BORN FREE AND EQUAL Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Sex Characteristics in International Human Rights Law Second Edition © 2019 United Nations Second edition: HR/PUB/12/06/Rev.1 This work is available open access by complying with the Creative Commons license created for inter-governmental organizations, available at: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo/. Publishers must remove the OHCHR logo from their edition and create a new cover design. Translations must bear the following disclaimer: “The present work is an unofficial translation for which the publisher accepts full responsibility.” Publishers should email the file of their edition to [email protected]. Photocopies and reproductions of excerpts are allowed with proper credits. United Nations publication issued by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). 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First edition: HR/PUB/12/06 © 2012 United Nations All worldwide rights reserved Second Edition New York and Geneva, 2019 CONTENTS FOREWORD .............................................................................................. vii INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................... 1 DEFINITIONS .............................................................................................. 5 SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS ........................................................... 7 CORE LEGAL OBLIGATIONS OF STATES WITH RESPECT TO PROTECTING THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF LGBTI PERSONS ................................. 9 I. PROTECT INDIVIDUALS FROM VIOLENCE ............................................12 A. POSITIONS TAKEN BY UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS MECHANISMS ................................................................................ 13 B. TARGETED KILLINGS ......................................................................... 14 C. OTHER VIOLENCE, INCLUDING SEXUAL VIOLENCE............................ 17 D. INCITEMENT TO VIOLENCE AND HATE SPEECH ................................ 21 E. ASYLUM CLAIMS ............................................................................. 23 F. CONCLUSION ................................................................................ 25 II. PREVENT TORTURE AND CRUEL, INHUMAN AND DEGRADING TREATMENT OR PUNISHMENT ...........................................................26 A. POSITIONS TAKEN BY UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS MECHANISMS ................................................................................ 27 B. ARREST AND DETENTION ................................................................ 28 Physical and sexual violence .............................................................. 29 Anal examinations ............................................................................ 31 Solitary confinement ......................................................................... 32 Respecting the identity of transgender persons in detention .................... 33 Monitoring and oversight .................................................................. 33 C. MEDICAL SETTINGS ......................................................................... 34 Surgery and other interventions on intersex children and adults.............. 35 Forced and otherwise involuntary sterilization and treatment of transgender people .......................................................................... 37 So-called “conversion therapies” ........................................................ 38 D. CONCLUSION ................................................................................ 39 Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Sex Characteristics iii III. REPEAL DISCRIMINATORY LAWS ........................................................40 A. POSITIONS TAKEN BY UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS MECHANISMS ................................................................................ 41 B. CRIMINALIZATION OF SAME-SEX RELATIONS .................................... 42 C. DEATH PENALTY .............................................................................. 46 D. CRIMINALIZATION OF LESBIAN AND BISEXUAL WOMEN .................. 48 E. CRIMINALIZATION OF TRANSGENDER PEOPLE .................................. 48 F. LAWS ON “DEBAUCHERY”, “VAGRANCY” AND SEX WORK USED TO TARGET LGBT PEOPLE ................................................................. 50 G. CONCLUSION ................................................................................ 51 IV. PROHIBIT AND ADDRESS DISCRIMINATION .........................................52 A. POSITIONS TAKEN BY UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS MECHANISMS ................................................................................ 54 B. PARTICULAR AREAS OF CONCERN ................................................... 55 C. DISCRIMINATION ON MULTIPLE GROUNDS ...................................... 56 D. HEALTH ........................................................................................... 56 E. PATHOLOGIZATION ......................................................................... 60 F. EDUCATION .................................................................................... 61 G. EMPLOYMENT ................................................................................. 63 H. HOUSING ....................................................................................... 65 I. RECOGNITION OF GENDER IDENTITY .............................................. 67 J. ACCESS TO JUSTICE AND REMEDY................................................... 69 K. FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY ............................................................ 72 L. RECOGNITION OF RELATIONSHIPS .................................................. 73 M. POLITICAL PARTICIPATION AND CONSULTATION ............................... 75 N. CONCLUSION ................................................................................ 77 iv BORN FREE AND EQUAL V. RESPECT FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, PEACEFUL ASSEMBLY AND ASSOCIATION .................................................................................78 A. POSITIONS TAKEN BY UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS MECHANISMS ................................................................................ 79 B. LEGAL RESTRICTIONS ON FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, ASSOCIATION AND PEACEFUL ASSEMBLY ........................................ 79 C. OTHER DISCRIMINATORY RESTRICTIONS........................................... 81 D. PROTECTION FROM ATTACKS AND THREATS .................................... 83 E. ONLINE RESTRICTIONS .................................................................... 85 F. RESTRICTIONS ON FUNDING OF CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS ... 86 G. CONCLUSION ................................................................................ 87 VI. CONCLUSION .................................................................................89 ADDITIONAL UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS RESOURCES ..........90 Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Sex Characteristics v FOREWORD “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.” This affirmation in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is the cornerstone of international human rights law, and at the heart of the mission of the United Nations. Simply put, human rights are for everyone, without exception: lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex (LGBTI) people are just as entitled to protection, respect and fulfilment of their human rights as everyone else, including protection from discrimination, violence and torture. Despite these universal standards, for more than twenty-five years the United Nations, and regional and national human rights bodies, have documented widespread violations and abuses targeting LGBTI people in all regions of the world. Such instances include brutal beatings, sexual violence and killings, incitement to hatred, criminalization, arbitrary detention and imprisonment, abuses in detention and medical settings, widespread stigma, harassment, bullying and discrimination at work and at home, as well as in education, health, housing, and accessing public services. These horrific human rights violations must end. All United Nations Member States have committed to upholding universal human rights standards, including through ratifying legally binding treaties. The United Nations Human Rights Council has expressed concern over violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity multiple times and in 2016 appointed an Independent Expert to investigate and report on the issue. A sizeable majority of Member States have also made specific commitments to combat violence and discrimination against LGBTI people as part of the Universal Periodic Review. Recent years have seen uneven progress – advances for lesbian, gay and bisexual persons in a growing number of countries, more limited progress on the rights of trans people, increased awareness but few concrete measures to protect the rights of intersex people. In some countries there have been worrying setbacks, including increases in hate speech, expanded discriminatory legislation,