LGBTTTI COALITION WORKING AT OAS COMMUNIQUE 2014

Posted June 9th, 2014

 

 

 

CELEBRATING THE APPROVAL OF THE SEVENTH RESOLUTION ON HUMAN RIGHTS, SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY IN THE OAS

The Coalition of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transvestite, transgender, transsexual and intersex (LGBTTTI) in Latin America and the Caribbean made ​​up of groups of more than 20 countries, meeting in the framework of the 44th General Assembly of the Organization of American States held in Asuncion, Paraguay, from 3 to 5 June 2014, reports on developments in the Assembly as well as the work done by the Coalition in previous days.

The OAS adopted in this House the seventh Resolution "Human Rights, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression" that:

·          Condemns all forms of discrimination, violence and human rights violations based on those factors.

 

Invites Member States to:

·          Eliminating barriers to equal access to political participation and other areas of public life for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual, transgender and intersex and prevent interference in their private lives.

·          Adopt public policies against discrimination and for preventing and investigating violence against this group and to ensure that victims of the same judicial protection of equal.

·          Produce data on homophobic and transphobic violence and ensure adequate protection and human rights defenders.

·          Ensuring adequate protection for intersex people and implement policies and procedures, as appropriate, to ensure conformity of medical practices with recognized human rights standards.

 

This year fundamentalists and anti-rights groups held a lobbying and advocacy work before the Assembly, in and out of the same against the adoption of this resolution and in favor of traditional family life and supported by senators and Paraguay. In this context, the participation of LGBTTTI Coalition has been instrumental in the adoption of this Resolution.

 

Legislative advocacy events

During the days prior to the completion of the 44th General Assembly, held preparatory events Coalition advocacy and involvement in the OAS with the participation of officials of that agency.

 

On 3 June, the Coalition organized a Dialogue on Human Rights of LGBTI people in Latin America and the Caribbean, which was attended by the President of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Commissioner Tracy Robinson, also in charge of the newly created Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex people. Likewise, he was attended by Dr. Rosa Maria Ortiz, Commissioner of the IACHR and Rapporteur on the Rights of Children and Adolescents. Both commissioners referred to the situation in the region on the issue. The Commissioner Robinson reported that the Commission has received numerous reports of violence against LGBTI people, particularly against trans women and gay young people aged 20 to 30 years. It also expressed concern about the reported attacks against defenders of human rights of indigenous peoples and noted that the states of the region are not helping to address this problem. For his part, Commissioner Ortiz addressed the taboo that exists in the region on the very existence of children and young lesbian, gay and trans. And because of this invisibility and lack of recognition, hundreds of thousands of children are victims of harassment and bullying in schools and physical and verbal violence in families. This spiral of violence and humiliation ends in suicide ideation and realization. And he said it is vital to put in relevance soaring levels of violence to which they are subjected.

This box also has attended the Alternate Representative of Brazil to the OAS, Marco Kinzo Bernardy, who gave an account of the progress of the integration of the issue of sexual orientation and gender identity within the system of the OAS and mentioned in particular the importance of the mandate of the General Assembly of the OAS to the IACHR to conduct a study of laws that hinder the recognition of human rights for LGBTI people in the region.

 

To assess the prospects of advancement of LGBTI rights and participation of civil society in the context of the OAS, discussions were also held with Ambassador Alfonso Quinonez, Secretary for External Relations of the OAS, Dr. Dante Black, director Department of International Law of the OAS, and Dr. Fanny Gomez-Lugo, of the Special Rapporteur for the Rights of LGBTI Persons of the IACHR. Likewise, in another session was attended by Mr Edgar Carrasco, regional advisor on Human Rights and Gender Equality of the UNAIDS Regional Office for Latin America; Ms. Clarisa brezzo, UNAIDS Programme officer; and Ms. Maria Tallarico, Regional Practice Team Leader HIV / AIDS UNDP in Latin America and the Caribbean.

