CSBR News from Member Organizations, News on Sexual & Bodily Rights, Statements

Human rights and freedom of expression in Egypt – trapped between security services and the media

Human rights and freedom of expression in Egypt:

Trapped between security services and the media

Following the escalating violent attempts to suppress and divide civil society organizations, restrict their resources, and increase security measures to silence advocates for human rights and freedom of speech and expression in Egypt, the Egyptian state and media have exceeded all expectations in spreading fear, discrimination and encouraging hate speech inciting Egyptian citizens against each other.

During the past week, the Egyptian state arrested Egyptian citizens for raising a rainbow flag during a concert organized by a band, “Mashrou’ Leila”, on Friday, September 22, 2017. The local media supported these arrests by publishing numerous articles and interviews encouraging hate speech against groups and individuals that have gender non-conforming identities and sexual orientations, especially targeting LGBT people in Egypt. These provoking articles invaded most news and social media platforms.

Consequently, the security attacks increased causing the arrest of more citizens who were charged of “inciting immorality” and attending the abovementioned concert. The Egyptian police’s statement alleged that arrested individuals are “homosexuals who raised the LGBT flag and encouraged the practice of immoral acts.” Political figures, political parties’ representatives, Members of Parliament and Al-Azhar religious scholars have also pressured the state to put an end to – what they called – attempts to corrupt the youth.

In addition, many media organizations – news websites, newspapers and broadcast media – launched campaigns to promote for hate speech using stigmatizing and demeaning terminology against individuals and their dignity. In doing so, these media organizations have neglected the journalism’s code of ethics, international human rights’ values, objectivity and violated the dignity of citizens and their rights to privacy and security against violence, social discrimination and their freedom of speech and expression.

We, the undersigned individuals and organizations, would like to remind media outlets that inciting hate speech violates human rights’ values, diversity and freedoms; we disapprove with repeated state arrests based on sexual orientation and gender identity; we refuse all acts that violate international laws and conventions such as torture in prison, humiliations and forced anal tests; and we confirm our commitment to freedom of expression and the right to security.

First: We call for human rights organizations, civil society, the international community, journalists, media experts, lawyers and all individuals who are interested in protecting human rights values to join their voices to ours and sign this statement.

Second: We remind the Egyptian state of its important responsibility of protecting the security of Egyptian citizens and guaranteeing the freedom of speech and expression as stated by the Egyptian Constitution and International Conventions.

Third: We call for media organizations to respect the values of professionalism during their coverage and defend human rights and avoid hate speech and demeaning terminology against Egyptian citizens, and refrain from giving a space to sources who intentionally spread fear and hate.

#الألوان_مش_عار

#ColorsRNotShame

EgyptStatementHROct20171
EgyptStatementHROct20172
EgyptStatementHROct20173

2 October 2017
CSBR CSBR Activities, News from Member Organizations, News on Sexual & Bodily Rights, Statements

Joint Statement on Access to Safe and Legal Abortion @ 36 HRC

CSBR joined the chorus of voices from 285 organizations around the world calling on global leaders to guarantee access to safe and legal abortion. Read the joint statement delivered by Action Canada for Population and Development et. al [i] today at the 36th Human Rights Council Session. #Sept28

*   *   *   *   *

25 September 2017

Mr. President,

It is my honour to deliver this statement on behalf of 285 organisations from around the world.

Through the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, States explicitly agreed to prioritize the human rights of women, including the eradication of gender-based discrimination and violence. However, many States have not yet made the important decision that women’s human rights deserve to be upheld and their lives are worth saving. The continued criminalization of abortion and restrictions on access to and provision of abortion and post-abortion care in many jurisdictions is stark evidence of this.

Around 22 million unsafe abortions are estimated to take place around the world annually[ii], leading to 7 million health complications[iii] and 47,000 deaths[iv]. In addition, there are major social and financial costs to women and girls, families, communities, health systems and economies. The criminalization of abortion and failure to ensure access to quality abortion services is a violation of the rights to non-discrimination, to privacy, and to make decisions about one’s own body, and can constitute torture or ill-treatment, as repeatedly highlighted by UN bodies and experts.[v] Prohibiting abortion pushes it underground and gives rise to unsafe abortions, violating the rights to life, health and bodily autonomy. Moreover, the poor and those already facing multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination are disproportionately affected, making the global community’s pledge to “leave no one behind” ring hollow.

These human rights violations must stop now. On September 28, the Global Day of Action for Access to Safe and Legal Abortion, we urge the Human Rights Council to address the human rights violations arising from criminalization of abortion and the denial of access to safe and legal abortion services through its resolutions, decisions, dialogues, debates, and the UPR. We demand in a collective voice that governments across the world respect, protect and fulfill the right to access safe and legal abortion services and post-abortion care.

Thank you, Mr. President.

