CSBR Statement on United Nations Report

CSBR Statement on United Nations Report on Discriminatory Laws and Practices and Acts of Violence Against Individuals Based on their Sexual Orientation and Gender IdentityJanuary 20, 2012(Beirut, Lebanon)The Coalition for Sexual and Bodily rights in Muslim Societies (CSBR) welcomes the report issued by the High Commissioner for Human Rights of the United Nations on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity. This report was initiated by a landmark resolution presented by South Africa and supported by many countries in various regions in June 2011.  The resolution expressed grave concerns at acts of violence and discrimination across the world based on sexual orientation and gender identity and requested that the High Commissioner for Human Rights prepare the report.The report  documents discriminatory laws and practices and acts of violence against individuals based on their sexual orientation and gender identity, in all regions of the world, and outlines how international human rights law can be used to end violence and related human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity.This report is very important as it is the first of its kind and it documents the abuses faced by individuals based on their sexual orientation and gender identity. These abuses include: killings, torture, rape, criminal sanctions, and other forms of violence and discrimination. The report also highlights the international human rights legal framework as it applies to discrimination and violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The report emphasis the duty of the State under international law to protect the human rights of all individuals including those who are of non conforming sexualities or gender identities.The report makes some strong recommendations and emphasizes that the Human Rights Council and UN Member States have a duty to address human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Specifically, the report calls on States to:

• Repeal provisions that criminalize same- ‐sex relations between consenting adults, including the use of the death penalty;

• Legally recognize the self- ‐identified gender of transgender persons, including in identity documentation;

• Include sexual orientation and gender identity in non- ‐discrimination legislation, and address related discrimination in employment, access to health care and education;

• Ensure an equal age of consent for opposite and same sex relations;

• Ensure accountability for killings and other acts of violence based on actual or perceived sexual orientation, and gender identity and expression;

• Provide sensitization and awareness- ‐raising for police and other law enforcement officials;

• Recognize discrimination and violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity as valid grounds for asylum seeking;

• Ensure the rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly for all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

 

CSBR strongly endorses the report and calls on all its members and allies to utilize the report as an additional  tool in furthering the struggle for sexual and bodily rights and the recognition of rights for non-conforming sexualities and gender identified individuals.

For more information, please contact:
CSBR Coordinator, Beirut, Lebanon at
www.csbronline.org