Statement by the UN LGBTI Core Group.
Delivered by H.E. MR. ERIK LAURSEN, DEPUTY PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF DENMARK TO THE UNITED NATIONS IN NEW YORK
April 7, 2025
Chairperson,
I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the Member States of the UN LGBTI Core Group.[1] The group is co-chaired by Chile and the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The UN LGBTI Core Group’s overarching goal is to work within the United Nations framework to ensure universal respect for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all individuals without distinction, regardless of their real or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity or sex characteristics, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex (LGBTI) persons. Our particular focus is on protecting LGBTI persons from violence and discrimination.
LGBTI Core Group members stand firmly against any form of violence, discrimination, stigmatization or marginalization on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, or sex characteristics.
The priority theme for the 58th session of the Commission on Population and Development, ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages, provides an opportunity for the international community to address the challenges faced by LGBTI persons in access to health care-services and overall well-being.
LGBTI persons endure disproportionately high rates of sexual and gender-based violence, including harassment, stigma, inequality, and harmful social and cultural norms. They may contend with a lack of legal gender recognition or even face criminalization due to their sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or sex characteristics. These factors not only undermine their fundamental rights but also create significant barriers to accessing health care-services, contributing to poor health outcomes and reduced life expectancy.
The deeply rooted and intersecting inequalities, stigmatization, and discrimination that LGBTI persons face propel them into spirals of social exclusion, increasing their likelihood of living in poverty and experiencing economic insecurity. This includes unemployment, underemployment, lower paid positions, and positions with limited or no social benefits. These socioeconomic disparities directly affect their ability to access quality healthcare, further compounding health risks and exacerbating health inequalities.
By addressing these issues with a rights-based approach, this session provides a critical platform to address the structural barriers that perpetuate discrimination and exclusion. It is essential to spotlight and redress the deeply rooted inequalities and economic disparities experienced by LGBTI persons in healthcare, including their disproportionate vulnerability to HIV/AIDS, mental health issues, and barriers to sexual and reproductive health-care services.
We call on all Member States and relevant stakeholders to work together to ensure equitable access to health, including comprehensive and inclusive sexual and reproductive health care-services, mental health support, and protection from violence and discrimination in all matters of health. We encourage Member States to promote social protection systems, public services, and sustainable infrastructure that are fully inclusive of LGBTI persons and responsive to the specific challenges LGBTI individuals face in a context of ongoing social exclusion, while addressing the structural and systemic impediments to achieving health equity.
Together, we must ensure that the Commission on Population and Development addresses the intersectional challenges faced by LGBTI persons in achieving health and well-being. The LGBTI Core Group calls on the full, effective and accelerated implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development, for all at all ages.
Standing up against violations and abuses of all human rights, including discrimination and exclusion of any person, is not and should never be a matter of controversy. We appeal to all delegations gathered here at the 58th session of the Commission on Population and Development to join us in our continued advocacy for the universality of human rights and the pledge to leave no one behind.
Thank you.
[1] The group is co-chaired by Chile and the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and includes Albania, Australia, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Cabo Verde, Canada, 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, 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.