Thursday, March 8, 2012

Joint NGO statement on behalf of ILGA delivered by Linda Baumann, at the XIXth Human Rights Council on 7 March 2012

From: http://ilga.org/ilga/en/article/nqZoGpS1ct  (INTERNATIONAL LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANS AND INTERSEX ASSOCIATION Website)


Thank you Madame President,Madame High Commissioner,
Mr. Moderator, Distinguished panelists, I am honoured to address this panel on behalf of ILGA, which represents 917 lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex member organisations. This statement has also been endorsed by 284 NGOs from 90 countries, from diverse cultures and religions, and by mainstream allies and supporters from around the world.

We are here, not to ask for our rights, since these are already our birthright as human beings, but to urge States to fulfil their responsibilities to end human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

We welcome this panel discussion, and commend South Africa for its leadership in bringing this important human rights issue to the Council’s attention.

We warmly congratulate the High Commissioner for her report, which marks both a point of arrival and a point of departure, as it poignantly addresses human rights violations that have been highlighted by UN Special Rapporteurs and treaty bodies for close to two decades.
 

Around the world, 76 countries still criminalise us because of how we live or who we love. In extreme cases, we face the death penalty. Very often these laws are the relics of colonial-era legislation, rather than the expression of a pre-existing homophobic or transphobic culture.  Lesbians are subject to so-called “curative” rape, intersex people are subject to medical abuses, transgender persons demeaned and beaten, their rights and identities unrecognised. We are denied health care or needed treatment; we routinely face discrimination in work, housing and education. In many countries, our work as human rights defenders is opposed, obstructed or banned. Our rights to peacefully gather are often denied, while attempts are made to silence our voices.

For too long, this Council has allowed these violations to go unaddressed. There is no dignity, nor honour in torture, persecution and discrimination.

It is time for the Council to fulfil its responsibility to promote and protect the human rights of all persons without discrimination, and to develop a mechanism to ensure sustained ongoing attention to the systemic human rights violations on these grounds.

We look forward to working with States and stakeholders from all regions towards the day when all persons, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity, can live their lives in the equal freedom and dignity to which all human beings are entitled.

Thank you.

Organisations Signed:  
qianyuan-LGBT,GuiZhou, China 
ACCEPT Association, Romania
ACCION ZULIANA POR LA VIDA, Venezuela 
AI XIAOMING DUCUMENTARY STUDIO, China
Aibai Culture & Education Center, China
AIDES, France
Aireana, grupo por los derechos de las lesbianas, Paraguay
Akahata-Equipo de Trabajo en Sexualidades y Generos, Argentina
Alianza Lambda de Venezuela, Venezuela
Alliance française de Delhi, India
Ambassadors of Change ngo, Kenya
Amitie' Trust, India
Amnesty International LGBt Latino America, United States
Amnesty International Philippines - LGBT Group, Philippines Amnesty International Turkey, Turkey
Anjaree Group, Thailand
APUVIMEH, Honduras
ARC International, Switzerland/Canada
ArusPelangi, Indonesia
Asia Pacific Transgenders Network (APTN), Malaysia/Asia Pacific
Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), Regional
Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (ARROW), Asia-Pacific
ASOCIACION ALFIL, Ecuador
Asociacion Civil Equidad LGBT, Bolivia 
Asociacion Hombres y Mujeres Nuevos de Panama, Panama
Association for Women's Rights in Development, Global
Association of fine arts and design - PLANET design, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Astitva - An organisation for the Support & Development of Sexual minorities, India
Australian Coalition for Equality, Australia, Oceania
Baguio Pride Network, PLHCW, STRAP, I am LGBT, AIPH-LGBT Philippines Bandhu Social Welfare Society, Bangladesh/ South Asia
Beijing Aizhixing Institute, China
beijing health education institution, China
Beijing LGBT Center, China
Black Pink Triangle Izmir LGBTT Association, Turkey
Boys of Bangladesh, Bangladesh
Cambodian Center for Human Rights ("CCHR"), Cambodia
Campaña por una Convencion Interamericana de los Derechos Sexuales y los Derechos Reproductivos, Latinoamerica
Canadian AIDS Society, Canada
CariFLAGS: the Caribbean Forum for Liberation and Acceptance of Genders and Sexualities Caribbean
Casa Renacer Honduras, Honduras ,C.A.
Casa Rosa vzw, Belgique
CASAL LAMBDA, Spain
Case Management Society of Australia Limited, Australia
Cebu Rainbow LGBT Community, Philippines CENTER FOR THE RIGHT TO HEALTH, Nigeria
Center of Excellence for Transgender Health, USA
Centre for Development Studies University of Auckland, Pacific 
Centre for Popular Education and Human Rights, Ghana, Ghana
Centre for Secular Space, world
Centro de Estudios Legales y Sociales (CELS), Argentina
Chi Heng Foundation Beijing Branch (Chi Tong Beijing), China
China Changsha Rainbow Gay Alliance, China
China Queer Independent Films, China
Citizens Constitutional Forum, Fiji
Club Matapi, Suriname
Coalicion Arcoiris, Costa Rica
COALICION BOLIVIANA DE ORGANIZACIONES LGBT, Bolivia
Coalition Advocating for Inclusion of Sexual Orientation (CAISO), Trinidad & Tobago
Coalition for the Liberation of the Reasigned Sex, Philippines COC Netherlands, The Netherlands
Colectiva Mujer y Salud, Republica Dominicana
Colectivo LotoBlanco, Ecuador
Colectivo Ovejas Negras, Uruguay
Colectivo Sentimos Diverso, Colombia
Common Heart Organization, China
Common Language, China
Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, India
communication for social change, Ghana
COMMUNITY AND FAMILY AID FOUNDATION-GHANA, Ghana
Corporacion Humanas - Regional Center on Human Rights and Gender Justice, Chile
Corporacion KIMIRINA, Ecuador 
corps dissident, France
CREA, India
Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era (DAWN), Philippines

