Latest from Outright International's UN Program


** OUTRIGHT AT THE UN
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AUGUST 2023
From marching at New York City Pride to holding the first-ever LGBTI Stakeholder Group event inside the United Nations, the second quarter of 2023 has brought moments of celebration for our movement.

The “wins” we celebrate would not be possible without the hard work of activists. That’s why Outright International has been busy bringing global LGBTIQ human rights defenders to share their expertise at the United Nations. In May, we welcomed 25 activists for a week of advocacy with U.N. Missions, agencies, and organizations, and in July, we brought Outright’s U.N. Rights and Religion Fellows to the annual High-Level Political Forum on the Sustainable Development Goals.

During pride month, Outright participated in the New York City Pride March with the U.N. LGBTI Core Group, a group of U.N. Member States promoting human rights for LGBTI people. The U.N. LGBTI Core Group celebrated its 15th anniversary this year. As a founding member of the Core Group, Outright remains its proud secretariat.

Read more about how our U.N. team has been spending its time below!
ADVOCACY WEEK
Outright International’s Advocacy Week took place from May 8 - 17. Twenty-five LGBTI rights defenders came to NYC from 21 countries: Botswana, Brazil, Burundi, Colombia, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Fiji, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, Malaysia, Nigeria, Philippines, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, South Africa, St. Lucia, Taiwan, Uganda, Venezuela and Zimbabwe.

LGBTI rights defenders from around the world meet with the U.N. Independent Expert on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity during Advocacy Week 2023.

The LGBTI rights defenders participated in a two-day training on United Nations advocacy led by Outright’s U.N. Team. Following the training, the defenders attended five days of meetings with U.N. missions, agencies and organizations. The defenders had 21 meetings with 45 missions plus the U.N. LGBTI Core Group (a cross-regional group of 42 Member States working to ensure respect for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of LGBTI people), three U.N. agencies or offices and four civil society organizations.

LGBTI rights defenders and Outright staff planned for meetings with U.N. Missions during a two-day capacity-building training.

On May 17, the defenders attended a convening at the United Nations headquarters to mark the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia. The event was organized by the U.N. LGBTI Core Group and cosponsored by U.N. Women. Latiyah Orneill, one of Outright’s U.N. Rights and Religion Fellows, spoke on a panel alongside high-level representatives from U.N. Missions and U.N. Women about the need to include trans women in the feminist movement. Later that day, defenders visited the “Amsterdam Rainbow Dress ([link removed]) ,” a work of art that draws attention to the criminalization of same-sex relations. Three activists from countries still criminalizing same-sex relations spoke at an event connected to the dress viewing. Additionally, activists from the MENA (Middle East/North Africa) region held a strategy and peer-to-peer learning meeting during Advocacy Week.

The LGBTI Core Group hosted an event at the U.N. to commemorate the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia.

CORE GROUP

The U.N. LGBTI Core Group ([link removed]) is a cross-regional group of 42 Member States, the delegation of the European Union, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Human Rights Watch, and Outright International. Outright serves as the Secretariat of the Core Group. The Core Group works at the United Nations in New York to promote human rights for all, including LGBTI people. This year marks the 15th anniversary of the LGBTI Core Group. In those years, it has grown from seven to 42 members!


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A. Statements
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The U.N. LGBTI Core Group delivers statements during U.N. meetings, dialogues, open debates and days of recognition to ensure that LGBTI issues are mainstreamed within the international human rights legal and policy framework. This quarter, the Core Group demonstrated its intersectional approach by delivering statements at the 13th Session of the Open Ended Working Group on Ageing ([link removed]) , the 22nd Session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues ([link removed]) , the 16th Conference of State Parties Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities ([link removed]) and the 2nd International Day on Countering Hate Speech
([link removed]) .

The Mission of Nepal spoke at the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues to stress the importance of combatting discrimination and violence against indigenous LGBTI persons and ensuring their full enjoyment of all human rights.


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B. Events
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Pride Month

The LGBTI Core Group marched with Outright at New York City Pride. The parade allowed us to celebrate LGBTI people and demonstrate solidarity with our community.

