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Department of International Law > OAS

Newsletter - July 2010

Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression

In June 2010 the Department of International Law made a presentation on new perspectives for the advancement of the rights of LGBTI (Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex) within the context of the Organization of American States and participation of civil society, within the framework of the fourth workshop on incidence of LGBTTTI on the OAS system of the OAS. In this regard, the coalition participated in the OAS General Assembly, which was held in Lima, Peru. The workshop was organized by Global Rights Partners for Justice, the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC), and the Latin American Space for Sexualities and Rights (Mulabi). About 20 persons took part in the workshop and the department explained the content of the latest resolutions on the subject by the OAS General Assembly, as well as potential future developments in the field. It also compared these resolutions with the declaration on sexual orientation and gender identity presented to the United Nations General Assembly in 2008.

In these resolutions, the General Assembly has expressed its concern and condemnation of acts of violence and human rights violations committed against persons because of their sexual orientation and gender identity. It urged states to investigate these acts and violations and to ensure that their perpetrators are brought to justice. The General Assembly also encouraged member states to take all necessary measures to ensure that acts of violence and related human rights violations are not committed against persons because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, and to ensure that the victims are given access to justice on an equal footing with all other persons, inviting member states to consider ways to combat discrimination against persons. The General Assembly also requested the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and other organs of the inter-American system to continue to pay due attention to this issue, and requested that the Commission to consider the possibility of conducting a thematic study on the matter at the hemispheric level. Lastly, it instructed the Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs of the Permanent Council to include the subject on its agenda.

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