Livewire - Amnesty International blogging for human rights

Kate Sheill, Amnesty International’s Identity-based Discrimination Team Coordinator, blogging from the UN in New York

I’m in New York for the delivery at the UN General Assembly of a joint statement on human rights and sexual orientation and gender identity. It doesn’t sound very important does it, a statement? It’s not a resolution or even a declaration – the usual focus of our work at the UN. But nonetheless, this is a huge step forward for LGBT rights.

Over 60 countries, from all geographic regions, have now endorsed the joint statement addressing human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Checking my email on arrival in the Big Apple, I saw that another state had endorsed the statement.

The joint statement focuses on the universality of human rights, the core human rights principle of non-discrimination and the egregious human rights violations that individuals suffer because they are – or are thought to be – lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. The joint statement does not call for any “new” rights, simply that states affirm the promise of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – whose 60th anniversary we have just celebrated. This historic statement, which builds upon years of advocacy by activists from around the world, will most likely be delivered on Thursday, 18 December.

The joint statement is already a success! Here’s why:

• We’ve never brought the issue to the UN General Assembly before – previous statements have been delivered in the Geneva-based Commission on Human Rights in 2005 and the Human Rights Council in 2006;
• The 2006 joint statement was endorsed by 54 States and we already have over 60 States supporting this one;
• This is the first time we have secured African support for such a statement,
• And it’s a really good text too!

The countries endorsing the statement are:
Albania, Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chile, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guinea Bissau, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Montenegro, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Sao Tome et Principe, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Timor Leste, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Venezuela.