Government officials from more than 40 countries and civil society activists representing lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people have established an international coalition for equal rights to promote and protect rights for the LGBTI community.
The decision was made during the 4th Global LGBTI Human Rights Conference, which is taking place in Montevideo, Uruguay, under the theme of “Non-violence, non-discrimination and social inclusion.” Participants at the conference explored how to ensure that the rights of LGBTI people are included in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, including forging stronger partnerships between governments, multilateral organizations and civil society.
Specific areas discussed included international and regional diplomacy, the shrinking space for civil society, the coordination of donor funding and the inclusion of LGBTI issues in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
At the conference, UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director Luiz Loures urged world leaders to put the rights of LGBTI people not only at the centre of the AIDS response but at the forefront of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The new Equal Rights Coalition was inaugurated on 13 July by the ministers of foreign affairs of Uruguay and the Netherlands and promises to serve as a body to ensure coordination and continuity of efforts to advocate for equal rights for all.
“Ensuring the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people requires courage and diligence. We have made some strides in the journey, but the distance to travel is still far. It is not just about HIV, but equal access to all health and development services.”
Luiz Loures UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director
“We must be willing to use all the tools in our toolkit to shift the policies and attitudes of the governments that condone or even fuel discrimination and violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people.”
Samantha Power United States Ambassador to the United Nations
