SASOD message 2007

SASOD believes this story of male bonding across differences is inspiring in a world of hate. It is an old story.

NAIROBI (AFP) - A baby hippopotamus that survived the tsunami waves on the Kenyan coast has formed a strong bond with a giant male century-old tortoise, in an animal facility in the port city of Mombassa, officials said.

The hippopotamus, nicknamed Owen and weighing about 300 kilograms (650 pounds), was swept down Sabaki River into the Indian Ocean, then forced back to shore when tsunami waves struck the Kenyan coast on December 26, 2004 before wildlife rangers rescued him.



"It is incredible. A-less-than-a-year-old hippo has adopted a male tortoise, about a century old, and the tortoise seems to be very happy with being a 'mother'," ecologist Paula Kahumbu, who is in charge of Lafarge Park, told AFP.



"After it was swept and lost its mother, the hippo was traumatized. It had to look for something to be a surrogate mother. Fortunately, it landed on the tortoise and established a strong bond. They swim, eat and sleep together," the ecologist added. "The hippo follows the tortoise exactly the way it follows its mother. If somebody approaches the tortoise, the hippo becomes aggressive, as if protecting its biological mother," Kahumbu added.


This is a real story that shows that our differences don't matter much when we need the comfort of another. We could all learn a lesson from these two creatures of God. Look beyond the differences and find a way to walk the path together.







For updates, including the addition of Cleo, check check out their blog

SASOD Statement for International Human Rights Day - 2006

On Sunday, December 10, 2006, we will observe International Human Rights Day under the theme “Fighting poverty: a matter of obligation, not charity.” Poverty and human rights are inextricably linked. People whose rights are denied -- victims of discrimination or persecution, for example -- are more likely to be poor. And poverty is often characterized by factors like discrimination and social and cultural stigmatization. These factors are the epitome of the denial of human rights and human dignity, especially for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) persons.

Notwithstanding that these human rights violations against LGBT persons persist, even more so if they are poor, Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD) welcomes the landmark statement on human rights, sexual orientation and gender identity, delivered on Friday, December 1, 2006 at the United Nations Human Rights Council by Norway on behalf of 54 states as the dawning of a new era in human rights for LGBT persons. (see http://sasod.blogspot.com/2006/12/norway-unhrc-statement.html) More than 460 NGOs, including SASOD, from 69 countries, had joined together to commend Norway for its leadership and to support the statement.

The statement condemns human rights violations directed against people because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, commends the work of the UN mechanisms and civil society in this area, calls on UN Special Procedures and treaty bodies to address these issues, and urges the Human Rights Council to pay due attention to human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity, including consideration at an upcoming session.

Earlier this year, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour in a keynote speech to an International Conference on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights noted that “violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons is frequently unreported, undocumented and goes ultimately unpunished. … This shameful silence is the ultimate rejection of the fundamental principle of universality of rights. … Excluding LGBT individuals from these protections clearly violates international human rights law as well as the common standards of humanity that define us all.”

Similarly, Secretary General Kofi Annan has acknowledged that “discrimination on the basis of … sexual orientation … is all too common” and, speaking at a gathering of lesbian and gay UN employees, affirmed that “the United Nations cannot condone any persecution of, or discrimination against, people on any grounds.”

At a time when the Human Rights Council is seeking to enhance cooperation across regions and UN mechanisms on matters of basic human rights, it is encouraging that increasingly states, Special Procedures, treaty bodies, civil society, the Secretary-General and the High Commissioner for Human Rights are joining together to ensure that human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity receive the international scrutiny and condemnation they require.

Meanwhile, in Guyana, the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC), the only established rights-based, constitutional body, with a mandate to “encourage and create respect for religious, cultural and other forms of diversity in a plural society” under Article 212D paragraph (f) of the Constitution, has recently declined, after almost a year, a request to intervene in the propagation at state-owned venues of musical lyrics which incite hatred and violence against homosexuals. What is most alarming about the ERC’s refusal is that it has reached a decision in writing without a hearing on the request that based on “legal advice” that it is to deal with issues specifically on ethnicity. One would have thought the ERC’s attorney would advise that the persons making the request have a right to be heard as to why sexuality is one of the “…other forms if diversity in a plural society” under Article 212D paragraph (f) and therefore within its mandate. SASOD is seriously concerned at the ERC’s blatant prejudice and intends to seek higher redress for this wanton disregard for natural justice and flagrant violation of human rights.

NGO Support for Norway Statement

HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL

3rd Session

1 December, 2006

NGO JOINT STATEMENT ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION,

GENDER IDENTITY & HUMAN RIGHTS
NGO JOINT STATEMENT ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION,
GENDER IDENTITY & HUMAN RIGHTS

Action Canada for Population and Development; Amnesty International; Association for the Prevention of Torture; Association for Women’s Rights in Development; Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network; Center for Women's Global Leadership; Confederazione Generale Italiana del Lavoro (New Rights Section); Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era (DAWN); Fédération Internationale des Droits de l'Homme; Global Rights; Human Rights Watch; International Commission of Jurists; International Planned Parenthood Federation; International Service for Human Rights; International Trade Union Confederation; OMCT - World Organisation Against Torture ; Public Services International; Women for Women's Human Rights - NEW WAYS; World Population Foundation

I am pleased to speak to issues of sexual orientation, gender identity and human rights, on behalf of 19 ECOSOC-accredited NGOs. This statement is also supported by more than 460 additional NGOs from 69 countries (see attached list).

