How Canada Can Defend and Promote Human Rights For

A CALL TO ACTION HOW CANADA CAN DEFEND AND PROMOTE HUMAN RIGHTS FOR LGBTI PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD ecent years have witnessed More than 80 countries or territories signifcant progress in many worldwide criminalize the expression, Rcountries around the world in identity or existence of LGBTI people, the realization of the fundamental human with harsh penalties of years or life in rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgen- prison — or even death in a handful of der and intersex (LGBTI) people, from settings. In some places, defending the securing decriminalization of our sexuality human rights of LGBTI people is a crime. BACKGROUND TO THE and protection against discrimination to Political, religious and other community DIGNITY INITIATIVE achieving recognition for our relationships leaders have fomented hatred against LG- In March 2014, motivated by a commitment to and families. BTI people, including calling for extermi- international solidarity against the backdrop nation and beheading. Some media outlets of a rash of new laws and acts of violence But even where important gains have been have actively encouraged prosecution, targeting LGBTI people, dozens of civil society made on some fronts, the recognition and imprisonment and even murderous vio- groups Canada-wide issued an open letter to protection of rights remains uneven. Trans lence against LGBTI people. We have seen the Minister of Foreign Afairs endorsing an people remain particularly vulnerable, and numerous instances of hate crimes and initial plan of action for Canada to play an often without adequate legal protection, mob violence, including horrifc assaults, active and constructive role in supporting the while the rights of intersex people rarely torture and so-called “corrective rape” and global protection and realization of the funda- receive much discussion at all. Mean- murder of LGBTI people and of mental human rights of LGBTI people. In June while, gender-based violence remains a 2014, the international Human Rights Confer- human rights defenders who have dared reality for many LBTI women, including ence at WorldPride in Toronto brought together to speak out publicly about abuses. violence motivated by real or perceived dozens of groups and hundreds of people from sexual orientation, gender identity or gen- across Canada and around the world. It further The United Nations (UN) Secretary der expression. Factors such as class, race, highlighted the work that remains to be done in General, Secretary General, the UN High ethnicity, (dis)ability, HIV status, migrant Canada to secure full human rights, as well as Commissioner for Human Rights and the struggle for basic human rights still faced status, drug use, incarceration and sex many world leaders have condemned such by LGBTI people elsewhere around the globe. work often exacerbate the vulnerability of violations of basic human rights. They LGBTI people to discrimination, violence have called on countries to desist from To build on these eforts, in 2015 a working and other human rights abuses. such persecution, to decriminalize LGBTI group of committed organizations and people and to protect against violence and individuals came together to launch the Dignity Meanwhile, even as there is progress in abuse. In international forums, Canada has Initiative, with the twin objectives of strength- some countries, there has been a backlash fairly consistently been a solid supporter ening both international solidarity work by in other places against basic human rights Canadian civil society groups and Canada’s of universal human rights protection for for LGBTI people. These troubling devel- foreign policy commitment to supporting the LGBTI people. But such statements are not opments are often part of a broader pattern realization of human rights for LGBTI people enough. Without a more concerted, ongo- of human rights abuses, and of scapegoat- internationally. The working group includes ing response to legislated discrimination ing particular communities and suppress- representatives of organizations from around and public hate-mongering, the message to ing civil society freedoms for political Canada, and is committed, within the scope of political and religious leaders adopting and its resources, to a country-wide, collaborative purposes. All too often, these situations advocating such laws and violence is that approach that involves and engages with groups refect a broader culture of corruption and they can continue to do so with impunity. in every province and territory in pursuit of impunity for those committing a wide The predictable result is the further spread these twin objectives. range of human rights violations. of such persecution and more human rights 1 abuses that destroy lives, families and com- from arbitrary search, arrest and deten- health and rights, gender and racial equal- munities, and that undermine respect for tion; freedom from torture and other cruel, ity, ending poverty, and other fundamental the human rights of all people, as well as inhuman or degrading treatment; and the rights and freedoms. impeding economic development and full range of social and economic rights the full contribution of all members of such as housing, employment and the The Dignity Initiative was developed society to their communities’ and highest attainable standard of health. An through a process of open participation and countries’ well-being. agenda to realize the fundamental dignity input from both Canadian and international of the human person for LGBTI people human rights advocates. This initiative will The Dignity Initiative recognizes the refects that LGBTI people need to be free be a resource to Canadian organizations in universality of human rights and the not only from criminalization, violence and supporting LGBTI human rights advocacy importance of the intersection of vari- discrimination related to sexual orientation internationally, and a guide to securing a ous human rights. LGBTI people face a and gender identity or expression, but also future commitment and action by Canada range of violations of their human rights, to enjoy the full range of universal human in support of such rights globally. including the rights to: life; security of rights that are the entitlement of all people. the person; privacy; freedoms of expres- Such an agenda situates the realization of sion, association and peaceful assembly; the human rights of LGBTI people within a freedom from discrimination; freedom broader agenda of sexual and reproductive ADDRESSING HUMAN RIGHTS HERE AT HOME Strengthening Canada’s support for human rights abroad for LGBTI people does not mean that the fght for human rights here at home is fnished. Among other things, trans people must enjoy explicit protection against discrimi- CANADA’S ROLE IN nation and hate crimes in Canadian law, ad- EXPORTING HOMOPHOBIA equate and non-discriminatory health services, and access to documents refecting their iden- Sadly, there are Canadian organizations and individuals who have not only tity properly. LGBTI youth still face harassment mobilized against the rights of LGBTI people in Canada, but have also promoted and abuse, and high levels of homelessness and hatred beyond our borders, including encouraging the retention or adoption poverty; they need safe services. So, too, do of anti-LGBTI laws in other countries. One way to act in solidarity with LGBTI LGBTI seniors. Canada has some of the most people around the world is to expose and challenge these organizations and egregious laws in the world unjustly criminal- individuals in Canada. izing people living with HIV. Violence touches the lives of at least one quarter of women in Canada at some point, and some women - in particular, Indigenous women – face even higher rates. Racialized people face much higher rates of policing and police violence, and are disproportionately imprisoned. One of the world’s most aggressive and expansive criminal law regimes puts sex workers at greater risk of harm. Asylum-seekers are denied essential health care. The struggle for human rights is universal; action abroad must be matched by action at home. 2 RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE CANADIAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT We call upon the Government of Canada to act, individually and in concert with other like-minded governments, to defend the fundamental human rights of LGBTI people around the world. In particular, we call upon Canada to take the following actions, widely supported by Canadian civil society and refecting appeals from LGBTI advocates around the world facing hostility, criminalization, violence and discrimination: when LGBTI people or their allies are options for redirecting any such REACH OUT to LGBTI activists charged under discriminatory laws funding within a country, while and human rights defenders in criminalizing them or their defense taking care to preserve essential countries where such rights are of human rights. health and social services, so as to denied or violated, and actively support service providers that are participate in regional and global ENHANCE FUNDING to inclusive and address the needs initiatives that work to amplify the support organizations around the of LGBTI people, and to support voices of LGBTI activists around world and in Canada working to community advocacy eforts to the world. defend and promote human rights, protect the human rights of including of LGBTI people. 1. Speak out publicly in support of LGBTI people. governments that take positive ac- 4. Strengthen the capacity of both 7. Mainstream

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