March 20, 2023
Chair,
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States, as we gather here in these dire times, marked by crises and conflict, which also exacerbates attacks on the human rights of LGBTI persons.
At the outset, let me emphasize the EU’s full solidarity with LGBTI persons experiencing hate, discrimination, violence and threats all around the globe. In the last years, we have seen an increase in anti-LGBTI criminal repression in a number of countries and a rise in anti-LGBTI rhetoric, fuelled by disinformation and false narratives. This has incited hate and a wave of violence. We express our concern about the alarming rates of violence, discrimination, and stigmatization against LGBTI persons worldwide. There is evidence that state and non-state conflict actors have targeted LGBTI persons in various contexts because of their sexual orientation and, gender identity. This is unacceptable.
This year, we mark the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This is a moment to recall that human rights are universal, and that everyone is entitled to the respect and protection of their human rights without distinction or discrimination of any kind, or on any ground or status. This includes sexual orientation and gender identity.
It is essential to go further in our efforts to protect the rights of all persons in the most vulnerable situations, including LGBTI persons. Pushback on their human rights can be a precursor to violence and exacerbates existing vulnerabilities. Violence against LGBTI persons must be prevented and eliminated, so as to deliver on the protection of civilians-mandate of the United Nations. UN peacekeeping and peace operations must improve their monitoring on threats and violence against human rights defenders, including LGBTI human rights defenders, as well as hate crimes, including with data on discrimination and violence on grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity, race, ethnicity, religion or belief, and disability and any other status.
Furthermore, prevention and protection are not complete without participation, yet significant structural and institutional barriers and various forms of biases still limit the opportunities and capacity of young persons, including LGBTI persons, to fully, equally and meaningfully engage in decision-making and political and peace processes including UN-led processes. Young LGBTI persons, persons belonging to minorities and youth in marginalised situations continue to face specific patterns of discrimination, including multiple and intersecting forms.
We call for more systematic mainstreaming of all human rights issues, including the human rights of LGBTI persons into the work by the Security Council, UN Secretariat, UN Missions and others. We are pleased that many thematic reports on topics from Youth, Peace and Security to Conflict Related Sexual Violence and Women, Peace and Security are already addressing multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination in various contexts. However, as a practical step forward, we would welcome stronger focus on LGBTI persons and their security concerns in country specific reports of the UN Secretary General.
Furthermore, UN peacekeeping and peacebuilding operations should consider the vulnerable situation of LGBTI persons in their work whenever they are deployed. In that regard, the EU read with interest the 2022 report by the UN Independent Expert on Protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity on how gender and sexual orientation and gender identity dynamics operate in the context of armed conflict, and within peacebuilding and peacekeeping.
The EU’s commitment on this is unwavering; LGBTI persons should be included in peace and security efforts, like in all other spheres and levels of public and political life. Otherwise, we render their experience invisible and voiceless, while we know that situations such as armed conflicts exacerbate their vulnerabilities.
Thank you.