We welcome the statement on human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity, delivered by Norway on behalf of a broad grouping of 54 States from Western, Central and Eastern Europe, in North, Central and South America, in Asia, and in the Pacific. We acknowledge also the support of many African States for the inclusion of sexual orientation in UN resolutions condemning extrajudicial executions.

We commend Norway for its leadership, building on similar initiatives by Brazil, New Zealand and others, and we are particularly encouraged by the measurable increase in cross-regional support for these issues in recent years.

It is hard to imagine that any State committed to human rights could disagree with the principle that no person should face death, torture or violence because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. We look forward to further dialogue with, and support from, those States which did not yet feel able to join the statement, but which share the concern of the international community at these systemic human rights abuses.

Numerous Special Procedures have documented violations of the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons, including use of the death penalty, torture, criminal sanctions, police harassment, violence, rape, beatings, disappearances, denials of freedom of expression, raids and closures of NGOs, and discrimination in education, employment, health and housing.1 We urge all Special Procedures to integrate these important issues of human rights concern into their relevant mandates.

Too often in the past, these human rights abuses have passed in silence. As UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour stated earlier this year:2

“[V]iolence against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons is frequently unreported, undocumented and goes ultimately unpunished. … This shameful silence is the ultimate rejection of the fundamental principle of universality of rights. … Excluding LGBT individuals from these protections clearly violates international human rights law as well as the common standards of humanity that define us all.”

… 2


Similarly, Secretary General Kofi Annan has acknowledged that “discrimination on the basis of … sexual orientation … is all too common” and, speaking at a gathering of lesbian and gay UN employees, affirmed that “the United Nations cannot condone any persecution of, or discrimination against, people on any grounds.”3

At a time when this Human Rights Council is seeking to enhance cooperation across regions and UN mechanisms on matters of basic human rights, it is encouraging that increasingly States, Special Procedures, treaty bodies, civil society, the Secretary-General and the High Commissioner for Human Rights are joining together to ensure that human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity receive the international scrutiny and condemnation they require.

This issue will not go away. We look forward to future discussion within this Council, with a view to safeguarding the principle of universality, and ensuring that all persons are treated as free and equal in dignity and rights, including on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In addition to the 19 ECOSOC-accredited NGOs listed, this statement is supported by NGOs from the following 69 countries:

Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Iran, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Fiji, France, Georgia, Germany, Guatemala, Guyana, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Latvia, Macedonia, Malawi, Malta, Mexico, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Peru, the Philippines, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Togo, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay, USA, Venezuela and Zimbabwe.

These more than 460 NGOs include:

