Yogyakarta Update: Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and The UN Launch Human Rights Principles That Address Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

U.N Launch of the Yogyakarta Principles in NYC
Brazil advances in the international fight for LGBT rights
12/11/2007

Following Brazil’s formal submission of a Resolution on Human Rights and Sexual Orientation to the UNO Human Rights Council in 2003, an international coalition of LGBT and Human Rights organizations was formed to provide support to this initiative.

Despite Brazil having withdrawn the Resolution in 2005 owing to pressure on its economic agenda and insufficient support from the voting member states on the Council, many actions have continued to be undertaken aimed at gaining force in Latin America by involving other countries from the Region.

At the same time, actions of a more global nature have been developed by means of networking. Among them are the Principles of Yogyakarta, an important resource regarding the application of international human rights legislation to issues relating to sexual orientation and gender identity

On November 7th, at the United Nations headquarters in New York, the Brazilian government together with the Argentine and Uruguayan governments and the following non-governmental organizations: ARC-International; Center for Women’s Global Leadership; Global Rights; Human Rights Watch; International Commission of Jurists; International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission; ILGA - International Lesbian and Gay Association and the International Service for Human Rights launched the Principles as part of an important action coordinated by civil society in partnership with the governments of the global south.

ABGLT – The Brazilian Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans Association, through its LGBT Rights in the Mercosul project, coordinated by Alexandre Boer (SOMOS/Porto Alegre) and Beto de Jesus (IEN/São Paulo), representative of ILGA – International Lesbian and Gay Association for Latin America and the Caribbean, have articulated the Brazilian government’s support for this initiative, in addition to obtaining the support of the President’s Office Special Department for Human Rights to publish the Principles of Yogyakarta in Portuguese for national distribution. In partnership with Sonia Correa from the NGO ABIA and Sexuality Policy Watch, who was co-chair of the meeting in Indonesia, the Principles have been launched in the Brazilian cities of Rio de Janeiro, Nova Iguaçu, Porto Alegre and São Paulo, with the participation of local NGOs.

According to Beto de Jesus, “the initiative by the Brazilian Government to provide support is the fruit of the discussion on the Principles of Yogyakarta begun in the IX Meeting of High-level Authorities on Human Rights in the Mercosul and Associated States held in Montevideo in August, and also ABGLT’s consolidated work with the various levels of the Brazilian government”.

Boris Dittrich, HRW’s Director of Advocacy, visited Brazil and the end of August and made arrangements with the Brazilian government to consolidate the launching of the Principles in New York with the support of ABGLT and ILGA.

Toni Reis, AGBLT’s president, said “we have reached a very important moment, since ABGLT, as well as being active in Brazil, is taking on an important role internationally in the southern bloc of countries”.

Beto de Jesus is in New York this week for the launch of the Principles of Yogyakarta and also to articulate with Brazil’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations regarding strategies for the next meeting of UNO’s NGO Committee, when ABGLT’s application for ECOSOC consultative status will be analysed. With this status, ABGLT will have the right to speak in its own name when participating in UNO activities.

Contacts:
Beto de Jesus (11) 8452-3335 betojesus@uol.com.br
Toni Reis (41) 9602-8906 presidencia@abglt.org.br

Yogyakarta Principles

Yogyakarta Principles on the Application of International Human Rights Law in relation to Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

Who: 29 International Human Rights experts: Philip Alston, Maxim Anmeghichean, Mauro Cabral, Edwin Cameron, Sonia Onufer Corr�a, Yakin Ert�rk, Elizabeth Evatt, Paul Hunt, Asma Jahangir, Maina Kiai, Miloon Kothari, Judith Mesquita, Alice M. Miller, Sanji Mmasenono Monageng, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Lawrence Mute, Manfred Nowak, Ana Elena Obando Mendoza, Michael O'Flaherty, Sunil Pant, Dimitrina Petrova, Rudi Mohammed Rizki, Mary Robinson, Nevena Vuckovic Sahovic, Martin Scheinin, Wan Yanhai, Stephen Whittle, Roman Wieruszewski and Robert Wintemute.

What: The principles are meant to ensure the protection of international human rights law in relation to sexual orientation and gender identity. Their hope is to ensure a different future in which all individuals are free from all forms of discrimination and intolerance with relation to their sexual orientations or gender identity.

Where: The signatories named above met in the Indonesian city of Yogyakarta.

When: November of 2006 and were announced in Geneva in March 2007.

Why: The Yogyakarta Principles are aimed at achieving a global standard already enshrined in universal law. While the discrimination of people based on their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity is prohibited under international standards; the implementation and effectiveness of such standards is inconsistent and sparse throughout the world. The Yogyakarta Principles will help to alleviate this lack of respect for the rights of members of the LGBT community by normalizing all the international law out there on this issue and giving state actors, the UN, media, non governmental organizations, national human rights bodies and others.

to learn more about Yogyakarta visit www.yogyakartaprinciples.org