_______________________

Joint statement on behalf of Action Canada for Population and Development; Federation for Women and Family Planning; Center for Reproductive Rights; Ipas; ActionAid; Advocates for Youth; ARC International (Allied Rainbow Communities International); Asian Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (ARROW); Asociación Pro-Bienestar de la Familia Colombiana “Profamilia”; Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID); Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network; Catholics for Choice; Center for Women’s Global Leadership (CWGL); Centre for Health and Social Justice; Centro de Estudios Legales y Sociales (CELS); Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era (DAWN); Ekta Resource Centre for Women; EngenderHealth; European Humanist Federation; European Women’s Lobby; European Youth Forum; Federatie van Nederlandse Verenigingen tot Integratie van Homoseksualiteit – COC Nederland; FOKUS – Forum for Women and Development Norway; Fundacion para Estudio e Investigacion de la Mujer (FEIM); Generation Initiative for Women and Youth Network (GIWYN); Girls To Mothers’ Initiative; Global Fund for Women; Global Justice Center; International Commission of Jurists; International Federation for Human Right Leagues (FIDH); The International HIV/AIDS Alliance; International Humanist and Ethical Union; International Lesbian and Gay Association; International Planned Parenthood Federation; International Planned Parenthood Federation South Asia Region Office; International Service for Human Rights; International Women’s Health Coalition; Italian Association for Women in Development (AIDOS); Manusher Jonno Foundation; Marie Stopes International; Médecins du Monde – France; New Zealand Family Planning Association; Oxfam; Pathfinder International; The Population Council; PROMSEX, Centro de Promoción y Defensa de los Derechos Sexuales y Reproductivos; Rutgers; Shalupe Foundation; Simavi; Social Charitable Center Women and Modern World; Sonke Gender Justice; Swedish Association for Sexuality Education (RFSU); Sukaar Welfare Organization Pakistan; Union Women Center; Womankind Worldwide; Women Enabled International; Women for Women’s Human Rights – New Ways; Women International Democratic Federation; Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights; Women’s Rights Center NGO Armenia; World YWCA; and Youth Coalition for Sexual and Reproductive Rights;