ABCDS
ABDS- Associação Afro-Brasileira de Desenvolvimento Social
ABGLT - Associação Brasileira de Gays, Lésbicas e Transgeneros
ABRAT – GLS – Associação Brasileira de Turismo GLS
Accept Association
Ações Cidadãs em Orientação Sexual
Adé Fidan
ADEH-Nostro Mundo
African-rapport networks
ALEGRI - Advocating for Lesbian and Gay Rights Internationally
ALGA ( Associação Lagartense de Gays, Lésbicas, Bissexuais e Transgêneros)
ALITT Asociacion de Luxha por la Identidad Travesti Transexual
Alliance of LGBT people and their Friends
Alliance Rights, Nigeria
Alternatives-Cameroun
AMOLP
Amores
APHRODITTE – Organização Trans
APOLO - Grupo Pela Livre Orientação Sexual
APRENDA- Associação Paulista de Redutores de Danos
APROSVI- Associação dos Profissionais do sexo do Vale do Itajaí
APTA – Associação para Prevençaõ e Tratamento de Aids
ARC International
Arci Lesbica
Area Queer Tucuman
Armazem Social - Monitoramento, Avaliação e Construção de Tecnologias Sociais
Articulação Brasileira de Lésbicas - ABL
Articulação e Movimento Homossexual de Recife - AMHOR
Articulação Nacional das Travestis e Transexuais - ANTRA
Asociación Hombres y Mujeres Nuevos de Panamá (AHMNP)
Asociación Líderes en Acción
Asociación para la Salud Integral y Ciudadanía en América Latina y Caribe
Asociación Salvadoreña de Derechos Humanos "Entre Amigos"
Assistência Filantrópica a Aids de Araruana – AFADA
Associação Amazonense GLT
Associação Brasileira Interdisciplinar de AIDS-ABIA
Associação Civil Anima
Associação da Parada do Orgulho GLBT de São Paulo
Associação das Prostitutas do Ceará
Associação das Travestis da Paraíba - ASTRAPA
Associação das Travestis de Salvador – ATRÁS
Associação das Travestis do Amazonas - ATRAAM
Associação das Travestis do Espírito Santo – ASTRAES
Associação das Travestis do Mato Grosso - ASTRAMT
Associação das Travestis do Mato Grosso do Sul
Associação das Travestis do Rio Grande do Norte - ASTRARN
Associação de Defesa Homossexual de Sergipe - ADHONS
Associação de Gays e Amigos de Nova Iguaçu – AGANI
Associação de Gays, Lésbicas e Transgêneros da Região Águas Quentes - AGLST-RAQ
Associação de Gays, Lésbicas, Bissexuais e Transgêneros de Santa Catarina
Associação de Gays, Transgêneros e Lésbicas de Anápolis
Associação de Homossexuais de Complexo Benedito Bentes - AHCBB
Associação de Homossexuais do Acre
Associação de Incentivo à Educação e à Saúde de São Paulo - AIESSP
Associação de Lésbicas de Minas - ALEM
Associação de Luta pela Vida
Associação de Negros do Estado de Goiás
Associação de Pessoas GLSBT – Ser Humano
Associação de Prevenção e Tratamento à Aids – APTA
Associação de Travestis de Belo Horizonte - ASSTRAV
Associação de Travestis do Ceará - ATRAC
Associação Desportiva de Gays, Lésbicas, Travestis e Transgêneros de Goiás
Associação dos Juízes do Rio Grande do Sul - AJURIS
Associação dos Moradores do Pontal - AMOP
Associação Enfrentar
Associação Gabrielense de Apoio à Homossexualidade – AGAH
Associação Gay de Imperatriz e Região
Associação Gay de Minas
Associação GLS- Vida Ativa
Associação Goiana de Gays, Lésbicas e Transgêneros - AGLT
Associação Homossexual do Estado do Amazonas
Associação ILGA Portugal
Associação Ipê Amarelo de Conscientização e Luta pela Livre Orientação Sexual – GIAMA
Associação Irmãos da Solidariedade
Associação Jataiense de Direitos Humanos - Nova Mente
Associação Lagartense de Gays, Lésbicas e Transgêneros - ALGA
Associação LIBLES
Associação Paranaense da Parada da Diversidade - APPAD
Associação Roraimense Pela Diversidade Sexual
Associação Viver
Association of Gay and Lesbian Armenians of France
Assuntos de Diversidade Sexual
ASTRA – Direitos Humanos e Cidadania GLTB
Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice
ASTRAL
ASTRAL-GO
Atitude – São José dos Campos
Atividade E’Natividade
ATOBÁ- Movimento de Afirmação Homossexual
Atos de Cidadania
Australian Bisexual Network
Australian Reproductive Health Alliance
Balance Promoción para el Desarrollo y Juventud A.C.
Bangladesh Indigenous Peoples Forum
Behind the Mask
Beijing Aizhixing Institute
Blue Diamond Society
Bulgarian Gay Organisation 'Gemini'
Cabo Free
Campaign for an Inter-American Convention on Sexual and Reproductive Rights
Campaign For Change
Campanha Nacional pelo Fim da Exploração, violência e turismo sexual contra crianças e adolescentes
Canadian Rainbow Health Coalition
CARITIG
CASVI
CECON Joana D'Arc
Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria
Centre for the Development of People
Centre LGBT Paris IDF
Centro "Doña Luisa Gutierrez"
Centro Anti-aids de Feira de Santana
Centro Baiano Anti-Aids
Centro de Apoyo al Trabajador A.C.
Centro de Cidadania Sexual do GAPA-BA
Centro de Convivência Joanna D´arc
Centro de Estudios de Género y Diversidad Sexual
Centro de la Mujer Peruana Flora Tristán
Centro de Luta pela Livre Orientação Sexual - CELLOS
Centro de Luta pela Livre Orientação Sexual de Minas Gerais (CELLOS/MG)
Centro de Protagonismo Juvenil
Centro de Valorização da Mulher
Centro Para la Educación y Prevención del SIDA
Centro Paranaense de Cidadania – CEPAC
CFL - Coletivo de Feministas Lésbicas
Changing Attitude Nigeria
CHARLATHS
Chinese Society for the Study of Sexual Minorities
Chingusai - Korean Gay Men's Human Rights Group
Cidadania Gay
Cidadania, Orgulho e Respeito - COR
