Decriminalization of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

On September 22, 2021, the UN LGBTI Core Group organized a side event during the high-level segment of the 76th session of the General Assembly to address the need to end the criminalization of same sex relations and trans identities in order to achieve the 2030 Agenda. As long as a part of the world’s population is criminalized simply for who they are or who they love, we will not be able to fully achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

Member States and Human Rights Defenders talked about their experiences and perspectives in a compilation video from the event:

Compilation Video: Leaving No One Behind

Individual longer form videos are available below:

Co-Chairs of Core Group Statement

Argentina – Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship, H.E. Santiago Cafiero

The Netherlands – Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Tom de Brujin 

Core Group Member State Statements

Norway – Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Ine Eriksen Soreide

El Salvador – Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Alexandra Hill Tinoco

European Commission – European Commissioner for Equality, H.E. Helena Dalli (Malta)

Sweden – Minister for Foreign Affairs, H.E. Ann Linde

Iceland – Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Development, H.E. Gudlaugur Thór Thórdarson

Malta – Minister for Equality, Research, Innovation and the Coordination of the Post-Covid 19 Strategy, H.E. Owen Bonnici

United States of America – Ambassador of the USA to the UN, H.,E. Linda Thomas-Greenfield

Mexico – Undersecretary for Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights at the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Martha Delgado

Italy – Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Benedetto Della Vedova

Chile – Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs H.E. Carolina Valdivia

Germany – Minister of State for Europe at the German Federal Foreign Office, H.E. Michael Roth

Ireland – Minister of State for Overseas Development Aid and Diaspora, H.E. Colm Brophy

Nepal – Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Nepal to the United Nation H.E. Amrit Bahadur Rai

New Zealand – Ambassador and Permanent Representative of New Zealand to the United Nations, H.E. Craig Hawke

Japan – Ambassador and Special Envoy for UN Security Council Reform Affairs, Human Rights and International Peace and Stability, H.E. Jun Shimmi

Australia – Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Australia to the United Nations, H.E. Mitch Fifield

Brazil – Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Brazil to the UN, H.E. Ronaldo Costa Filho

Canada – Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Canada to the UN, H.E. Robert Keith Rae

The United Kingdom – Prime Minister’s Special Envoy on LGBTI, H.E. Lord Nick Helbert

NGO Core Group Member Statement

Outright Action International, Acting Executive Director, Marija Sjödin

Non-Core Group Member Statements

Belgium – Prime Minister, H.E. Alexander De Croo

Denmark – Minister for Development Cooperation and Minister for Nordic Cooperation, H.E. Flemming Møller Mortensen

Finland – State Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, H.E. Johanna Summovori