[i] This statement is joined by the following organisations and groups not in consultative status with ECOSOC: Akahatá Equipo de Trabajo en Sexualidades y Generos, Coalition of African Lesbians, CREA, Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights; A.L.E.G. _ Association for Liberty and Equality of Gender; Activista independiente; African Sex Workers Alliance (ASWA); Agrupacion Ciudadana por la Despenalización del Aborto – El Salvador; Aidsfonds; AJWS; Aliance for Choice; Alianza por la Solidaridad; Alliance of solidarity for the family; Articulacion Feminista Marcosur; Asia Pacific Alliance for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (APA); Asociación Ciudadana ACCEDER; Asociación de Mujeres por la Dignidad y la Vida – LAS DIGNAS; Asociación Médica Privada Voluntaria Winay; Asociación Movimiento Salvadoreño de Mujeres MSM; Association de Lutte contre les Violences faites aux Femmes; Association HERA-XXI Georgia; Associazione Luca Coscioni per la libertà di ricerca scientifica; ASTRA Network; ASTRA Youth; Atria – Institute for Gender Equality and Women’s History; Balance- Mexico; Bangladesh Model Youth Parliament; Cairo Foundation for Development and law; Católicas por el Derecho a Decidir – Chile; Catolicas Por el Derecho a Decidir Perú; Católicas por el Derecho a Decidir – Bolivia; CEDES (Center for the Study of State and Society); Center for Information and Counseling on Reproductive Health – Tanadgoma; Center for the Study of Democracy; Centre d’Action Laïque; Centre de Communication et de Développement de l’Entreprise (CCDE) – Département de la promotion de l’autonomisation de la femme en Afrique; Centre for Gender, Feminisms and Sexualities, University College Dublin, Ireland; Centre for Secular Space; Centre Kurde des Droits de l’Homme; Centre Ombre des Femmes du Burundi; Centro de Apoyo y Protección de los Derechos Humanos SURKUNA; Centro de Atención Integral a la Pareja, A. C.; Centro de Derechos de Mujeres; CESI – Center for Education, Counselling and Research; CHOICE for Youth & Sexuality; CLACAI; Cladem; COADY International Institute, Canada; Coalition to Repeal the Eighth Amendment; Colectivo Ovejas Negras; Community and Family Aid Foundation-Ghana; Community Safety and Mediation Center; Concern for Children and Environment – CONCERN Nepal; Consorcio Latinoamericano Contra el Aborto Inseguro; Contra Nocendi International; Corporacion Miles Chile; Costa Rica Afro; Creative and Innovation Business Incubation Center (Association CICIA); CSBR – Coalition for Sexual and Bodily Rights in Muslim Societies; Danish Family Planning Association; DareGender; Dartmouth College; DeGenerar; Discover Football; Diverse Voices and Action (DIVA) for Equality, Fiji; ECIS – Educación, Clínica e Investigación en Sexualidad; El Colegio de México; Equal Ground, Sri Lanka; Essex Feminist Collective; Eurasian Women’s Network on AIDS; Family Planning and Sexual Health Association; Family Planning NSW; Fédération nationale GAMS; Feminist Solutions towards Global Justice (FemJust); FILIA Centre; Forum de la Femme Menagere – FORFEM; FRONT Association; Fundación Arcoiris. Mexico; Fundación CulturaSalud/EME; Fundacion de la mano contigo; FUNDACION DE MUJERES LUNA CRECIENTE; Fundación ESAR; Fundación Oriéntame; Fundacion Sendas; Fundatia Corona; Gateway Health Institute; Gender Violence Institute; Global Doctors for Choice; Good and Useful Ltd; Great Lakes Initiative for Human Rights and Development (GLIHD); GreeneWorks; Grupo Curumim – Gestação e Parto; Gynuity Health Projects; Hábitat Mujer Salud; Haiyya Foundation; Health Development Initiative (HDI)-Rwanda; Hidden Pockets; Human rights and civic participation association PaRiter; Human Rights in Childbirth; ICRH-Mozambique; IGLYO – The international lgbtqi youth and student organization; Iniciativas Sanitarias Uruguay; Institute of Health Management, Pachod; Institute of Human Rights Communication Nepal (IHRICON); Inter Pares; International Campaign for Women’s Right to Safe Abortion; International Gender Equality, SOCITSHOPO (Coordination Civil Society of the DRC Tshopo); International Youth Alliance for Family Planning; Irish Council for Civil Liberties; Irish Family Planning Association; Jamia Millia Islamia University; KOGS; La Mesa por la Vida y la Salud de las Mujeres; Legal hub consultants; London-Irish Abortion Rights Campaign; Love Matters India; MARIA Abortion Fund for Social Justice; Marie Stopes México; MDF Training & Consultancy; Men’s Association for Gender Equality Sierra Leone (MAGE SL); Men’s Story Project; MenEngage Africa; MenEngage Global Alliance; MenEngage Initiative Uganda; MenEngage Kenya Network (MenKen); Michaela Raab; Midwives for Choice; Mouvement Français pour le Planning Familial (MFPF); Mujer Y Salud en Uruguay – MYSU; MuMaLa-Mujeres de la Matria Latinoamericana; Musas de Metal Grupo de Mujeres Gay A.C.; Nakoroiki Park  Association; National Abortion Federation; National coalition for Education; National Women’s Council of Ireland; Nossal Institute for Global Health; Nuhanovic Foundation; Observatorio de Equidad de Género en Salud; Oklahoma Coalition for Reproductive Justice; Options for Sexual Health; Organizando Trans Diversidades OTD Chile; PACE Society; Pacific Feminist SRHR Coalition; Paper Crown Institute; PARI O DISPARE; Participatory Human Rights Advancement Society; Participatory Human Rights Advancement Society; PIECE (Prostitutes Involved, Empowered, Cogent Edmonton); Planned Parenthood Ottawa; Pro Salud Sexual y Reproductiva, A.C.; Pro-Choice Wexford; Programa Género, Cuerpo y Sexualidad (Universidad de la Repúbica); Programa Iguales ante la ley-CDC; Programa Interdisciplinario de Estudios de Género, Universidad de Guadalajara; Promundo-US; Radha Paudel Foundation; Reconstruction Women’s Fund; Red Latinoamericana de Género y Salud Colectiva ALAMES; Red Mujer y Hábitat de América Latina; Red Tengo Derecho a mi Cuerpo Haurralde Fundazioa; Repeal The 8th Dublin Midwest; Reproductive Health Association of Cambodia (RHAC); Reproductive Health Training Center from Moldova; Réseau Genre et Droits de la Femme – GEDROFE; Resource Center for Women and Girls; RESURJ – Realizing Sexual and Reproductive Justice Alliance; RHAC; Riskou Poulakou; Romanian Women’s Lobby; Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists; Sahil, Pakistan; SAHR; SAMYAK, Pune; Sarajevo Open Centre; Seres (con) viver com o VIH; Servicios Humanitarios en Salud Sexual y Reproductiva, A.C.; Sex og Politikk (IPPF Norway); Sexual and Reproductive Justice Coalition; Sexuality Policy Watch; She-Hive Association; Societatea de Planificare a Familiei din Moldova (SPFM)/Family Planning Association of Moldova ; Society for Education in Contraception and Sexuality (SECS) Romania; Society for Feminist Analyses AnA Romania; Society for Women’s Action and Training Initiative; Society Without Violence NGO; Solidarité des Femmes Burundaises pour la lutte contre le Sida et le Paludisme au Burundi; Solidarite des Femmes Burundaises pour le Bien Etre Social et le Progres au Burundi; SPECTRA: Young Feminists, Rwanda; Spectrum; SRHR platform Ghana; Srijanatmak Manushi Sanstha; Stella, l’amie de Maimie; Success Capital Organisation; Sukaar Welfare Organization Pakistan; Surkun; Sustainable Consulting; SWISSAID; Synergia – Initiatives for Human Rights; Taller Salud; Terre Des Jeunes Burundi; TFMR Ireland; The Bridges We Burn; The Legal Center for Women’s Initiatives “Sana Sezim”; Tonga Leitis Association ; Uganda Network of young people living with HIV & AIDS; UNAM; Unidas por La Paz I A P; Unión Democrática de Mujeres –UDEMU; Uprising of Women in the Arab World; Urgent Action Fund for Women’s Human Rights; Vecinas Feministas por la Justicia Sexual y Reproductiva en América Latina y el Caribe; VOICE MALE Magazine; Voice Your Abortion; White Ribbon Canada; WISH Associates; WO=MEN; Women Interfaith Council/Network of Men Leaders on Violence Against Women; women on waves; women on web; Women’s Link Worldwide; Women’s Solidarity Namibia; YouAct, European Youth Network on Sexual Reproductive Rights; Youth Harvest Foundation Ghana; and Zeromacho.