Members of the U.N. LGBTI Core Group at the New York Pride March.

The Core Group celebrated its 15th anniversary during pride month with a Twitter campaign wherein each Member State, the EU, and Outright highlighted a national event related to LGBTI rights that took place within the last 15 years. Outright’s Executive Director, Maria Sjödin, said in Outright’s video ([link removed]) : “On the 15th anniversary of the U.N. LGBTI Core Group, Outright is proud that we’re helping put the inclusion of LGBTI people in humanitarian assistance on the global agenda.”

LGBTI Core Group Retreat and Ambassadorial Dinner

Between June 27 and 30, the U.N. LGBTI Core Group held its sixth annual ambassadorial dinner and retreat. Celebrating the 15th anniversary of the Core Group, Member States shared the achievements they have seen as both a group and as individual nations. They also looked forward to the coming years, acknowledging challenges and opportunities. After participating in reflection and learning sessions, the Core Group members developed action plans for the year ahead.

HIGH-LEVEL POLITICAL FORUM ON THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

The High-Level Political Forum ([link removed]) (HLPF) is an annual U.N. meeting in which U.N. Member States, U.N. agencies, and Civil Society discuss the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals ([link removed]) (SDGs). The SDGs are 17 agreed-upon goals to achieve the 2030 Agenda ([link removed]) , a plan of action for people, the planet, and prosperity. This year, HLPF took place July 10-19. The theme was “accelerating the recovery from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at all levels.”


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A. LGBTI Stakeholder Group
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The LGBTI Stakeholder Group is a coalition of civil society organizations across all regions working to advance the rights and achieve the highest development outcomes for LGBTI people. Outright is a convening partner of the group. During the High-Level Political Forum, the Stakeholder Group brought together advocates and allies to strategize on mainstreaming LGBTI issues within the development agenda. The group drafted and delivered statements and held events bringing attention to the needs of LGBTI people everywhere.

The U.N. LGBTI Stakeholder Group at the United Nations.


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B. Statements
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On July 10, during the opening session of the HLPF, Outright U.N. Rights and Religion fellow Obioma Chukwuike delivered a statement on LGBTI inclusion in overcoming the COVID-19 crisis. In the General Assembly hall, Chukwuike asked U.N. Member States: “All 17 goals of the SDGs speak to how humans can live in a better world. The question is, ‘How are LGBTI people meaningfully engaging in these conversations?’”

U.N. Rights and Religion fellow Obioma Chukwuike delivered a statement in the U.N. General Assembly Hall during HLPF.

On July 18, Outright U.N. Program intern Kudzai Munyavi delivered a statement ([link removed]) on behalf of the LGBTI Stakeholder Group during an HLPF session on regional realities. The statement called on African governments to reject fear-based attempts to paint African LGBTI people as “Western.” It emphasized the importance of LGBTI people in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals successfully. Kudzai also delivered a statement ([link removed]) at the HLPF General Debate stressing the importance of gender inclusion for tackling the world’s most pressing issues.

U.N. Program Intern Kudzai Munyavi delivered a statement on behalf of the LGBTI Stakeholder Group during the High-Level Political Forum.


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C. Events
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On July 11, the LGBTI Stakeholder Group held its first-ever event inside the United Nations Headquarters: “Promoting Diverse and Inclusive Societies: Overcoming Barriers to Water, Sanitation, Housing, Transportation, and Public Facilities for LGBTI Communities.” ([link removed]) The panelists included U.N. Rights and Religion Fellow Oabona Sepora. Luíza Veado, Outright’s Senior U.N. Program Officer, moderated the event.
Panelists at the U.N. LGBTI Stakeholder Group event.

On July 12, Outright hosted a panel featuring all five current U.N. Rights and Religion Fellows. The event drew attention to religiously-motivated violence and discrimination against LGBTI people, as well as how religion can be used as a tool to affirm queer identities and realize the human rights of LGBTI people. The panel was moderated by Outright U.N. Advocacy Fellow Hannah Kohn.
Outright International’s U.N. Rights and Religion Fellows spoke on a panel during HLPF.
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