Archives: Resources

Although two-thirds of countries in the world no longer outlaw lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) relationships, same-sex relationships are still illegal in 76 countries. In the recent past, new laws have been passed in Russia, India, Nigeria, Burundi, Cameroon and Uganda and are being contemplated in other countries to further prohibit same-sex relationships or the so-called ‘promotion of homosexuality’.

There is evidence that such new laws precipitate negative consequences not just for LGBTI persons and communities, but also for societies as a whole, including the rapid reversal of key public health gains, particularly in terms of HIV and AIDS and other sexual health programmes, increases in levels of social violence, some evidence of reduced economic growth, and the diversion of attention from sexual and other violence against women and children.

Partly because those arguing in favour of criminalising sexual and gender diversity have made explicit appeals to science, this report examines the extent to which science sup- ports any of the arguments that proponents of these new laws make. Drawing on recent scientific evidence and, where possible, on systematic reviews, the report seeks to pro- vide an up-to-date overview of the state of the current biological, socio-psychological, and public health evidence and assess how this supports, or contests, the key arguments made in favour of new laws. This report considers the following questions:

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (commonly abbreviated as the CRC, CROC, or UNCRC) is a human rights treaty which sets out the civil, political, economic, social, health and cultural rights of children.

Nations that ratify this convention are bound to it by international law and compliance to the convention is monitored by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child.  Governments of countries that have ratified the Convention are required to report to, and appear before, the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child periodically to be examined on their progress with regards to the advancement of the implementation of the Convention and the status of child rights in their country.

The UN General Assembly adopted the Convention and opened it for signature on 20 November 1989 and it came into force on 2 September 1990.  Currently, 196 countries are party to it, including every member of the United Nations except the United States.

The Convention deals with the child-specific needs and rights. It requires that states act in the best interests of the child. The Convention acknowledges that every child has certain basic rights, including the right to life, his or her own name and identity, to be raised by his or her parents within a family or cultural grouping, and to have a relationship with both parents, even if they are separated.  The Convention defines a child as any human being under the age of eighteen, unless the age of majority is attained earlier under a state’s own domestic legislation.

NGO JOINT STATEMENT ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY & HUMAN RIGHTS
Human Rights Council 3rd Session, 1 December, 2006

International Planned Parenthood Federation

The purpose of this paper is to set out what the new 2030 Agenda means for civil society organizations (CSOs) working on SRHR and how it can be used to push for progress at the national level. It details those targets that are relevant to our work, looks at how they relate to existing programmes and commitments and suggests ways to ensure that they are implemented. It describes specific actions that national advocates may want to consider taking to drive progress on the development and implementation of national plans, to play a role in monitoring and accountability of global commitments, and to support the measurement of progress.
There is no “one size fits all” approach to implementing the Agenda at a national level because every country has a different system and way of working, and will have different focus areas with respect to sustainable development. Advocates are encouraged to use the information and recommendations in this paper in a way that is helpful to their national context, and to adapt them to reflect their circumstances.

The Sexual Rights Initiative & International Planned Parenthood Federation

The Sexual Rights Initiative (SRI) and the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) have developed this toolkit to help you shine an international spotlight on human rights violations related to sexual and reproductive health and rights in your country through the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process of the United Nations (UN).

The UPR is a relatively new and unique process of the UN Human Rights Council where each of the 193 Member States of the UN is reviewed on its entire human rights record every four and a half years. It can be a very powerful tool to bring about real change in your country and support the work you are already doing at the national or local level.

The UPR is essentially a national process with specific moments which occur in Geneva, Switzerland at the UN Human Rights Council. There are several opportunities to participate in the UPR and you do not need to be involved in all of its stages for your advocacy to be successful. This toolkit will provide you with practical information on the UPR, how to participate and why it can be important for your sexual rights advocacy. You will also find helpful tips to maximize your advocacy throughout the process from sexual rights advocates who are already participating in the UPR. In addition, this toolkit will help you navigate your country’s UPR cycle so that you can decide how and when to engage.

Equal Rights Review Volume 16, Equal Rights Trust

Different people mean different things when they talk about intersectionality. That which intersects can relate to identities, prohibited grounds of discrimination, human rights, human rights violations, disadvantages, inequalities, systems of oppression, and so on; and intersectionality itself is referred to variously as a theory, a framework (another spatial metaphor), a method, a practice… The reader will find all of these usages, and more, in this issue alone.

Table of Contents

 

Editorial – Intersectionality

 

Articles

Jade Glenister – Good Intentions: Can the “Protective Custody” of Women Amount to Torture?

Se-shauna Wheatle – The Constitutionality of the “Homosexual Advance Defence” in the Commonwealth Caribbean

 

Special

Gerard Quinn – Reflections on the Value of Intersectionality to the Development of Non-Discrimination Law

Ben Smith-  Intersectional Discrimination and Substantive Equality: A Comparative and Theoretical Perspective

Ivona Truscan and Joanna Bourke-Martignoni – International Human Rights Law and Intersectional Discrimination

Siobhan Curran – Intersectionality and Human Rights Law: An Examination of the Coercive Sterilisation of Romani Women

Shreya Atrey  – Through the Looking Glass of Intersectionality: Making Sense of Indian Discrimination Jurisprudence under Article 15

Johanne Bouchard and Patrice Meyer-Bisch – Intersectionality and Interdependence of Human Rights: Same or Different?

 

Interview

Intersectionality in Promoting Equality

 

Testimony

Layers of Marginalisation: Life for Rohingya Women

 

Case Notes

Sam Barnes – Physical Fitness and Gender Discrimination: Entrenching Stereotypes

 

Advocacy Brief

The year 2014 marked the 20th anniversary of the Cairo International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) which adopted a 20-year Program of Action.

The recent UN Secretary General’s report on “Recurrent themes and key elements identified during the sessions of the Commission on Population and Development” confirms the linkage between SRHR and poverty, engaging adolescents and youth, achieving gender equality, reducing gender-based violence, and the critical importance of adopting human rights-based approaches to future development.

Sexual and reproductive health and rights cut across the economic, social and environmental components of sustainable development and are key components of the measures that must be taken to respect and protect human rights, empower women and young people, particularly adolescent girls, and eliminate inequalities, which are still persistent in the region of Central and Eastern Europe.

Fact Sheet

The political and economic transformation in Central and Eastern Europe took place over 20 years ago, yet the reality remains complex as the region still struggles with growing inequalities, the consequences of the financial crisis and redirection of major donor funds towards other regions in the last decade. With some European Union Member States (i.e. Bulgaria, Croatia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland and Romania), Caucasus, Balkan and other countries that are none of the above, the region remains stuck somewhere between the Global North and Global South.
Throughout the region we continue to experience a lack of political will and commitment on the part of governments in developing and implementing policies addressing the priorities underlined in the ICPD PoA. Countries of the region are suffering from a resurgence of patriarchal discourses and religious fundamentalism which are reflected in setbacks in population and reproductive and sexual rights policies.

United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division

This report presents information on changes in legal grounds for abortion and related reproductive health policies since around the time of the ICPD for 197 countries in the world, including all 193 Member States of the United Nations, 2 Observer States (the Holy See and the State of Palestine) and  2 non-member States (Cook Islands and Niue) of the United Nations.