[ii] WHO: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs388/en/

[iii] Ibid.

[iv] WHO: http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/topics/unsafe_abortion/magnitude/en/

[v] Center for Reproductive Rights, Breaking Ground, Treaty Monitoring Bodies on Reproductive Rights, 2016, available at https://www.reproductiverights.org/document/breaking-ground-2016-treaty-monitoring-bodies-on-reproductive-rights
For full list of signatories, see Sexual Rights Initiative: http://www.sexualrightsinitiative.com/2017/hrc/hrc-36-session/joint-statement-on-access-to-safe-and-legal-abortion-globally/

CSBR CSBR Activities, News from Member Organizations, News on Sexual & Bodily Rights, Statements

International Coalition Calls for Public Support to End Increasing Persecution of LGBT People in Indonesia

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The undersigned organisations and individuals (35 in total) support the following statement:

We appeal to the people of Indonesia and our friends and supporters around the world to help protect the rights and health of all Indonesian citizens by supporting efforts to end the growing mistreatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in Indonesia.

Our appeal follows several cases of human rights and privacy abuses over the last two months against over 150 men who have been unjustly detained, arrested and/or charged – and in two cases severely punished – simply because they allegedly had sex with other men or facilitated men to have sex with other men. The cases we refer to involve the caning of two young men in Aceh as well as two recent police raids, one at a hotel in Surabaya and another at a leisure establishment in Jakarta.

Our appeal also follows an anti-LGBT campaign over the last 12 months by government officials and conservative community groups in Indonesia which encourages this kind of violence, harassment and state-sponsored discrimination against LGBT people across Indonesia.

Firstly, the mistreatment of the men involves violations of natural justice, privacy and human rights not only in relation to the alleged sexual activity, but also in relation to forced HIV testing and the subsequent dissemination of test results to local media. These violations contravene not only many Indonesian laws but also Indonesia’s commitment to a range of international legal frameworks protecting the rights of individuals as well as members of cultural minorities.

Secondly, these violations threaten the privacy and human rights of all Indonesians. If local police are permitted to target one group of people in this way, then other individuals and groups in Indonesia are also potentially at risk of the same kind of treatment. If the law does not protect everyone, then ultimately it protects no one.

Thirdly, this campaign of persecution is also affecting the provision of HIV prevention, testing and treatment services to gay men and men who have sex with men (MSM). Fear of being targeted by police, other authorities and even neighbours is driving gay and MSM communities underground, making it much harder to deliver information and support to an already vulnerable group of people. This is a public health issue that should concern all Indonesians due to the growing impact that HIV is having on Indonesia’s health system.

Further to this, we note that the Indonesia Health Law (UU No 39 Year 2009) guarantees that implementation of health services shall be carried out with responsibility, safety and quality, and distributed evenly and non-discriminatively to all Indonesian people. In addition, the Indonesian government has a stated plan to cover the whole population with Universal Health Coverage (Jaminan Kesehatan Nasional) by 2019 with the following objectives as stated by Indonesia’s Minister of Health on 28/08/14:

  • To enable people accessing healthcare services without financial hardship
  • To perform cost contained and quality controlled healthcare services.
  • To strengthen healthcare services at primary and referral health facilities
  • To prioritize preventive and promotive measures in rendering healthcare services to reduce prevalence of diseases, lower the numbers of sick-people with efficient healthcare services.

Finally, responding to the plight of others with empathy and benevolence is an essential part of our common humanity. Imagine being subjected to the trauma and humiliation these men have endured, or the discrimination and exclusion that Indonesia’s LGBT community is experiencing, simply for expressing love or a gender identity.

The unwarranted treatment of these men, and the increasingly virulent campaign against Indonesia’s LGBT community, seeks to position LGBT people as ‘outsiders’ and a ‘threat to society’. However, LGBT people are just like everyone else – everyday people and fellow citizens who work hard to create a better life for themselves, their families and their community. As such we appeal to the people of Indonesia and our supporters across the world to join our efforts to ensure these men and all LGBT Indonesians are afforded the legal rights and health services to which they are entitled as citizens, and the compassion and dignity to which they are entitled as human beings.

