment, have reportedly resorted to
describing some major human rights concerns for LGBTI, as well dangerous self-medication and genital mutilation.
as successes at the national or regional levels.
In August 2011, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights
in its first ever LGBTI case (PDF, 165 KB) overturned a Chilean
Asia-Pacific Supreme Court decision, through which a Chilean mother lost
custody of her child because of her sexual orientation (PDF, 1,1
Asian state practices are the most diverse when it comes to MB). In November 2011, the Inter-American Commission of
recognising SOGI rights. In 2010, the Advisory Council of Jurists Human Rights – next to the Court the main body of the Latin
of the Asia-Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions American Human Rights System –announced the creation of an
(PDF, 295 KB) found that at least 17 governments in the region LGBTI unit.
failed to protect human rights relating to SOGI. The main human
rights issues were identified as the criminalisation of consensual As part of a wider series of resolutions, the Organization of
same-sex activities, the absence of sexual orientation and gender American States adopted a resolution in June 2013 asking states
identity in anti-discrimination laws, and police violence and to establish mechanisms to combat discrimination based on
abuse of power. sexual orientation or gender identity and to protect human rights
defenders working on the issue, AG/RES. 2807.
Asia still lacks a fully defined regional human rights mechanism.
Nevertheless, in some countries, there was increased protection
of SOGI human rights at the national level. One notable success Africa
is that of Nepal’s metis, who brought their case before Nepal’s
Supreme Court. In 2007, this Court ordered the government to In many African countries, SOGI movements are increasingly
grant ‘Sexual and Gender Minorities’ in Nepal the same rights under threat. LGBTIs are criminalised by law in many states,
as other citizens. In 2009, India’s Supreme Court ruled that the ostracised by their families, barred from equal access to health or
criminalisation of homosexuality in the Indian Penal Code – a education, and live in constant fear of police threats or violence
legacy of colonialism – had to be abolished. And in 2011 the Paki- from the general public. South Africa’s liberal legislation towards
stan Supreme Court ordered the registration of hijras for election. same-sex marriages is the regional exception and does not reflect
the overall social attitude towards LGBTI in the country.
In 2010, five National Human Rights Institutions (Australia, Indo-
nesia, Mongolia, New Zealand, Philippines) started programmes In recent years, homophobia has become a powerful tool used
to support SOGI human rights, which included the assessment of by populist politicians and religious figures. In Uganda, certain
legal frameworks, training, reporting and advocacy. government officials employ a homophobic discourse and a
group of parliamentarians tried to pass an anti-homosexuality
Multiple discrimination against women bill in 2009, which was tabled again in February 2012. In 2011
in Ghana, labelling politicians as gay has become a major tool to
Women are often confronted with double discrimination due defame them in election campaigning. Malawi in 2011 proceeded
to their sex or gender and their sexual orientation or gen- to criminalise female homosexual behaviour, as it already did for
der identity. UN rapporteurs have attributed risks faced by male homosexual behaviour. However in 2012, president Joyce
women human rights defenders to the perception that they Banda announced to decriminalise same-sex relations.
are challenging widely accepted socio-cultural norms, tradi-
tions, perceptions and stereotypes about femininity, sexual
orientation, and the role and status of women in society. Spe-
cific risks female LBTs face are, for example, so-called “cura-
tive” or “corrective rape”, a form of gender-based violence
which perpetrators describe as a “treatment” to “convert”
their victims to heterosexuality.
5
The African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights of the African rights movement have been a key to success in the past.
Union (AU) condemns discrimination (Article 2). The Commission Litigation strategies have been successful where they focus
tasked with monitoring the African Charter has indicated in state on claiming that one’s sexual orientation and gender identity
reporting procedures (DOC, 65 KB) as well as in a communication is no justification for human rights violations, for example in
(PDF, 230 KB) in 2006 that discrimination on the basis of sexual areas like the right to privacy.
orientation or gender identity does not conform to the African
Charter. The Commission has so far not taken any explicit posi-
tion on sexual orientation and gender identity; however, it saw fit Last but not least: Europe
to deny the Coalition of African Lesbians observer status in 2010
(PDF 848 KB, not barrier-free), even though the organisation met In Europe (both EU and non-EU), jurisprudence and non-discrim-
all necessary criteria. ination have improved in recent decades. Being or becoming an
EU member state requires the repeal of discriminatory legisla-
tion. The European Court of Human Rights has a long history of
Resources
solid advances in the recognition of LGBT human rights, judging
IGLHRC, Nowhere to turn: Blackmail and Extortion of LGBT that sodomy laws as well as the failure to give legal recognition
People in Sub-Saharan Africa, 2011. for a change of gender identity violate the right to privacy, that
sexual orientation was covered by the non-discrimination guaran-
tee of the European Convention on Human Rights, and that the
The Middle East and North Africa relationship of a same-sex couple constituted “family life”.
