Statement by the UN LGBTI Core Group
Delivered by H.E. Mr. Olivier Maes, Permanent Representative of Luxembourg
Chairperson,
I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the Member States of the UN LGBTI Core Group[1] as well as Andorra, Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Greece, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Palau, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Thailand, and Ukraine.
Chairperson,
Our overarching goal is to work within the United Nations to ensure universal respect for the human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, without distinction, regardless of their real or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity and expression or sex characteristics, and with a particular focus on protection from violence and discrimination.
In the year that marks the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the LGBTI Core Group reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the universality of human rights, and to the Declaration as a global blueprint for equality, fundamental freedoms and justice for all and a bedrock of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The LGBTI Core Group understands that the full and effective implementation of the 2030 Agenda, which is intimately linked with the recognition of human rights, as well as the realization of its principle of leaving no one behind, is only possible with the full decriminalization of all sexual orientations and gender identities globally. As Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in his opening address of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly: “we have not achieved basic rights for all when declaring your gender identity or simply who you love can lead to imprisonment or even execution.”
Since the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals in 2015, 15 countries have decriminalized consensual same sex relations and one country has repealed a law criminalizing trans persons. The global trend is clear. However, today, while we are already in the decade of action, 63 countries still criminalize consensual same sex relations, and at least 49 countries criminalize trans persons through different types of laws. The legal developments since the last time the group addressed the Committee are encouraging, but we will not stop raising our voice until we achieve full decriminalization.
We express our full support to the mandate of the United Nations Independent Expert on Protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, as established by the Human Rights Council, and look forward to the upcoming presentation of his report and his continued engagement with the Committee. As the Independent Expert has mentioned before, decriminalization of same-sex consensual activity is part of the duty of States, when complying with their international obligations, to address acts of discriminatory violence.
We also agree with the Expert’s view that social inclusion requires dismantling all legislation that criminalizes sexual orientation and gender identity or expression, and that negates a person’s identity. Everyone should live free and equal independently of who they are and who they love.
The UN LGBTI Core Group strongly supports the call of the Secretary General that “so long as people face criminalization, bias and violence based on their sexual orientation, gender identity or sex characteristics, we must redouble our efforts to end these violations.” 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. In order to achieve the full realization of human rights for everyone, leaving no one behind, we call for full decriminalization of sexual orientation and gender identity by 2030.
I thank you.
[1] The UN LGBTI Core Group is an informal cross regional group established in 2008. The group is co-chaired by Argentina and the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and includes Albania, Australia, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Cabo Verde, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, Honduras, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malta, Montenegro, Mexico, Nepal, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Peru, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Timor Leste, 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 International.