Geraldine Byrne Nason, Permanent Mission of Ireland to the UN
Chairperson,
(I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the Member States of the LGBTI Core Group.)
The LGBTI Core Group is an informal cross regional group established in 2008. The group is co-chaired by Argentina and The Netherlands, and includes Albania, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Cabo Verde, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malta, Montenegro, Mexico, Nepal, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States of America, Uruguay, the European Union, as well as the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the non-governmental organizations Human Rights Watch and OutRight Action International.
Chairperson,
The High Level Political Forum is the main United Nations platform for Member States, civil society and UN entities, to discuss progress and best practices in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, with the ultimate goal of “Leaving No One Behind”. This principle can only be achieved if all relevant stakeholders offer support and opportunities for all, including LGBTI persons of diverse backgrounds, without discrimination and without violence of any kind, in full respect of their human rights, fundamental freedoms and dignity.
The theme of this year, “Sustainable and resilient recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic that promotes the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development: building an inclusive and effective path for the achievement of the 2030 Agenda in the context of the decade of action and delivery for sustainable development” and the review of the 17 SDGs, that are all interlinked and indivisible, are particularly relevant for LGBTI persons across the world. Therefore, resolute action is required to eliminate all forms of discrimination and violence, including online violence, everywhere and to fully develop everyone’s potential, to ensure that no one is left behind.
Although there have been positive outcomes in the implementation of the SDGs, severe barriers for the inclusion of all LGBTI persons around the globe remain. For instance, criminalization, pathologization, social stigma and discriminatory laws and policies, especially in the context of COVID-19, make the realization of the SDGs impossible. Moreover, the lack of meaningful participation and often even exclusion of LGBTI persons in governance decisions, decision-making and other political processes that affect them hinders their valuable contribution and results in ineffective policies not targeted to their particular development needs.
The LGBTI Core Group is convinced that the achievement of the 2030 Agenda, with its principle of leaving no one behind, is intimately linked with the recognition of human rights and the guarantee of non-discrimination and equality for all, including LGBTI persons, advocates for rights of LGBTI persons and human rights defenders in general.
Chairperson,
In this respect, the LGBTI Core Group fully supports the mandate of the United Nations Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity and we believe that this mandate enhances the opportunities offered by the 2030 Agenda and goes hand in hand with the broader aspirations of human rights, freedoms, democracy, and peaceful and inclusive societies. To that end, we strongly encourage all Member States to cooperate with the Independent Expert’s mandate.
Chairperson,
In this decade of action and delivery for sustainable development we must put an end to the multiple and intersecting forms of violence and discrimination faced by LGBTI persons. We only have nine years ahead of us to do so, and to leave no one behind. In that regard, we are committed to contributing to the HLPF discussion by highlighting the importance of implementing national policies that diligently integrate, protect and advance the human rights of LGBTI persons, thereby inclusively furthering the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals.
I thank you.