DIONISIOS ARTE-CULTURA-IDENTIDAD, Ecuador 
Diverlex Diversidad e Igualdad a Través de la Ley, Venezuela
Diversity Futures, Australia
Drachma, Malta
Dreilinden, Germany
Drodrolagi Movement, Fiji
East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project, Uganda
ECPI-Euroregional Center for Public Initiatives, Romania
Education International, Belgium/Global education union organization 
Elige, Red de Jovenes por los Derechos Sexuales y Reproductivos, Mexico
Equality Network, Scotland, UK
Equidad Ecuador, Ecuador
Espacio de Articulacion DIDH - Diversidad, Interculturalidad y Derechos Humanos, Argentina
Federacion Argentina LGBT, Argentina
FIATPAX,GAYGAS, Nicaragua
Filipino Freethinkers, Philippines
Former Founder Aus Transgender Support Association of Queensland Inc., Australia
Freedom and Roam Uganda, Uganda
Freshmen Autonomous Committee of SWUST, China
FtM Phoenix Group, Russia
Fundacion Amigos por la Vida - FAMIVIDA, Ecuador 
Fundacion Arcoiris por el respeto a la diversidad sexual, Mexico
FUNDACION DIVERSENCIA, Bolivia
Fundacion DIVERSO ECUADOR, Ecuador 
Fundacion Ecuatoriana Equidad, Ecuador
FUNDACION HABITAT VERDE, Bolivia
FUNDACION MANODIVERSA, Bolivia
Fundacion Privada para la Identidad de Genero, Spain
Fundacion REDVIHDA, Bolivia
Fundacion Reflejos de Venezuela, Venezuela
Fundacion Triangulo, Spain
GATE - Global Action for Trans* Equality, international/worldwide
Gay And Lesbian Vaishnava Association, USA
Gay Church, Taiwan
Gay Grassroots of Northwest Florida, USA
Gay Japan News, Japan
GAYa NUSANTARA, Indonesia
Gays Without Borders, Thailand
GDUFS, China
Gender Dysphoria Unit of South Australia, Australia
Gender Spectrum, USA
GenderBridge, New Zealand
GrenCHAP Inc., Grenada/Caribbean
Grupo CD4 y Revista Queernavaca, Mexico
Grupo Nepyru, Paraguay
Grupo Transexual Portugal, Portugal
Guang Tong (GZTZ.ORG), China
Hong Guang Alliance, China
Human Rights First, USA
HURISA, South Africa
ID Trans 
IDAHO Committee, International
Igualdad de Derechos Ya, Ecuador 
ILGA, International Lesbian Gay Bisexual Trans Intersex Association, Belgium
ILGA-Europe - European Region of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association, Europe
Inclusive Foundation, Georgia
India HIV/AIDS Alliance, India
INFORM Human Rights Documentation Centre, Sri Lanka
Iniciativa Venezolana Contra la Discriminacion, Venezuela

