IACHR
Press Release
On the eve of the International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, the IACHR and various international experts call attention to the suffering and resilience of LGBT people during the COVID-19 pandemic.
14 de mayo, 2020
Washington, D.C. - The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), along with experts from the United Nations, the Council of Europe and the Committee on the Rights of the Child* issued a Joint Statement on the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia. The statement calls on States and other stakeholders to take into account, as a matter of urgency, the impact of COVID-19 on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and other gender-diverse (LGBT) people when designing, implementing and evaluating measures to combat the Covid-19 pandemic, from a human rights perspective.
This joint pronouncement, available here, is part of the cooperation and coordination initiatives that the IACHR has undertaken with other international, regional, and sub-regional organizations and mechanisms; this, within the framework of the strategic objective of universalization of the Inter-American Human Rights System, which is part of the Strategic Plan 2017-2021. In this regard, the Commission stresses that coordination and complementarity with other organizations helps strengthen international standards for the protection of human rights and provides relevant experience and knowledge for the international community.
In addition to what was expressed in the joint statement, in the framework of the International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia, the IACHR reiterates to the States of the Inter-American region the recommendations it made to guarantee the rights of LGBTI persons in the context of the pandemic, contained in Resolution 1/2020 and Press Release 81/20.
Finally, the Commission recalls that, in accordance with the above-mentioned resolution, the objective of all policies and measures adopted must be based on a human rights approach that includes, inter alia, equality and non-discrimination, as well as diversity and intersectionality. In that order, it reminds States of the recommendation to adopt campaigns to prevent and combat homophobia, transphobia and discrimination based on sexual orientation, guaranteeing the protection of gender identity rights, directed especially at health and security personnel of the State who are in charge of care and containment of the pandemic.
The IACHR is a principal and autonomous body of the Organization of American States (OAS), whose mandate derives from the OAS Charter and the American Convention on Human Rights. The Inter-American Commission has a mandate to promote the observance and defense of human rights in the region and acts as a consultative body to the OAS in this area. The IACHR is composed of seven independent members who are elected by the OAS General Assembly in their personal capacity, and do not represent their countries of origin or residence.
(*) The experts:
Council of Europe: Ms. Dunja Mijatović, Commissioner for Human Rights
UN Committee on the Rights of the Child
UN independent experts: Victor Madrigal-Borloz, Independent Expert on
protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation
and gender identity; Thomas Andrews, Special Rapporteur on the situation of
human rights in Myanmar; Karima Bennoune, Special Rapporteur in the field of
cultural rights; Kombou Boly Barry, Special Rapporteur on the right to
education; David R. Boyd, Special Rapporteur on human rights and the
environment; Agnès Callamard, Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary
or arbitrary executions; Joe Cannataci, Special Rapporteur on the right to
privacy; Alice Cruz, Special Rapporteur on the elimination of discrimination
against persons affected by leprosy and their family members; Olivier De
Schutter, Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights; Catalina
Devandas-Aguilar, Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with
disabilities; Fernand de Varennes, Special Rapporteur on minority issues;
Isha Dyfan, Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Somalia;
Ikponwosa Ero, Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by
persons with albinism; Michael Fakhri, Special Rapporteur on the right to
food; Diego García-Sayán, Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges
and lawyers; Maria Grazia Giammarinaro, Special Rapporteur on trafficking in
persons, especially women and children; Felipe González Morales, Special
Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants; José Antonio Guevara Bermúdez
(Chair), Elina Steinerte (Vice-Chair), Leigh Toomey (Vice-Chair), Sètondji
Adjovi, and Seong-Phil Hong, Working Group on Arbitrary Detention; Luciano
Hazan (Chair), Tae-Ung Baik (Vice Chair), Bernard Duhaime, Houria Es-Slami,
and Henrikas Mickevičius, Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary
Disappearances; Léo Heller, Special Rapporteur on the human rights to water
and sanitation; Cecilia Jimenez-Damary, Special rapporteur on the human
rights of internally displaced persons; David Kaye, Special Rapporteur on
the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of expression; Daniela
Kravetz, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea;
Chris Kwaja (Chair), Jelena Aparac, Lilian Bobea, Sorcha MacLeod, and Saeed
Mokbil, Working Group on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating
human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to
self-determination; Mary Lawlor, Special Rapporteur on the situation of
human rights defenders; Michael Lynk, Special Rapporteur on the situation of
human rights in the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967; Claudia
Mahler, Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older
persons; Anaïs Mari, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in
Belarus; Nils Melzer, Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman
or degrading treatment or punishment; Githu Muigai (Chair), Anita Ramasastry
(Vice-chair), Surya Deva, Elżbieta Karska, and Dante Pesce, Working Group on
Business and Human Rights; Fionnuala D. Ní Aoláin, Special Rapporteur on the
promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while
countering terrorism; Clement Nyaletsossi Voule, Special Rapporteur on the
right to peaceful assembly and association; Tomoya Obokata, Special
Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and
consequences; Obiora C. Okafor, Independent Expert on human rights and
international solidarity; Dainius Pūras, Special Rapporteur on the right to
physical and mental health; Balakrishnan Rajagopal, Special Rapporteur on
adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of
living, and on the right to non-discrimination in this context; Javaid Rehma,
Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic
of Iran; Ahmed Reid (Chair), Michal Balcerzak, Dominique Day, Sabelo Gumedze,
and Ricardo A. Sunga III, Working Group of experts on people of African
descent; Livingstone Sewanyana, Independent Expert on the promotion of a
democratic and equitable international order; Ahmed Shaheed, Special
Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief; Dubravka Šimonovic, Special
Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences; Mama
Fatima Singhateh, Special Rapporteur on sale and sexual exploitation of
children; Rhona Smith, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights
in Cambodia; Meskerem Geset Techane (Chair), Elizabeth Broderick (Vice
Chair), Alda Facio, Ivana Radačić, and Melissa Upreti, Working Group on
discrimination against women and girls; Alioune Tine, Independent Expert on
the situation of human rights in Mali; Baskut Tuncak, Special Rapporteur on
human rights and hazardous substances and wastes.
No. 110/20