CIEI-SU (Centro de Investigación y Estudios Interdisciplinarios en Sexualidad del Uruguay)
CIMA (Interamerican Concertation of Human Rights's Activists)
CIPAC
Clube Rainbow de Serviços
Coalition for Lesbian and Gay Rights in Ontario (CLGRO)
Coalition of African Lesbians
COC Netherlands
Colectiva de Activistas Trans de Nicaragua
Coletivo Feminista de Lésbicas - CFL
Commission LGBT des Verts
Common Language
Comunidad Homosexual Argentina (CHA)
Comunidade Asha
CORSA - Cidadania, Orgulho, Respeito, Solidariedade e Amor
CREA
Dialogai
DIDH - Diversidad Interculturalidad y Derechos Humanos
Dom da Terra
E – Jovem
Edições GLS
El Closet de Sor Juana
Empowerment Lifestyle Services
Encuentros Instituto para la Promoción de la Diversidad y la Cultura
Engender
English-speaking gay group
Equal Ground
Equal Ground Pasifik
Equality for Gays And Lesbians In The European Institutions (EGALITE)
Equality Now! Development Group
Eros – Grupo de Apoio e Luta pela Livre Orientação Sexual do Sul da Bahia
Estruturação - Grupo LGBT de Brasília
European Forum of Lesbian and Gay Christian Groups
European Pride Organisers Association (EPOA)
European Women's Lobby
Evangelical Fellowship for Lesbian and Gay Christians
FAPA- Frente de Apoio e Prevenção da Aids
Farol
Fazendo a Diferença – Grupo Gay de Blumenau
FEDAEPS / LGBT South-South Dialogue
Federación Argentina de Lesbianas Gays Bisexuales y Trans
Federación Estatal de Lesbianas, Gays, Transexuales y Bisexuales (FELGT)
Fédération Française des Centres LGBT
Federation of Swedish LGBT Student Organizations
Filhos do Axé
Flor do Asfalto – Organização Trans
Foro de VIH Mujeres y Familia
Fórum das Transexuais de Goiás
Freedom and Roam Uganda (FARUG)
French Green Party
FTM Network
Fundación Arcoiris
Fundacion Henry Ardila
Fundación Reflejos de Venezuela
Fundación Triangulo
GAAC- Grupo Anti-aids de Camaçari
GAIVP – Grupo de Apoio e Incentivo à Vida Positiva
GAPA SJC – Grupo de Apoio à prevenção à Aids- São José dos Campos
GAPA-PA - Grupo de Apoio à prevenção à Aids do Pará
GASA- Grupo Ap. Sol. Paciente com AIDS
Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance of Washington, DC
Gay Youth Commonwealth (GAYSER)
GAYa NUSANTARA
Gayrreiros do Vale do Paraíba - GVP
Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ)
Gays Without Borders
GCC- Grupo de Convivência Cristã
Gender Action Group
Gender DynamiX
Gender Education & Advocacy, Inc
Gender Identity Research and Education Society (GIRES)
Gender Matters
GLEN ~ Gay and Lesbian Equality Network
Global Alliance for LGBT Education
GOS - Grupo de Orientação ao Soropositivo HIV+
GPH – Grupo de Pais de Homossexuais
GPI
GPV/RJ
GRIS-Québec
Groupe de Défense des Droits des Homosexuelles du Togo
Grupo 28 de Junho- pela Cidadania Homossexual
Grupo 7 Cores
Grupo Afinidade
Grupo Afinidades – GLSTAL
Grupo Afro-descendente de Livre Orientação Sexual - GRADELOS
Grupo Água Vida de Prevenção à Aids
Grupo Amor e Vida
Grupo Arco-Íris de Conscientização Homossexual
Grupo Assistencial Experiência e Vida Ivandro Reis de Matos – GAE-Vida
Grupo Beija Flor
Grupo de Ação e Interação Homossexual – GAIH/Vida
Grupo de Amparo ao Doente de Aids - GADA
Grupo de Apoio Amor à Vida
Grupo de Apoio, Luta e Defesa dos Interesses das Minorias - GALDIUM
Grupo de Livre Orientação Sexual – GLOS
Grupo de Mujeres de la Argentina
Grupo de Mulheres Felipa de Sousa
Grupo de Resistência Asa Branca - GRAB
Grupo de Resistência Flor de Mandacaru
Grupo Dignidade
Grupo Dignidade - Pela Cidadania de Gays, Lésbicas e Trans
Grupo Diversidade de Sergipe
Grupo Diversidade Niterói
Grupo E-jovem de Adolescentes Gays, Lésbicas e Aliados
Grupo Eles por Eles
Grupo Esperança
Grupo Expressões
Grupo Gay da Bahia
Grupo Gay de Alagoas
Grupo Gay de Camaçari
Grupo Gay de Canavieiras
Grupo Gay de Dias D’Ávila
Grupo Gay de Guarujá
Grupo Gay de Lauro de Freitas
Grupo Gay de Pernambuco
Grupo Gay de Rondônia
Grupo Gayvota
Grupo Ghatta
Grupo Habeas Corpus Potiguar
Grupo Homossexual da Periferia
Grupo Homossexual do Cabo
Grupo Homossexual do Pará
Grupo Iguais
Grupo Lésbico da Bahia
Grupo Lésbico de Goiás
Grupo Liberdade, Igualdade e Cidadania Homossexual – GLICH
Grupo Licoria Ilione
Grupo Livre-Mente
Grupo Matizes
Grupo Orgulho, Liberdade e Dignidade - GOLD
Grupo Oxumaré- Direitos Humanos Negritude e Homossexualidade
Grupo Palavra de Mulher
Grupo Pela Vidda Niterói
Grupo Pela Vidda/ RJ
Grupo Renascer
Grupo Rosa Vermelha
Grupo Safos
Grupo Semente da Vida
Grupo Tartaruga Gay
Grupo União pela Vida
Grupo Unificado de Apoio à Diversidade Sexual de Parnaíba – O GUARÁ
GRUVCAP- Grupo de Voluntário de Cajueiro da Praia
Guayí
Hapu (homosexuales ayuda puno)
Háttér Társaság a Melegekért (Háttér Support Society for LGBT People in Hungary)
Homosexualités Et Socialisme
Homosexuelle Initiative (HOSI) Wien
Humanus
IDAHO Committee
Identidade
Identidade de Campinas
IEC "Women's Network"
IGLYO (International Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer Youth and Student Organisation)
Igualdade
ILGA Europe
ILGA Women's Secretariat
Immigration Equality
INCAT – Instituto Catarinense pela Cidadania e Diversidade Humana
Inclusive Foundation
INCRESE
Information Clearinghouse for Chinese Gays and Lesbians
INOVA - Associação Brasileira de Famílias GLTTB
INPAR - Instituto Paranaense 28 de Junho