International Alliance of Women/alliance Internationale des Femmes, Netherlands/International
International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC), USA
International HIV/AIDS Alliance, United Kingdom
INTERNATIONAL LESBIAN AND GAY LAW ASSOCCIATION-LATINAMERICA, Latinamerica
INTERNATIONAL PLANNED PARENTHOOD FEDERATION, Global
International Service for Human Rights, Switzerland 
International Women's Rights Action Watch Asia Pacific, Malaysia
Intersex Internattional Organization, Philippines
Intersex South Africa (with OII), South Africa
Ipas, Global
Istanbul LGBTT Solidarity Association, Turkey
Itigokurabu, China
Jiangxi Rainbow, China
JWT, India
Kaos GL,Turkey
Karnataka Sexual Minorities Forum, India
Kolectiva Rebeldias Lesbicas, Peru
Kongzhong Corp, China
Kygryz Indigo, Kyrgyzstan
Ladlad Bacolod, Philippines
LADLAD REGION II, Philippines
lambada de venezuela, Venezuela
Landsforeningen for lesbiske, homofile, bifile og transpersoner, Norway
Latin American and Caribbean Women's Health Network, Latin America and the Caribbean
LeAP, Philippines
Lesben- und Schwulenverband LSVD, Germany
Lesbian Activism Project, Inc. , Philippines
Lesbians and Bisexuals in Action, India
LGBT Centre Mongolia, Mongolia
LGBT Georgia, Georgia
LGBT Platform Suriname, Suriname
Liberty Victoria (Victorian Council for Civil Liberties Inc), Australia
MADRE, United States
MANODIVERSA, Bolivia
Metropolitan Community Church of Quezon City, Philippines
Mingle (Mission for Indian Gay & Lesbian Empowerment), India
Moscow Helsinki Group, Russia
MUSAS Peru, Peru
National LGBTI Health Alliance, Australia
Naz Foundation International, South Asia
Nazra for Feminist Studies, Egypt
NON-GENDERED - Fighting for Legal Recognition, United Kingdom
Nvai, China
OEML, Ecuador
OLO, One Love Oceania, U.S.A.
OMNIA ASBL VZW, Belgium
On the Margins Group, China
Open Arms MCC, USA
Organisation Intersex International, New Zealand
Organizacion de Transexuales por la Dignidad de la Diversidad, Chile
Organizacion Ecuatoriana de Mujeres Lesbianas - OEML, Ecuador
Organization Q, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Outrage Magazine, Philippines
Pacific Sexual Diversity Network, Tonga
Partnership Law Japan, Japan
Peaceworks, Australia
Pearls for development, India
Pembe Hayat LGBTT Solidarity Association, Turkey
PFLAG, China
Philippine Forum on Sports, Culture, Sexuality and Human Rights, Philippines
PINK EMBASSY, ALBANIA, Albania
PLAKA Dumaguete, Philippines
Positive Vibes, Namibia
PPA+, Philippines
ProGay Philippines, Philippines
PROMSEX, Peru
Proyecto Transgenero, Ecuador
Public Association Labrys, Kyrgyzstan
Public Association Pathfinder, Kyrgyzstan
Public Information and Need of Knowledge NGO, Armenia
Public organization "Informational-Educational Center "For Equal Rights", Ukraine
Queer Comrades, China
queer delhi, India
Queer Pagan Network - Philippines, Philippines
QUITOGAY, Ecuador
Raffles Design Institute Bangkok, Thailand
Rainbow China, Hong Kong
Rainbow Liberty Foundation, Denmark
Rainbow Rights Project (R-Rights) Inc., Philippines
Rainbow Youth, New Zealand
Red Lesbica Cattrachas, Honduras
Red Ribbon Volunteer Group of Longgang District, Shenzhen, China
REDLAC, Puerto Rico
REDTRANS, Nicaragua
RFSL, The Swedish Federation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights, Sweden
Rights Society, Russia
Saathi, IIT Bombay, India
Sadhane, India
Sangama, India
Sangini (india) trust, India
Scottish Transgender Alliance, Scotland, UK
SEARCH Foundation, Australia
Secrec. Lesbica Sub region Andina ILGALAC - Colectivo Uniones Peru Peru
Sex and Gender Education Forum, Sun Yat-sen University, China
Sexual Diversity Network (Thailand), China
shanghai Nvai LBT Organisation, China
Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD), Guyana
Society of Transsexual Women of the Philippines (STRAP), Philippines
Space Allies, Japan
SREI, India
SRIA Rwanda Ltd, Rwanda, East and Southern Africa
Studiorum Sexualis Barcelona, Spain
Survival Advocacy Network (SANFiji), Fiji
Tanzania Sisi Kwa Sisi Foundation (TSSF), Tanzania
Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group, Australia / Tasmania
The Center for Health Policy Study,Faculty of Social Science and Humanities, Mahidol University,Thailand, Thailand
The family of chinese lgbts' relatives and friends, China
The Humsafar Trust, India
the israeli center for human sexuality & gender identity, Israel
The Philippine LGBT Hate Crime Watch -The Republic of the Philippines
THE POZ HOME CENTER, Thailand
Trans Education and Advocacy, Ireland
Trans*Action Netherlands, Netherlands
Transgender Law Center, USA
Transgender Network Switzerland, Switzerland
TransGender Victoria, Australia
traveschile (Agrupacion Transgenera), Chile
UHAI- the East African Sexual Health and Rights Initiative, Kenya
United and Strong Inc., Saint Lucia
United Belize Advocacy Movement, Belize
UP Babaylan, Philippines
Venezuela Diversa A.C, Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela
ver.di, Germany
Villanova University , USA
Vox Asoaciacion Civil, Argentina
Vreerwerk, Netherlands
WEZESHA, Tanzania
WhyCantWeGetMarried.Com, Sierra Leone
Witches' Hive of the IFTAS, Philippines
women coalition of HKSAR, Hong Kong
Women Working with Women (3W), Kenya
Women's Therapy Center, USA
Women'S Way Foundation, Suriname
Womens Global Network for Reproductive Rights, The Philippines
Workinggroup on International solidarity with LGBT, Belgium
World Organisation Against Torture, Switzerland
wuhanrainbow, China
WUR, China
Young Peoples Concerned Network, Fiji

