It’s Pride Month! As June kicks in, marches, festivals and debates are happening in many countries with lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex (LGBTI) people proudly showing they exist and are part of our communities.
We all deserve to be ourselves, love who we love and have our identities and relationships recognised. Yet, in several countries, such as Turkey, Russia, Uganda, Saudi Arabia, pride marches are banned and LGBTI people are discriminated against. In many others, human rights defenders working so that LGBTI people can enjoy their basic rights are stigmatised, attacked or thrown in jail.
Despite this, LGBTI persons and defenders are working within their local communities, with their governments, and with regional and international mechanisms to achieve real progress: same sex sexual conduct has been decriminalised in at least 9 countries in the last 5 years (including in Botswana just days ago!); the first laws providing protections for intersex children have been introduced, as in Malta; and in more and more countries trans persons are able to have their true identities recognised.
Let’s stand in solidarity in the struggle for equality and inclusion. With your financial contribution, ISHR can help ensure international law respects the human rights of LGBTI people and defenders. We equip LGBTI rights defenders so they can better work towards implementing these standards on the ground. With the funds raised last year from people who are passionate about human rights, today we are welcoming 18 courageous activists in Geneva for our intensive advocacy programme – four of which are LGBTI rights defenders.
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Our work has contributed to successes to date! In December 2016, ISHR and its trainees and partners were integral in establishing a UN Independent Expert on sexual orientation and gender identity. The expert has played a vital role in combating violence and discrimination against LGBT persons worldwide and is the only UN mechanism dedicated to addressing these issues. Right now, ISHR is working in a global coalition of LGBT defenders to renew the mandate in July. We urge you to join this campaign: #RenewIESOGI
At ISHR we value justice, equality and empowerment and we know you do too! Without your contributions, our work would not be possible.
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A newly-released confidential letter by a UN Special Rapporteur documents the disbarment of human rights lawyers in China and the tightening ideological control over lawyers and law firms. The UN expert denounces disappearances, closed-door trials, harassment of relatives, travel bans, and other abuses targeting human rights lawyers.
On Tuesday 16 April 2024, ISHR delivered to both Geneva’s Administrative Council and its legislative counterpart, the Municipal Council, physical copies of the more than 1000 signatures collected in support of a memorial honouring Chinese human rights defender Cao Shunli.
The 79th Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights will be held in Banjul, The Gambia, from 14 May to 3 June 2024. The session will be preceded by the NGO Forum, which will be held in hybrid format from the 11-13 May 2024.