Instituto Arco-Íris
Instituto de Estudios de la Mujer "Norma Virginia Guirola de Herrera" Cemujer
Instituto de Formación Sexológica Integral SEXUR
Instituto Edson Néris
Instituto Runa de Desarrollo y Estudios sobre Género
Instituto Ser Humano
Integrity/Integrated Fellowship Uganda
Interassociative LGBT
Intergroup on Gay and Lesbian Rights in the European Parliament
International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC)
International Initiative for Visibility of Queer Muslims
International Lesbian & Gay Cultural Organization
International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA)
International Lesbian and Gay Law Association (ILGLAW)
Intersex Society of South Africa
Ipas
Ipê Rosa
Iranian Queer Organization
Iskorak - Sexual and gender minorities center
Iwag Dabaw
Kirovograd organization of All-Ukrainian Network for people living with AIDS
Korean Sexual-Minority Culture and Rights Center
La Colectiva Mujer y Salud de República Dominicana
La Fundación Ecuatoriana Equidad
Labrystheia, Network of lesbian theologians
Lambdaistanbul LGBTT Association
Las Amantes de la Luna
L'Autre Cercle
LBL (Danish National Organisation for Gays and Lesbians)
Les Verts
Lesbenorganisation Schweiz LOS
Lesbian and Gay Federation in Germany (LSVD)
Lesbian and Gay Legislative Advocacy Network Philippines (LAGABLAB-Pilipinas)
Lesbian and Gay Pride
Lesbian Organization Rijeka (LORI)
Lésbicas Gaúchas - LEGAU
Lesbiradas
LGBT History Month
LGBT Human Rights Project GayRussia.Ru
Libertos Comunicação
Liga Mexicana por la Defensa de los Derechos Humanos (LIMEDDH)
Liverpool VCT, Care & Treatment
Macedonian Association for Free Sexual Orientation (MASSO)
Malta Gay Rights Movement
Mateando
Minas de Cor
MOLECA – Movimento Lesbico de Campinas
Movimento Acorda Cabuçu
Movimento Arco-Iris da Sociedade Horizontina - MAISH
Movimento D´ELLAS
Movimento de Articulação Homossexual de Paulo Afonso
Movimento de Emancipação Sexual, Cidadania, Liberdade e Ativismo do Mato Grosso do Sul – MESCLA
Movimento do Espírito Lilás - MEL
Movimento Gay das Gerais
Movimento Gay de Divinópolis
Movimento Gay de Minas (MGM)
Movimento Gay do Sul de Minas do Vale do Aço
Movimento Gay e Alfenas e Região Sul de Minas
Movimento Gay Leões do Norte
Movimento Homossexual de Belém
Movimento Livre
Movimiento de Integración y Liberación (Movilh)
Mulabi - Espacio Latinoamericano de Sexualidades y Derechos
Nash Mir (Our World) Gay and Lesbian Center
NEPS – Nucleo de Estudos e Pesquisa em Sexualidade
Nikolaev Association of gays, lesbians and bisexuals "LiGA"
Non-patriarchal Inter-faith Organisation Logos
Nordic Rainbow Council
Nordic Rainbow Humanists
Núcleo de Ação Solidária à Aids - NASA
Opus Gay
Organização dos Direito e Cidadania de Homossexuais do Estado do Maranhão
Organización de Transexuales Por la Dignidad de la Diversidad
Organization Q
OUT LGBT Well-being
Outra Visão – Grupo GLTB
OutRage!
Parma
Pink Cross
PMB Gay & Lesbian Network
Press for Change
ProGay Philippines
Programa Integrado de Marginalidade - PIM
Projeto Solidariedade do Fórum Goiano de Luta Contra a AIDS
Provida – Associação Nacional Provida
Quimbanda Dudu
Raíz Diversidad Sexual
Red Democracia y Sexualidad Puebla
Red LGBT de Venezuela
Red Nacional de Diversidad Sexual y VIH y sida
Rede de Informação Um Outro Olhar
Rede Sol
Rede Solidariedade Positiva
REDUC - Brazilian Harm Reduction association
RFSL
Rights Australia
RNP + SOL – Rede Nacional de Solidariedade (Aids)
RNP+ Curitiba e Região Metropolitana
RNP+ Núcleo RJ
ROHS Homosexuella socialister
Rosa Vermelha
San Antonio Gender Association
Sangini (India) Trust
SANGYA
Sans Contrefaçon
Satyricon- Grupo de Apoio e Defesa da Orientação Sexual
Sayoni
Schools OUT
Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG)
Sexuality Policy Watch
Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS)
Shakti Samuha
Shama
SHUDO – Associação de Articulação de Defesa e Promoção dos Direitos Humanos
Siberian Human Rights Network "Rights Society"
Sociedad Mexicana de Sexologia Humanista A.C.
Sociedade Oásis
Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination
Society of Transsexual Women of the Philippines (STRAP)
Sohmos Gays, Lésbicas, Bissexuais e Transgêneros de Arapiraca
Solidarité Internationale LGBT
Solidarity and Action Against The HIV Infection in India (SAATHII)
SOMOS - Comunicação, Saúde e Sexualidade
Spectrum Uganda Initiatives INC
STV Brasil
Swedish Association for Sexuality Education (RFSU)
Swedish Youth Federation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights
Talking About Reproductive and Sexual Health Issues (TARSHI)
TEMA
The Center for Justice and Accountability
The Norwegian National Association of Lesbian and Gay Liberation (LLH)
The Rainbow Project
The St.Petersburg LGBT Human Rights "Krilija" ("Wings") Centre
Transfêmea
TransGender Europe (TGEU)
Transgrupo Marcela Prado
TransX - Austrian TransGender Association
Tucuxi - Núcleo de Promoção da Livre Orientação Sexual
Tupilak (Nordic rainbow cultural workers)
Turma OK
UK Lesbian & Gay Immigration Group
Unidas de Travestis
UNISON
Unity Center Masal-NCP
Via a Diversidade
Voz pela Vida
Wake Up!
We for Civil Equality
Womyn's Agneda for Change
xclusivevibes
Youth Coalition for Sexual and Reproductive Rights