LADLAD CRIES FOUL ON BANNING OF GAY PERFORMERS IN PUERTO GALERA

From Ladlad Party-list's Official Blog: http://ladladpartylist.blogspot.com/ 


WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2012

LADLAD CRIES FOUL ON BANNING OF GAY PERFORMERS IN PUERTO GALERA

THE partylist for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Filipinos, Ladlad cried foul on the alleged banning of gay performers in Puerto Galera. The party has called for a dialogue with the local officials in the island if the news reports were true.

“I will personally visit Puerto Galera and have a dialogue with the local officials about this matter,” said Ms. Bemz Benedito, first Congressional nominee of the group.

Last Sunday, Ladlad members reacted to news reports saying that bar owners were complaining to the local government officials of Puerto Galera for disallowing gay talents to perform in a show due to lewdness. The owners reportedly were alarmed because their coffers will surely get affected because their patrons are always looking for the gay performers.

“This is a clear violation of their right to work,” Benedito said. “Ladlad will oppose the approval of this measure,” she added.

On the same report, the chairman of one of the towns of Puerto Galera already refuted the claims of the bar owners, saying that they were only reprimanding the gay performers to tone down the language they are using on stage.

Ladlad further said, the remedy is an ordinance to prohibit children and an age cap on who to allow in entering such comedy bars. Prejudice must not set in this case especially to gay performers.

“In a comedy bar, children should not be allowed because of the sensitivity of the language being used in this kind of entertainment. Besides you cannot control the performers on what to say and do on stage,” Benedito stressed. “In television, you have an agency that reviews and classifies programs that suits the right age of its viewers,” Benedito added.