10th January 2018 Dear Dr. Birch, GAP President and GAP Executive Committee, APPLICATION FOR GAP MEMBERSHIP We, the organisations listed below, hereby submit our formal request for the General Assembly of Partners, in accordance with its Constitution and Bylaws, to consider our application for the creation of a Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) Partner Constituent Group. Millions of LGBTI people live in cities across the world, often migrating to urban areas in search of tolerant and progressive communities. Yet LGBTI people in urban areas continue to face violence and discrimination on the basis of their real or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, or intersex status (SOGIESC). As a result many LGBTI people living in cities and other urban areas are excluded from essential service provision including health and education services and disproportionately represented in statistics measuring homelessness. The New Urban Agenda clearly calls for cities that eliminate all forms of discrimination and are just, safe, healthy, accessible and resilient for all. This cannot be achieved without the inclusion of LGBTI people. Civil society is determined to embrace the progressive opportunities that cities provide to address the challenges LGBTI people face and deliver on the commitments made in the New Urban Agenda. We recognise the General Assembly of Partners as a self organised coalition of civil society organisations that has helped secure the inclusion of traditionally excluded and marginalised groups and their concerns in the New Urban Agenda and UN Habitat activities. This joint application comes from broad and representative organisations and activists based in the US, UK, Lebanon, India, Russia, Canada, Tanzania, Finland, Ecuador and Turkey that work at the global level, engaging with United Nations processes, as well as at the local level, with LGBTI individuals and communities in cities across the world. Yours sincerely, Sion Jones - on behalf of the members listed below. OutRight Action International (United States/Global) The Kaleidoscope Trust (United Kingdom/Global) Helem (Lebanon) Humsafar Trust (India) Russian LGBT Network (Russian Federation) Ellen Woodsworth, Co-Chairperson, Women Transforming Cities International (Canada) CHESA - Community Health Education Services & Advocacy (Tanzania) Seta - LGBT Rights in Finland (Finland) Danilo Manzano, LGBT Rights Activist, Quito (Ecuador) Joy Masuhara, Co-Chairperson, Women Transforming Cities International (Canada) Kaos GL - Kaos Gay and Lesbian Cultural Research and Solidarity Association (Turkey) APPLICATION FOR GAP MEMBERSHIP 1. Name of applicant: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Partner Constituent Group (see members listed below) 2. Organisation: - All of the proposed member organisations listed below are jointly submitting this application. - Mission: To protect and promote the rights of LGBTI+ people living in cities across the world with particular reference to the challenges LGBTI+ people face living in an urban context by promoting the commitment made in the New Urban Agenda for cities that eliminate all forms of discrimination and are just, safe, healthy, accessible, affordable and resilient for all. 3. Proposed PCG Co-Chairs: Option B: Describe the process and timeline for the election of co-chairs Upon approval as a General Assembly of Partners Partner Constituent Group, the members listed below will be notified. This notification will include a notification that any member may stand for election as co-chair. The notification will also ask for a volunteer election officer, or a volunteer from another PCG may be sought for this role. Those interested in standing for co-chair election will be asked to register their intention to stand with the election officer within 2 weeks and include a brief statement detailing their suitability as co-chair, with reference to the GAP co-chair requirements which will be attached to the notification. The election officer will then arrange an electronic vote within 2 weeks with each member organisation having two votes. The two co-chair candidates with the highest number of votes each will be designated co-chairs. 4. Statement of reasons for seeking membership: LGBTI civil society was active around Habitat III. A side event held during Habitat III discussed the unique challenges and issues facing LGBTI urban residents and community members worked together to create the Queer Declaration outlining how the New Urban Agenda should respond to the human rights of LGBTI people. Whilst the final version of the New Urban Agenda does not specifically refer to the human rights of LGBTI people, it is clear in calling for cities that eliminate all forms of discrimination and that are just, safe, healthy, accessible, affordable and resilient for all. LGBTI people exist as urban citizens across the world and have the right to equal and non-discriminatory access to urban services, public spaces, housing and protection. Without the inclusion of LGBTI people in urban life, cities cannot progress and develop for the benefit of all of their residents. Persons who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex (LGBTI) experience human rights violations because of their SOGI. These documented violations perpetrated against individuals based on their real or perceived SOGI include killings, violent attacks, torture, arbitrary detention, forced marriage, denial of rights to assembly and expression and discrimination in accessing health care, education, employment and housing. As a result LGBTI people face unique and complex challenges living in cities across the world ranging from housing discrimination to violence and abuse. Where data is available, 25% of the homeless youth population in cities are estimated to be LGBT, often rejected from their families and homes. In most cities in the world, same sex partners do not qualify for the same housing benefits and support as heterosexual couples. HIV prevalence rates are higher in urban areas and disproportionately impact gay and other men who have sex men with men and transgender women, whose needs are often not met by city based health care service providers. Homophobic and transphobic attacks and violence continue to happen daily in cities across the world. Intersecting forms of identity alongside sexual orientation and gender identity including sex, race, migratory status, age (both youth and older persons) and religion amongst others, mean LGBTI people face complex discrimination and marginalisation. Cities also provide opportunities for LGBTI people, providing tolerant communities where they feel welcomed and supported. LGBTI people, often marginalised by society, gather in urban centres where they can meet like minded people. Pride celebrations in cities across the world show the progressive and liberal opportunities that cosmopolitan cities can offer. In a time of nationalistic politics and push back against LGBTI rights at the global and national levels, cities provide opportunities for progressive and liberal agendas to lead the way on inclusion. Whilst the challenges are many, so are the opportunities. The civil society organisations involved in this application believe that supporting and embracing cities as inclusive, tolerant and progressive communities provides an opportunity to challenge the violence and discrimination that LGBTI people continue to face across the world. 5. Designation of its Partner Constituent Group Name: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Partner Constituent Group 6. Purpose or Mission of the Partner Constituent Group To protect and promote the rights of LGBTI+ people living in cities across the world, with particular reference to the challenges LGBTI+ people face living in an urban context by promoting the commitment made in the New Urban Agenda for cities that eliminate all forms of discrimination and are just, safe, healthy, accessible, affordable and resilient for all. 7. List of core organizations and individuals with short description of each: OutRight Action International (United States/Global) Headquartered in New York with staff based in most regions across the world, OutRight seeks to advance human rights and opportunities for LGBTI people around the world by developing crucial partnerships at global, regional and national levels to build capacity, document violations and advocate for inclusion and equality. They partner with local LGBTI organisations from four global regions and coordinate an LGBTI initiative at the United Nations in New York. With established, productive and trusting relationships with grassroots LGBTI communities worldwide, OutRight Action serve as a bridge between local communities and high impact levers of power. The Kaleidoscope Trust (United Kingdom/Global) Based in London, the Kaleidoscope Trust works to uphold the human rights of LGBT people in countries where they do not have their equal rights and are discriminated against because of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity. Initiatives include establishing the UK All Party Parliamentary Group on Global LGBT Rights, co founding The Commonwealth Equality Network and work with campaigners in a number of countries including Armenia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Ukraine and Trinidad and Tobago. Helem (Lebanon) Based in Beirut, Helem was the first LGBT advocacy group in the Arab world and is the leading non profit LGBT rights organisation in Lebanon committed to working on improving the legal and social status of LGBT people. Initiatives