In the case of Gas & Dubois in 2012, however, the European Court
Northern parts of Nigeria, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Yemen have of Human Rights held that the denial of second-parent adoption
instituted their version of Sharia jurisprudence and impose the was not a violation of either the right to be free from discrimina-
death penalty for homosexual acts. Other countries in the Middle tion (Article 8 of the European Convention) or the right to private
East and North Africa (MENA) criminalise homosexual acts using and family life (Article 14).
laws inherited from the colonial era; they include Algeria, Egypt,
Jordan and Morocco. The region has probably the highest rate of However, homophobia is widespread and violent attacks on
attacks and campaigns against people that live a sexual orienta- homosexuals, trans* and inter* people still occur. Same-sex
tion or gender identity different to the heterosexual norm. In the marriage is legal in seven European countries, and civil unions
United Arab Emirates, Iran and other countries men suspected and registered partnerships are available in ten states. There are
of being homosexual when arrested by the police, often must still 30 states, particularly those of Eastern and Central Europe,
endure medical anal examinations. In Egypt, since the early which do not recognise same-sex partnerships or marriages.
2000s, gays have been picked up randomly by the police, jailed, Of particular concern is the legal situation of trans* and inter*
tortured and given lengthy prison terms for ‘debauchery’. Overall, people, which is addressed in an Issue Paper on Human Rights
activist movements in the region are hardly visible and internet and Gender Identity produced in 2010 by the former Council of
censorship inhibits networking and people’s access to informa- Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Thomas Hammarberg.
tion about their rights. He argues that sterilisation, which most European countries
require before one can undergo gender reassignment therapy,
Gender reassignment surgeries are legal in some MENA countries does not accord with the right to physical integrity.
(such as Egypt and Iran), but trans* people nevertheless remain
criminalised and stigmatised in both states.
Resources
The Arab Charter on Human Rights (2004, effective since 2008) Council of Europe, Standards for combating discrimination on
prohibits discrimination (Art. 3.1) but does not mention gender grounds of sexual orientation and/or gender identity (PDF, 823
identity or sexual orientation as prohibited grounds of discrimina- KB, not barrier-free), 2011.
tion. Nor does it include a provision like “any other such status”.
There is no evidence that the Arab Human Rights Committee, Council of the European Union, Guidelines to promote and pro-
established on the basis of article 45, has dealt with questions of tect the enjoyment of all human rights by lesbian, gay, bisexual,
discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. transgender and intersex (LGBTI) persons (PDF, 98 KB, not bar-
rier-free). This supports the promotion and protection of LGBTI
Lessons learnt: talk rights, not identities rights in foreign policy, including development cooperation.
6
the first LGBTI magazine in Georgia; the Helem organisation in
How German development cooperation
Lebanon and their writing of a parallel report to the UN General
supports SOGI rights Assembly meeting on HIV/AIDS; and, the Israeli internet plat-
form ‘We exist!’ (PDF, 301 KB, not barrier-free).
A recent study analysed data on funding for strengthening LGBTI
rights by German state and non-state institutions (3L/GIHR, PDF,
1,5 MB). It finds that most German support to LGBTI consists of Experiences and resources from other donors
direct funding of SOGI organisations via NGOs. In comparison,
the state implementing agencies GIZ and KfW run only a few In 2005, the Swedish International Development Cooperation
programmes targeting or including LGBTI. The German-Kenyan Agency (SIDA) was the first donor organisation to launch an
Health Programme, funded by BMZ and implemented by GIZ, is LGBTI action plan. The plan included training for SIDA staff and
one such programme. In cooperation with the German Backup the staff of partner bodies. A 2010 evaluation (PDF, 440 KB, not
Initiative, GIZ worked with local partners such as the Gay and barrier-free) concluded that the action plan has helped SIDA to
Lesbian Coalition of Kenya (GALCK) and the NGO Liverpool mainstream LGBTI rights as an important human rights issue,
Care and Treatment. Capacity building, advocacy and research but it could not yet report any major impacts on the ground. As
enabled GALCK to create safe spaces, expand their network and a follow-up plan, the evaluation recommended more precise and
improve access to health care for sexual minorities. Working concrete objectives and indicators.
at the national and regional level, with a variety of stakehold-
ers, the programme aims to counter social stigmatisation and HIVOS, a Dutch NGO with longstanding experience in support-
support legal reforms. (See the GIZ video: GALCK , and the ing LGBTI, recommends focusing SOGI rights funding and other
promising practice). Similar programmes for HIV prevention support on:
have been commissioned by BMZ, mainly for the Caribbean and
South America. In Peru, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina, rural areas;
BMZ works with governments as well as the UN organisations coalition building, e.g. furthering alliances of SOGI move-
ments with NGOs working on other human rights issues, such
UNAIDS, UNESCO and UNFPA to integrate the topic of sexual
as women’s rights or the prohibition of torture;
diversity into national curricula for sex education.
the protection of human rights defenders;
Germany’s Hirschfeld-Eddy-Stiftung (HES) is working on LGBTI the exchange of experiences among NGOs and movements
working on SOGI issues.