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

  • Share this statement with family, friends and colleagues to create awareness about this issue.
  • Contact Indonesian government representatives or embassies to protest against the treatment of the men and the campaign against Indonesia’s LGBT community.
  • Donate to GAYa NUSANTARA (www.gayanusantara.or.id) or GWL-INA (www.gwl-ina.or.id) to fund their efforts to protect the rights of these men and to fight LGBT discrimination in Indonesia.

ISSUED BY:

For more information please contact: Safir Soeparna, APCOM Senior Media and Communication Officer at safirs@apcom.org

CSBR CSBR Activities, News from Member Organizations, News on Sexual & Bodily Rights, Statements

No Borders on Gender Justice

Letter to the Members of the UN Commission on the Status of Women

United Nations Economic and Social Council
The Commission on the Status of Women

6 March 2017

Dear Members of the UN Commission on the Status of Women,

We the undersigned organizations write to express our deep concerns about the latest restrictions on civil society participation at the 2017 UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) meetings. This year’s CSW is taking place under the shadow of the United States’ escalated anti-immigrant, anti-refugee, and anti-Muslim policies, which are preventing some women from exercising their right to political participation at UN Headquarters in New York. The policies represent the latest in a long history of restrictive migration, refugee and asylum measures that subject women and their families to hate crimes, detention, deportation and family separation, while undermining core universal human rights regarding migrant and refugee rights, and worker protections. These circumstances emphasize the urgent need for women facing multiple discriminations to be at the center of conversations on human rights at CSW.

These restrictions on civil society participation are part of a much broader threat, not only to CSW, but also to the very foundations of multi-lateral cooperation, the rule of law and human rights. Governments across all continents have adopted laws and policies curtailing civil society participation in democratic spaces, making international space an even more critical site for civil society to confront and hold governments accountable. Civil society access to these spaces is necessary for the advancement of all human rights, including rights that ensure women’s economic empowerment in the changing world of work. It is also necessary for the work of the UN. The new UN Secretary General, António Guterres, has affirmed that “civil society is a key instrument for the success of today’s UN,” and that “dialogue and cooperation with civil society will…be a central aspect of the activities of the UN in the next few years.” For that to happen, civil society needs access to the UN, without discrimination on the basis of nationality, religion, income, migration status, or any other factor.

The latest obstacles to civil society participation at New York’s UN Headquarters will likely extend beyond this year’s CSW. Access to future CSW sessions, and to all UN decision-making spaces, including the Security Council and General Assembly, is also threatened. Year round, women and other gender justice advocates participate in critical convenings at UN Headquarters, including during the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in May, the Open Debate on Women, Peace and Security in October, negotiations for a new Global Compact on Refugees and a Global Compact on migration, International Day of Persons with Disabilities, and LGBTIQ advocacy week in December. It is in New York that civil society advocates from across the globe engage with the world’s governments in order to shape national and international priorities.

Maintaining access for civil society, particularly women’s human rights defenders, to UN decision-making spaces is essential to the empowerment of women as envisioned in the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the gender-responsive realization of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. To this end, we respectfully request the Commission add the following paragraph to the draft Agreed Conclusions for CSW’s 61st session, calling on governments to remove all barriers that directly and indirectly inhibit women’s full, equal, and effective participation in decision-making at all levels:

The Commission calls upon Governments to support civil society access to the CSW and all UN decision-making spaces, recognizing that meaningful civil society participation is critical for increasing protections and advancements for women’s economic empowerment in the changing world of work.

We urge the Commission to call on governments to reverse the shrinking of civil society space at the United Nations during the CSW Ministerial segment and General discussion, so that we may fully contribute to the work of the Commission towards women’s human rights and gender equality, including the gender-responsive implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Sincerely,

MADRE

Just Associates (JASS)

Center for Women’s Global Leadership

Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID)

Urgent Action Fund

Women in Migration Network (WIMN)

Outright Action International

Global Justice Center

Amnesty International

Refugees International

Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF)

NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security

Organization of Women’s Freedom in Iraq (OWFI)

International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN)

Women’s Environment and Development Organization (WEDO)

Women’s Intercultural Network (WIN)

Gender at Work

Alianza por la Solidaridad

Women Thrive Alliance

World Federalist Movement-Insititute for Global Policy

Men Engage Alliance

Widows for Peace through Democracy (WPD)

SecurityWomen

Womankind Worldwide

Gender & Development Network

Women Peacemakers Program (WPP)

Women Engage for a Common Future (WECF), International

FEMUM-ALC latinamerican network of Women&Municipalities

Feminist Task Force

Center for Health and Gender Equity (CHANGE)

The Judith Trust

Uganda Youth Alliance For Family Planning And Adolescents Health –UYAFPAH

LatinoJustice PRLDEF

The Women’s Studies Center (CEM)

