IBA signs up to pandemic support for LGBTI rights
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) persons’ human rights has been addressed by a coalition of 187 global organisations including the International Bar Association.
All have signed a joint statement submitted to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in advance of its 44th session on 22 June.
The statement addresses several issues, including:
- the right to health;
- the rise of stigma and discrimination and scapegoating of LGBTI persons;
- access to housing, water and sanitation;
- the right to work and impacts on livelihood; and
- civic space restrictions.
While acknowledging that actions to combat the pandemic are urgent and necessary, the signatories urge UN member states and stakeholders to ensure that international human rights obligations are complied with, and specific vulnerabilities of LGBTI persons taken into account, during their emergency response.
Five key recommendations include:
- accessibility of health care and services to every person, without discrimination of any kind;
- compliance with international human rights laws and standards when implementing emergency measures, including on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression and sex characteristics (SOGIESC);
- guaranteeing that shelters are inclusive for all persons regardless of their SOGIESC, with measures allowing LGBTI persons to report violence and discrimination suffered in a private context;
- ensuring that emergency measures to address the socio-economic impacts of the pandemic, as well as recovery plans, are inclusive to LGBTI persons – especially to trans, older and homeless LGBTI persons; and
- ensuring access to national, regional and international systems of accountability.
In its conclusion, the statement urges authorities "to ensure that this public health emergency will neither exacerbate existing misconceptions, prejudices, inequalities or structural barriers, nor lead to increased violence and discrimination against persons with diverse sexual orientation, gender identity and expression and sex characteristics".