The United Nations Human Rights Council voted 27-12 last week to renew a second three-year term for the LGBT expert during the 41st session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.
Seven countries abstained, including India.
The U.S. withdrew from the council in 2018.
The independent expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity was established in 2016.
The current independent LGBT expert is Victor Madrigal-Borloz from Costa Rica. Madrigal-Borloz assumed the position after the first expert, Thai human rights leader Vitit Muntarbhorn, stepped down in 2017.
Madrigal-Borloz and Muntarbhorn established a precedent of helping developing nations create policies and actions to protect LGBT people from discrimination and violence based on their research and work with local organizations and governments.
Global advocates lobbied to renew the mandate for a year. Earlier this month a big campaign brought together more than 1,316 organizations from 174 countries and territories calling for the renewal of the mandate in a joint letter to the council.
India maintained its long-held position abstaining from the vote despite the South Asian country’s Supreme Court striking down Section 377, its anti-sodomy law, last year and a massive campaign joined by Indian politicians and LGBT activists urging diplomats to vote in favor of the resolution.
LGBT activists applauded the vote.
“As LGBTQ people around the world face unprecedented challenges and the rolling back of previously secured protections — including by the Trump-Pence administration in the United States — it is heartening that the United Nations has taken this bold step once again to protect our communities from violence and discrimination,” said Human Rights Campaign Director of Global Partnerships Jean Freedberg in a July 12 statement from the organization.
OutRight Action International Executive Director Jessica Stern commended the council.
“In far too many places around the world, violence and murder of people because of their real or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity remains a daily reality,” Stern told the Washington Blade. “Even in countries which have enjoyed significant progress in recognition of the human rights of LGBTIQ people, a backlash has been growing.”
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