1 International Commission of Jurists: http://www.icj.org/IMG/UN_references_on_SOGI.pdf.

2 Keynote Speech by High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour to International Conference on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights, Montreal, 26 July 2006:

http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/B91AE52651D33F0DC12571BE002F172C?opendocument

3 Speech by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan at the Global Compact Event held in conjunction with the WCAR, 1 September, 2001; Statement of Spokesman for the Secretary-General on the rights of gays and lesbians, 5 August, 2003, http://www.un.org:80/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=441.

Norway UNHRC Statement

3rd SESSION OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL

JOINT STATEMENT

H.E. WEGGER CHR. STRÃMMEN

AMBASSADOR

PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF NORWAY TO THE

UNITED NATIONS OFFICE AND OTHER INTERNATIONAL

ORGANIZATIONS IN GENEVA

Geneva, December 1, 2006

I have the honour to make this statement on human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity on behalf of the following 54 States, including 18 members of the Human Rights Council:

Albania, Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Panama, Peru, Poland, Portugal, the former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of Moldova, Romania, Serbia, Spain, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Timor-Leste, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Uruguay, and my own country Norway.

* At its recent session, the Human Rights Council received extensive evidence of human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity, including deprivation of the rights to life, freedom from violence and torture.

* We commend the attention paid to these issues by the Special Procedures, treaty bodies and civil society. We call upon all Special Procedures and treaty bodies to continue to integrate consideration of human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity within their relevant mandates.

* We express deep concern at these ongoing human rights violations. The principles of universality and non-discrimination require that these issues be addressed. We therefore urge the Human Rights Council to pay due attention to human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and request the President of the Council to provide an opportunity, at an appropriate future session of the Council, for a discussion of these important human rights issues.

World AIDS Day 2006 - Statement

The Network of Guyanese Living with and Affected by HIV-AIDS (G+) and Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD) join the Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition (CVC) and the Caribbean Treatment Action Group (CTAG), two regional groups bringing together organisations working in HIV and AIDS, in calling for greater access to HIV medication, care and support for all persons infected with HIV in the Caribbean, particularly for those from socially marginalised groups. Among these groups are sex workers, men who have sex with men, drug users, prisoners, youth in especially difficult circumstances, and children who have lost one or more parent to AIDS-related illnesses.

Through the United Nations General Assembly Special Session plus Five (UNGASS+5) Political Declaration on HIV-AIDS, all governments, including the Guyana government:

“29. Commit to intensify efforts to enact, strengthen or enforce, as appropriate, legislation, regulations and other measures to eliminate all forms of discrimination against and to ensure the full enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by people living with HIV and members of vulnerable groups… and develop strategies to combat stigma and social exclusion connected with the epidemic.”

At a November meeting in Bayahibe in the Dominican Republic, the groups concluded that while access to care and treatment for HIV has improved in the Caribbean, it has been limited or non-existent for members of socially marginalised groups who are especially vulnerable to the impact of HIV because of stigma and discrimination. CVC and CTAG have released a joint statement outlining the framework within which effective and meaningful HIV treatment and support might take place in Caribbean countries.

Dubbed the "˜Bayahibe Declarationâ", the document calls on Caribbean governments, regional and international health authorities, and international donors to take immediate action to redress the problem of access to drugs and support faced by members of marginalised groups infected with or affected by HIV. It also provides a roadmap by which national governments, civil society actors, service providers and human rights defenders can assure all persons living with HIV in the Caribbean of proper care, treatment and support. CVC and CTAG believe that in this way, members of these groups can realise their fundamental human rights to life and health.