Free Women Writers

Iranian Circle of Women’s Intercultural Network (ICWIN)

Grupo Para o desenvolvimento da Mulher e Rapariga- (GDMR)

Muslims for Progressive Values Nederland

Sudanese Women Human Rights Defenders Project

FEMNET

Asia Safe Abortion Partnership

International Womens’ Rights Action Watch Asia Pacific

International Planned Parenthood Federation – Western Hemisphere Region

FOKUS – Forum for Women and Development

MYSU Mujer y Salud En Uruguay

International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations

Regions Refocus

RFSL – Swedish Federation for LGBTQ Rights

Akina Mama Wa Afrika

COC Nederland

Worker’s Information Center

Human Rights & Gender Justice Clinic, City University of New York Law School

Republika Libre

Foro Internacional de Mujeres Indigenas – FIMI / International Indigenous Women Forum

Enlace Continental de Mujeres Indígenas de las Américas – ECMIA

The Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR)

Tunisian Association of Democratic Women (ATFD)

Khadija Arfaoui, TUNISIA

Tharwa n’fadhma n’soumer

Coalition for Sexual and Bodily Rights in Muslim Societies (CSBR)

GAYa Nusantara

PILIPINA Legal Resources Center

Southeast Indigenous Peoples’ Center

PEN International

Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights (WGNRR)

*****

To add your organization’s name to this letter, email csw61advocacy@madre.org.

CSBR Featured, Headline, News from Member Organizations, News on Sexual & Bodily Rights, ODOS, Statements

ODOS 2016: EIPR submits open letter to WHO urging change of the Arabic definition of female circumcision/FGC/ FGM on its website to correspond with English and French definitions

To mark the One Day, One Struggle campaign, the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights submitted an open letter to the World Health Organization’s high-level Working Group for the Health and Human Rights of Women, Children and Adolescents, calling on it to amend the definition of female circumcision/female genital mutilation on the organization’s Arabic website to correspond with the definition in English and French. The EIPR found substantial discrepancies between the Arabic definition of female circumcision and the definition in all other languages on the WHO website.

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The Arabic definition lacks an important sentence affirming that there is no medical basis for the practice. The second paragraph of the Arabic definition also diverges completely from the definition in other languages. The problem is that this incomplete definition is the same one adopted by the Egyptian legislator in recent amendments to the Penal Code article criminalizing female circumcision. The EIPR therefore calls on the WHO to change the Arabic definition on its website and to urge the Egyptian government to alter the definition of the practice in the Penal Code to reaffirm that there is no medical basis for female circumcision.

Read the PDF full letter in Arabic here and PDF full letter in English here.

CSBR CSBR Activities, Featured, News on Sexual & Bodily Rights, Statements

More Than 70 Organisations Come Together To Support Maria Chin Abdullah

CSBR joins 70+ organizations calling on the Malaysian government to immediately investigate death threats against Malaysian human rights defender Maria Chin Abdullah. Read the press release from APWLD below.

*Demand immediate investigation of the death threats*

* Demand Government stops harassment of activists organising and participating in peaceful actions *

Maria Chin Abdullah

02 November, 2016

Chiang Mai

More than 70 organisations across Asia Pacific and the globe have signed a statement to demand that the Government of Malaysia and police immediately investigate the death threats against BERSIH 2.0. Chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah and her family members, ensure their safety and security, and bring perpetrators to justice.

“The threats to Maria and her children are part of a systemic attack on human rights and democracy while taking a particularly vile, gendered form” said Kate Lappin, Regional Coordinator of Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD). “When the government itself attacks the work of peaceful human rights advocates, it’s not surprising that extremists feel emboldened to make threats with impunity. We are calling on government and police to meet their obligations to protect the rights of human rights defenders and their families,” added Kate.

On 18th October 2016, Maria Chin received death threats against her and her family via WhatsApp messages, purportedly by local Islamic State (IS) terrorists. On 20th October 2016, a car belonging to Maria’s son was splashed with red paint at her residence. On 29th October 2016, Maria was detained by the police for distributing flyers to promote an upcoming BERSIH 5 rally.

The Malaysian Government itself has been complicit in harassing and leveling charges against Maria Chin for organising and participating in peaceful actions. State sanctioned harassment and efforts to portray Maria and BERSIH as threat to national security or unity emboldens extremists and creates a permissive culture for threats. The organizations also urge the Malaysian Government to immediately and unconditionally withdraw all charges against Maria Chin Abdullah under the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 and Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984.

