LGBTQI People and Human Rights
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex community faces discrimination, oppression and violence around the world. This is despite protections under international human rights treaties such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. There are many regional and national legal frameworks that prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, but unfortunately there are also states that still criminalise LGBTQI individuals. At the European level there are legal instruments such as the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and bodies working on this issue including the European Parliament’s LGBTI Intergroup. It is a struggle worldwide to ensure equality for people who do not conform to norms around gender and sexuality, and even with comprehensive legal frameworks there are often issues around implementation. HRWF advocates for the rights of all LGBTQI individuals to live free from persecution and ill-treatment based on their gender identity, sexual orientation or sex characteristics.