 

Dialogue between civil society and the OAS

During the informal dialogue between the Secretary General of the OAS, José Miguel Insulza, and civil society held on June 2, members of the LGBTTTI Coalition, thanked the Secretary General for his efforts and support for the adoption of the Inter-American Convention Against All Forms of Discrimination and Intolerance and requested they continue with these efforts to persuade States to sign and ratify. In a polarized and intolerant controversial positions by pro-life groups against sexual and reproductive rights and LGBTI rights, environment Mr. Insulza said the reality of families in the region is much more diverse than the family type they advocate, they likewise reiterated that States have the right to be involved in decisions of people in their private lives. We must find a way to respect the rights of all, he said, and stressed the importance of combating discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity and expression in the region. It also recognized the work of LGBTTTI civil associations in advancing this issue within the OAS system.

The next day, June 3, in the formal dialogue between civil society representatives and heads of delegations of the member countries of the OAS, the representation of the people belonged to LGBTTTI Camila Zavala, lesbian activist who exposed the Paraguay situation of violence and social exclusion against individuals because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. "There can not be fully developed when people LGBTTTI are marginalized the right to education, work, health, justice," he said delegates at the Assembly with the theme Development Social Inclusion, and asked the members to sign and ratify the Convention on Racism, States and Discrimination and All Forms of Intolerance adopted by the General Assembly held in Antigua, Guatemala the previous year. speech we reproduce below.

This time, a greater number of ambassadors and heads of delegations reaffirmed their countries' commitment to the promotion and protection of rights of persons LGBTTTI, Belize, Uruguay, Argentina, Mexico, Ecuador, United States and Colombia. Dialogue with civil society was pa rticularmente controversial participation by Provida activists in opposition to the recognition of any rights based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Panama, in the end, signed the Convention against Discrimination and All Forms of Intolerance, joining Brazil, Uruguay, Ecuador and Argentina, countries that signed the previous year when it was approved.

 

Thanks

Astraea Lesbian Foundation thank for Justice, COC Netherlands, UNDP, GISHR - Heartland Alliance for Human Needs & Human Rights, AIDS Alliance, ARCUS Foundation and the Department of International Affairs of the Organization of American States for its support for our participation in this House.

 

Participating Organizations

I participated for the Coalition of LGBTTTI of Latin America and the Caribbean working within the framework of the OAS:

 

Argentina Akahata Task Force on Sexuality and Gender

Belize United Belize Advocacy Movement (UNIBAM)

Bolivia National Network of Trans Women in Bolivia (REDTREBOL)

Diversencia Foundation

Chile Transsexual Organization for Dignity Diversity (OTD)

Amanda Jofre Union

Colombia Association Leaders in Action

Colombia Diversa

Mulabi Costa Rica - Latin American Space for Sexualities and Rights

Ecuador Bishop Association

Taller de Comunicación Mujer

El Salvador Aspidh Rainbow Association

Guatemala Organization Trans Queens of the Night (OTRANS)

Guyana Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD)

Honduras Collective Unity Pink

Letter S Mexico AIDS, Culture and Everyday Life

Nicaragua Nicaraguan Red Trans Activists (REDTRANS)

Panama Panamanian Association of Transgender

Paraguay Aireana Group for Lesbian Rights

Climbing Association

Dominican Republic Women and Health Collective

St Lucia United & Strong

Suriname Women's Way

Trinidad and Tobago Coalition Advocating for Inclusion of Sexual Orientation (CAISO)

Uruguay Uruguay Trans Association (ATRU)

                         

As regional partners of the Coalition:

 

·          Caribbean Forum for Liberation and Acceptance of Genders and Sexualities (CARIFLAGS)

·          Global Initiative for Sexuality and Human Rights - Heartland Alliance for Human Needs & Human Rights (GISHR-HA)

·          Latin American and Caribbean Network of Transgender People (REDLACTRANS)