Among the elements the groups present as essential to improving access to treatment and support for HIV positive persons, especially those who are socially marginalised, are the assurance that all persons in detention, including foreign nationals, are informed of their right to obtain HIV-related information and services; the assurance that health care providers treat drug users with respect, and provide appropriate and non-discriminatory health care services; the education and sensitisation of children and youth regarding their human rights and the steps to take to report physical, sexual and other cases of abuse; the training of health care workers to provide effective services for men who have sex with men; the execution of programmes that aim to eradicate homophobia and heterosexism; the training of service providers at treatment sites in the human rights of sex workers; and the building or expansion of outreach facilities in areas where sex work is common.

The declaration was signed by individuals and agencies working in different speech communities across the Caribbean including representatives of both G+ and SASOD.

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Bayahibe Declaration

November 2006

Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition

&

Caribbean Treatment Action Group

In recent years, the international community has taken important initiatives to scale up access to lifesaving antiretroviral therapy, especially in the developing world. Although these initiatives have fallen short of their targets, in the Caribbean, the region with the second highest infection rate in the world, they have generated essential political and financial support for making medication available at no or reduced cost, which has been critical to increasing the life expectancy of people living with HIV in the region.

The benefits, however, have not been equitably distributed. The widespread discrimination and abuse faced by members of socially marginalised groups -- sex workers, men who have sex with men, drug users, prisoners, young people in especially difficult circumstances, children who have lost one or more parent to AIDS -- heighten their risk of HIV infection, and impede their access to care and treatment where they are living with the disease. In this regard, their marginalised status compounds the stigma and discrimination they face because of HIV, and compromises or effectively bars their access to treatment.

This declaration, made in Bayahibe, Dominican Republic, in November 2006, calls for immediate action by Caribbean governments, regional and international health authorities, and international donors to correct the situation. This declaration also provides a roadmap for national governments, civil society actors, service providers and human rights defenders to ensure that all people living with HIV in the Caribbean can obtain proper care, treatment and support, and therefore realise their fundamental human rights to life and health.

Thus, cognisant of the urgent need to ensure effective and meaningful access to antiretroviral treatment for people in the Caribbean whose immune systems have been compromised by HIV;

Firmly resolved that states must take immediate steps to ensure equal access to treatment for all persons living with HIV as part of their obligations to protect the human right to health; and

Calling on duty-bearers mandated to provide health care and to protect the health and human rights of all people in the Caribbean,

We declare the following to be essential steps to be taken:

For people in Caribbean correctional facilities or other places of detention

1. Ensure all persons in detention, including foreign nationals, are informed of their right to obtain HIV-related information and services in a language they understand (this should include training and other assistance for family and community members who are part of an individual’s support system);
2. Ensure that all persons in detention, including detained foreign nationals, have prompt, adequate medical assessment on entry into custody, and access to essential medical treatment (patients should receive at least the same standard of care that could be expected for persons outside of the prison system) and guarantee a continuation of any medical treatment that began prior to incarceration;
3. Ensure the development, dissemination and adoption of written HIV policies that address

i. confidentiality

ii. attitudes of prison staff

3. staff training on HIV and
4. scheduled access by civil society groups;

4. Promote “through care” by allowing access to the prison by civil society groups;

5. Ensure that community boards monitoring prisoners’ rights include at least one person knowledgeable about HIV-related issues;
6. Ensure access to appropriate services for women (including gynaecological health services);
7. Ensure confidentiality and privacy with respect to all medical services;
8. Ensure adequate nutrition for all detainees and inmates.

For drug users in the Caribbean

1. Ensure that health care providers treat drug users with respect, and provide appropriate and non-discriminatory health care services;
2. Ensure that rehabilitation and other support centres for people who use drugs incorporate HIV-related services such as prevention and testing;
3. Provide support services for pregnant women who use drugs and their children, including post-delivery services and programmes for the prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV;
4. Sensitise and educate all service providers at addiction treatment sites about HIV- prevention and testing and the need to incorporate such services into their drug treatment programme;
5. Ensure that programmes and policies for people who use drugs are informed by research and other evidence (including research on barriers to access to health care services for drug users; use of peer educators to provide education and information) and are not driven by condemnatory, moralistic attitudes;
6. Identify, support and pay peer educators to facilitate access to treatment;
7. Ensure access for drug users to public health facilities;
8. Promote a harm reduction and public health approach to addressing drug use, including support for alternatives to incarceration for drug users;
9. Promote continuity of treatment and social assistance for drug users (e.g., on entry into and exit from custody).

For young people in especially difficult circumstances, including orphans and other children made vulnerable by HIV in the Caribbean

1. Incorporate representatives of the youth community who are recommended and approved by local youth organisations at all levels of decision-making related to HIV/AIDS policy and implementation;
2. Establish children/youth advisory boards that will identify the needs and issues of concern to children/youth and that will guide programme development, including training for all children and youth in preparation for meaningful employment;
3. Conduct sensitisation, education and life skills training programmes about the process of disclosure for parents/caregivers of children who are HIV positive;
4. Educate and sensitise children and youth about their human rights and empower them to take necessary the steps to report physical, sexual and other cases of abuse;
5. Create an awareness of the need for redress for children and youth who have been denied access to treatment;
6. Ensure the legal system adequately addresses issues of abuse of youth and children;
7. Train children and youth to become adherence counsellors, peer educators, and advocates for the rights of children, and create opportunities for the utilisation of their skills;
8. Sensitise and educate all legal service providers about how to provide adequate legal services to children and youth;
9. Train children and youth to interact and effectively communicate with the media;
10. Engage children and youth in all areas of decision- and policy-making that affect their lives.

