The ICJ welcomes the first-ever UN Human Rights Council resolution on sexual orientation and gender identity.
The resolution, introduced by South Africa and Brasil with 39 additional co-sponsors, expresses concern about violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity and calls for the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights to prepare a study to document discriminatory laws and practices and acts of violence against individuals based on their sexual orientation and gender identity, in all regions of the world, and how international human rights law can be used to end violence and related human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
The study will be followed by a panel discussion at the Human Rights Council at its 19th Session. The ICJ congratulates South Africa and Brasil on this historic achievement.
HRC Resolution Sexual Orientation Gender Identity-web story-2011 (Full text, PDF)