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Washington, D.C. – The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) welcomes the adoption of Resolution A/HRC/32/L.2/Rev.2, entitled “Protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity” by the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council, which mandates the creation of an Independent Expert on sexual orientation and gender identity. 

The Commission highlights the leadership of the Member States of the Organization of American States (OAS) that proposed the resolution: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Mexico and Uruguay. The IACHR recognizes the work of civil society which has been crucial for positioning the topic in the agendas of the different international and regional human rights bodies. 

“This historic resolution is a milestone in the recognition of equality and non-discrimination of all persons. Furthermore, it is an important tool to assist the States in complying with their obligations to respect and fulfill the human rights of all persons, without discrimination of any kind based on sexual orientation and gender identity,” affirmed Francisco Eguiguren Praeli, First Vice-president and Rapporteur on the Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex (LGBTI) Persons of the IACHR. 

The IACHR looks forward to working in conjunction with the Independent Expert, as it has been doing with other experts and UN bodies, to boost major and significant developments in the respect and protection of the rights of persons, without any kind of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Part of the work will focus on giving visibility to and documenting the discrimination, exclusion and high levels of violence that LGBTI persons experience, as the IACHR has been doing over the past several years, including through its report “Violence against LGBTI Persons in the Americas” approved in November 2015.

A principal, autonomous body of the Organization of American States (OAS), the IACHR derives its mandate from the OAS Charter and the American Convention on Human Rights. The Inter-American Commission has a mandate to promote respect for human rights in the region and acts as a consultative body to the OAS in this area. The Commission is composed of seven independent members who are elected in an individual capacity by the OAS General Assembly and who do not represent their countries of origin or residence.

No. 092/16