For men who have sex with men in the Caribbean

1. Incorporate representatives of the Caribbean men who have sex with men (MSM) community who are recommended and approved by local MSM organisations at all levels of decision-making related to HIV/AIDS policy and implementation;
2. Train health care personnel to effectively and affectively provide services for MSM;
3. Develop an internal MSM-community referral system to friendly health care facilities and service providers;
4. Execute programmes that aim to eradicate homophobia and heterosexism;
5. Repeal ‘sodomy’ laws to create a policy environment that is conducive for MSM to access all health care services;
6. Ensure access to treatment for HIV-positive MSM who are incarcerated, young or from rural areas;
7. Establish support groups for HIV-positive MSM which include their partners, families and friends to promote adherence;
8. Sensitise faith-based organisations, religious leaders, politicians, policy makers and legislators about the destructive impact of homophobia;
9. Incorporate these recommendations as part of national and regional level policies which promote human rights and the exercise of citizenship without stigma and discrimination of any kind, in particular for sexual orientation and/or gender identity.

Sex workers in the Caribbean

1. Incorporate representatives of the sex work community who are recommended and approved by local sex work organisations at all levels of decision-making related to HIV/AIDS policy and implementation;
2. Train service providers at treatment sites in human rights of sex workers;
3. Offer comprehensive services, including VCT, to sex workers at all clinics;
4. Build and expand outreach facilities in areas where sex work is common;
5. Establish comprehensive referral system for adherence support;
6. Provide language assistance to foreign sex workers at clinic sites;
7. Provide confidential counselling for HIV positive sex workers;
8. Ensure HIV-positive sex workers who are sick have access to social services, education, and condom distribution regardless of residency status;
9. Provide equal access to services for brothel and street sex workers;
10. Ensure the non-disclosure of the sero-status of sex workers to others, including brothel owners;
11. Scale up treatment and care for sex workers beyond the brothel;
12. Ensure human rights protection for sex workers, including protection against sexual exploitation;
13. Decriminalise sex work.

Signed,

Carlos Adón

Instituto Dominicano de Estudios Virológicos

Dominican Republic

Moisés Agosto

Tides Foundation

Puerto Rico

Juanita Altenberg

Maxi Linder Association

Suriname

Harry Beauvais

Foundation for Reproductive Health and Family Education

Haiti

Robert Best

United Gays and Lesbians Against AIDS Barbados

Barbados

Dusilley Cannings

Network of Guyanese Living With and Affected by HIV/AIDS

Guyana

Robert Carr

Caribbean Centre for Communication for Development

Caribbean Institute for Media and Communication

University of the West Indies

Jamaica

Milton Castelen

National AIDS Program

Suriname

Veronica Cenac

AIDS Action Foundation

Saint Lucia

Rachel Charles

Hope PALS Network

Grenada

Marcus Day

Caribbean Drug Abuse Research Institute

Saint Lucia

Joan Didier

AIDS Action Foundation

Saint Lucia

Novlet Dougherty-Reid

Jamaica AIDS Support for Life

Jamaica

Olive Edwards

Jamaica Network of Seropositives

Jamaica

Keenan Ferreira

Life Goes On

Dominica

Patricia Figueroa

Caribbean Treatment Action Group

Puerto Rico

Devon Gabouriel

United Belize Advocacy Movement

Belize

Philipa García

Alianza Solidaria para el VIH/SIDA

Dominican Republic

Tamico Gilbert

Bahamas Human Rights

Amnesty International

Bahamian Friends of the Cuban Five

Bahamas

Mario Kleinmoedig

Orguyo

Curaçao

Steeve Laguerre

SeroVie

Haiti

Rohan A. Lewis

Board Member

Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition

Jamaica

Rosáura Lopez

Puerto Rico Concra

Puerto Rico

Deborah Manning

Board Member,

Caribbean Vulnerable Communities

Jamaica

Ian McKnight

Jamaica AIDS Support for Life

Jamaica

Aimé Charles Nicholas

Formation Interventions Recherche sur le Sida et les Toxicomanies Caraïbe

Départements français d’Amérique (Martinique, Guadeloupe and Guyane)

Caleb Orozco

United Belize Advocacy Movement

Belize

Ricky Pascoe

Board Member

Caribbean Network of Seropositives

Ethel Pengel

Mamio Namen Project

Suriname

Johane Philogène

Foundation for Reproductive Health and Family Education

Haiti

Sissaoui Pierre

Entr’aides Guyane

French Guyana

Nastassia Rambarran

Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination

Guyana

Leonardo Sánchez

Amigos Siempre Amigos

Dominican Republic

Joel Simpson

Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination

Guyana

Yvonne Sobers

Families Against State Terrorism

Jamaica

Jonathan Waters

Red Voluntarios de Amigos Siempre Amigos

Dominican Republic

Solomon Wedderley

AIDS Foundation of The Bahamas

Bahamas National Network for Positive Living (BNN+)

Bahamas

Gareth Williams

Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All-sexuals and Gays

Jamaica