 

List of Organisations That Signed The Statement

  1. Advocacy, Research, Training and Services (ARTS) Foundation
  2. Aksi! for gender, social and ecological justice
  3. ALL INDIA NATIONAL LIFE INSURANCE EMPLOYEES FEDERATION INTUC
  4. AMIHAN National Federation of Peasant Women
  5. APVVU
  6. APWLD
  7. Asia Dalit Rights Forum
  8. Asia Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA)
  9. Asia Monitor Resource Centre
  10. Asia Pacific Research Network
  11. Asia South Pacific Association for Basic and Adult Education (ASPBAE)
  12. Asociadas por lo Justo-JASS
  13. Association For Promotion Sustainable Development
  14. Awaj Foundation
  15. AWID
  16. Badhan Hijra Sangha(BHS)
  17. Beyond Beijing Committee
  18. Center for Trade Union and Human Rights (CTUHR), Philippines
  19. Centre for Himalayan Integrated Development and Social Welfare
  20. Centre for Human Rights and Development
  21. Citizen News Service (CNS)
  22. Computer Professionals’ Union
  23. Colombo Plan Seretariate
  24. Cooperative Committee of Trade Union
  25. CSBR | Coalition for Sexual and Bodily Rights in Muslim Societies
  26. Dhaka Single Women Association (DSWA)
  27. Diverse Voices and Action (DIVA) for Equality, Fiji
  28. Emonyo Yefwe International
  29. EMPOWER
  30. Feminist League
  31. Fiji Women’s Rights Movement
  32. Fundación para el Estudio e Investigación de la Mujer. (FEIM)
  33. Global Fund for Women
  34. Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
  35. GRIST
  36. Hebrew University
  37. Human Rights Focus Pakistan
  38. ICWAP
  39. INSTITUT PEREMPUAN
  40. International Migrants Alliance (IMA)
  41. International Service for Human Rights (ISHR)
  42. Kalyanamitra
  43. KOCUN (Korea Center for United Nations Human Right Policy)
  44. MADRE
  45. Maitree
  46. MONFEMNET National Network
  47. Maruah
  48. MDS
  49. NATIONAL FORUM OF WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES
  50. National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers
  51. Nijera Kori
  52. Pakistan Kisan Mazdoor Tahreek
  53. PAN Philippines
  54. PF “Development of Civil Society”
  55. Rural Women’s Association “Alga”
  56. RASTRIA VYAVASAYA VRUTHIDARULA UNION
  57. Sahanivasa
  58. Sathi All for Partnerships
  59. SHAZET PA
  60. Shobujer Ovijan Foundation
  61. Socialist Party (India)
  62. Tamil Nadu Women’s Forum
  63. Tanggol Bayi, Philippines
  64. TelengaTelengana Vyavasaya Vruthidarula union- TVVU
  65. Terre des Hommes
  66. TierrActiva Peru
  67. UBINIG (Policy Research for Development Alternative)
  68. Urgent Action Fund for Women’s Human Rights
  69. Vote For Health campaign
  70. We Women Lanka
  71. WECF International
  72. Women For Human Rights Single Women Group (WHR)
  73. Women’ Centre
  74. Women’s Aid Organisation
  75. WOREC Nepal
  76. Worldview- The Gambia
  77. Youth LEAD

Please click here for the entire list of signatures (both organisational and individual).

 

About Maria Chin Abdullah

Through Bersih, human rights defenders like Maria have led some of the largest peaceful assemblies in the history Malaysia which created democratic space for their fellow Malaysians to speak out in public.  She has served as the National Women’s Coalition president and All Women Action Society (Awam) president. She was also executive director of the Women’s Development Collective and executive director of APWLD member, Persatuan Kesedaran Komuniti Selangor (Empower). She has been recently awarded the prestigious Gwangju Prize for Human Rights.

 

About BERSIH 2.0

BERSIH started out as the Joint Action Committee for Electoral Reform, which was formed in July 2005, and the coalition’s objective was to push for a thorough reform of the electoral process in Malaysia. BERSIH was officially launched on 23 November 2006 in the Malaysian Parliament building lobby. The time came for BERSIH to continue its crusade for clean and fair elections independent of any political party. BERSIH was thus  re-launched as BERSIH 2.0, a coalition of like-minded civil society organisations unaffiliated to any political party. Their aim is to effectively monitor both sides of the political divide.

 

Contact

For more information, please contact our communications team

 

Neha Gupta

Email: neha@apwld.org

Phone: + 66-53-284 527

+ 66-955 282 396

 

Fai Suluck

Email: fai@apwld.org

Phone: + 66-53-284 527

 

Please click here to download the press release.

CSBR CSBR Activities, Featured, News on Sexual & Bodily Rights, Resources & Tools, Statements

Response to the UN Women’s call on: “Consultation seeking views on UN Women approach to sex work, the sex trade and prostitution”

CSBR is one of 190 national, regional and international sex workers’ rights, women’s rights and human rights organizations/networks who submitted a joint response to UN Women’s Call for “Consultation seeking views on UN Women approach to sex work, the sex trade and prostitution”.
The submission focuses on five key recommendations for UN Women to consider in their policy development process:
  1. Develop the policy through a transparent and participatory process, engaging a diverse range of sex workers from the global South and North,
  2. Anchor the policy in human rights principles
  3. Distinguishing between sex work and trafficking
  4. Emphasize the importance of decriminalization and remove related punitive laws and policies
  5. Address all forms of violence against all sex workers
Read the PDF Statement here: Joint-statement-from-womens-rights-and-sex-workers-rights-organisations-to-un-women-31-october and text below
31 October 2016

This statement has been jointly prepared by 190 sex worker rights, women’s rights, and human rights organizations.[*]

We are writing this statement in response to UN Women’s call for submissions in an e-consultation about the development of a UN Women policy on sex work.  A number of sex workers’, women’s and human rights organizations have been engaging with UN Women for some months about this proposed policy, stressing the importance of a process that meaningfully engages with a broad range of sex workers’ and women’s rights organizations as essential to the process of developing a policy.