rights in development cooperation and foreign policy, and pro-
motes international networking and cooperation with partner Since 2010, SIDA and HIVOS have collected best practice in
organisations in the Global South and Eastern Europe. It also pro- mainstreaming SOGI rights in development cooperation.
vides direct assistance to LGBTI individuals who are being threat-
ened. HES carries out national and international LGBTI human The Global Fund is a partnership between governments, civil
rights campaigns by providing information, raising public aware- society, the private sector and affected communities, with the
ness, lobbying, sensitising, and building alliances. HES supports objective of supporting public health interventions relating to
LGBTI human rights defenders and projects in and from Uganda, AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. Its ‘Global Fund Strategy in
South Africa, Nigeria, Turkey, Israel, Lithuania, Latvia, Ukraine, Relation to Sexual Orientation and Gender Identities’ (PDF, 2,2
Nicaragua, and Iran. These include the Nicaraguan network Red MB, not barrierfree), provides a sound introduction on how to
de Diversidad Sexual, Nigeria’s House of Rainbow Fellowship, mainstream SOGI issues in health policies and especially HIV/
and the Nicaraguan Red de Desarrollo Sostenible (with financial AIDS policies.
support from the German Foreign Office). The Red de Desarrollo
Sostenible drew up a National Agenda on Sexual Diversity and
Human Rights. The House of Rainbow offers empowerment sem- The SOGI movement
inars for LGBTI people and for partner organisations to increase
acceptance for sexual minorities in Nigerian communities. Non-governmental organisations are at the heart of the SOGI
movement. They connect international donors and civil society,
Following a similar approach, the Heinrich Böll Foundation (HBS) and they are expert in understanding people’s needs inside the
supported the Coalition of African Lesbians (CAL). CAL works country and the movement’s opportunities and limitations. Many
with 19 partner organisations in 11 African states for a broader NGOs/movements in partner countries are engaged in capacity
acceptance of diverse female identities. One area of the NGO’s building, litigation and policy reform, advocacy work, or leader-
work is to combat acts of so-called “curative” rape. It is also ship development. Many of them work almost exclusively with
attempting to achieve observer status at the African Commis- unpaid staff and face security and funding challenges.
sion on Human and Peoples’ Rights. In Thailand, HBS backs
a media project that enhances access to information for that
country’s diverse gender and sexual identities, such as Dees, Gay
Kings, Lesbians or Kathoey. Other examples include support for:
7
Some of them might not be officially registered, as registration Measures to include LGBTI can be taken within development
usually requires that an association’s objectives run in line with agencies and in programmes in partner countries. Within agen-
national legislation. Criminalisation of LGBTI is thus used by cies, exemplary measures include awareness raising and provid-
states to bar SOGI movements from registration, which in turn ing staff guidelines. For example:
raises further barriers, such as their activities being declared
illegal, taxation hurdles, etc. SOGI rights are made visible as part of the human rights
concerns in the organisation, e.g. by embedding the Yogya-
karta Principles in human rights information and making this
Whenever possible, development cooperation should take active
available on the agency’s website and intranet;
steps to get in touch with these organisations. The best starting
point might be the local NGO community; regional and interna- SOGI rights form part of staff training and briefings;
tional organisations working on human rights related to sexual Staff are enabled to address SOGI rights in the field, e.g. by
providing practical guidelines for those working in the field
orientation or gender identity, or social movements working on
or promoting the use of existing toolkits like the EU LGBTI
gender and health issues.
foreign policy guidelines or the EU Guidelines on Human
Rights Defenders;
Resources Organisational internal practice reflects what it preaches
externally, e.g. it operates its own non-discrimination policy
Human Rights Watch, Together, apart. Organizing around Sexual
for the workplace.
Orientation and Gender Identity Worldwide, 2009.
In political dialogue and programming in partner countries:
Starting points for German development Do no harm: check whether existing programmes reinforce exist-
ing discrimination against LGBTI, as has occurred in social cash
cooperation
transfers delivered to female heads of households (PDF, 12.6 MB,
not barrier-free). Also, when evaluating political measures such
The recent BMZ strategy ‘Human Rights in German develop-
as sanctions and conditionalities related to LGBTI criminalisa-
ment strategy’ (PDF, 574 KB) explicitly calls for the inclusion in
tion, take care to listen to local civil society groups. In 2011,
development cooperation programmes of people who suffer
more than 40 social justice movements and NGOs from all over
discrimination because of their sexual orientation and/or gender
Africa argued that the use of aid conditionality as an incen-
identity. It also emphasises the need for strengthening civil soci-
tive for increasing the protection of the rights of LGBTI people
ety organisations and, in particular, for supporting human rights
on the continent could actually result in making their situation
defenders.
worse, as it undermines the local efforts of LGBTI groups to
build coalitions with wider civil society and to establish ties with
Common argument: ‘LGBTI people are not more affected
governments.
by poverty than society in general’
8
Contact person
Juliane Osterhaus,
[email protected]
Resources
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Registered offices
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Cross sectoral programme Division Human rights; gender equality; culture and development
‘Realising Human Rights in Development Cooperation’
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As at October 2013