In countries and regions around the world, people are subject to persistent human rights violations because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. These human rights violations take many forms, such as criminal sanctions; the death penalty; hate crimes including sexual violence; discrimination in housing, education, health and employment; banning of peaceful Pride marches; and the denial of same-sex relationships and families.
This conference theme will explore ways of addressing these human rights violations in relation to needs and priorities at a national, regional and international level, including tools for documenting human rights violations, means of enhancing the safety of human rights defenders, and using political, legal, international and other measures to work towards a world where all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, can live, love and celebrate their identities with equal dignity and respect.
The following are examples of issues that could be addressed in the human rights and politics theme:
- Human rights: Protection of LGBT people
- Mainstreaming LGBT issues in political institutions, NGOs etc.
- Engaging with mainstream organizations
- The impact of the EU and the UN on LGBT rights internationally
- Out politicians
- Politics at the grass-root level: networks between political parties and LGBT activists
- Migration and immigration
- Asylum based on sexual orientation
- The relation between sexual relationships and political conflict
- Transgender: legal, social and medical rights