While UN Women has stated that they are engaging in an open process, we are alarmed at the possibility that the end result will not support the human rights of sex workers.[1]  For instance, the wording of question 3, to us, indicates an already established point of view.  They ask “The sex trade is gendered. How best can we protect women in the trade from harm, violence, stigma and discrimination?”  While we would certainly agree that sex workers of all genders face discrimination, harm, stigma and violence, we note that there is ample evidence that decriminalization of sex work is the best remedy to empower sex workers to advocate for their rights and to engage with state and non-state actors to secure their rights. It is imperative to clearly distinguish consensual sex work from human trafficking, as well as recognize that there are female, male and transgender sex workers.

As a co-sponsor of UNAIDS, we urge UN Women to ensure that their policy aligns with the recommendations from the Global Commission on HIV and the Law and the UNAIDS Guidance Note on HIV and Sex Work which recommends:

“States should move away from criminalising sex work or activities associated with it. Decriminalisation of sex work should include removing criminal penalties for purchase and sale of sex, management of sex workers and brothels, and other activities related to sex work.”[2]

In the following statement, we focus on five key recommendations for UN Women to consider in their policy development process:

1. Development of the policy through a transparent and participatory process, engaging a diverse range of sex workers from the global South and North.

We are deeply concerned that the only public consultation to date is an e-consultation.  Such a process risks excluding many of those who are critical to the discussion – sex workers in communities with limited Internet and not familiar with UN jargon or human rights treaties.  Therefore, we call on UN Women to develop and engage in a transparent and inclusive consultation with sex workers’ rights, women’s rights, and other relevant organizations in the preparation of any UN Women policy in relation to sex work.[3]

An appropriate process should be well planned, participatory and must include sex workers representing the full diversity of classes, races, sexes, genders, ethnicities, health status, ages, nationalities, citizenships, languages, education levels, disabilities, and other factors, in order to ensure that those most impacted by such policies/guidelines in various regions of the world are significantly engaged in the process.

2. Anchored in human rights principles

UN Women, as a UN agency dedicated to advancing gender equality and the human rights of women, should take as its starting point the respect, protection, promotion and fulfilment of human rights, enshrined in international and regional conventions and national constitutions.

Any UN Women policy in relation to sex work should recognize sex workers as rights holders and decision makers. Their choices should be respected in relation to all areas of engagement in life, including in relation to their sexuality, reproduction, employment, access to services and information, freedom of movement and assembly. Sex worker’s participation in legal, policy and programmatic processes in relation to sex work should be guaranteed.[4]

In this regard, recognizing sex worker’s labour as work, not dissimilar to other forms of labour in the service sector of the economy, and hence of their economic contribution to society, is integral to respecting, protecting and fulfilling sex workers’ human rights.  In this regard, it is important for UN Women to align their policy with that of the International Labour Organization (ILO). The ILO recognises sex work as informal labour in the official Report of the Committee on HIV/AIDS, which accompanied the publication of the ILO standard ‘Recommendation concerning HIV and AIDS and the World of Work, 2010 (No. 200)’.[5]  The ILO is clear that sex work is covered by this instrument recognizing work in both formal and informal economies.

3. Distinguishing between sex work and trafficking

The conflation of consensual sex work and human trafficking leads to the implementation of inappropriate responses that fail to assist either of these groups in realizing their rights, and can contribute to violence and oppression.[6]  At the same time the narrow concentration of anti-trafficking programmes on the sex industry also distracts from efforts to prevent other forms of trafficking such as domestic servitude and forced labour.[7]  Instead of victimising women who engage in consensual sex work and questioning their capacity to make decision for themselves and their right to self-determination, UN Women should  protect and promote sex worker’s rights. We recognize that exploitation and labour rights abuses exist in the sex industry; however, as shown in the literature the best way to address these human rights abuses is through the fulfilment of sex workers human rights and through the opposition to all forms of legal oppression of sex work.[8]  People who choose to engage in sex work, do so because it is a viable alternative to other work and livelihood choices. Women’s agency and capacity to challenge their exploitation and exercise their rights in relation to their occupation should be recognized.

Trafficking people is not the same as sex work involving consenting persons. A distinction, drawing from the “Palermo Protocol,”[9] must be clearly demarcated between voluntary sex work and involuntary and coercive exploitation and trafficking, including the non-consensual trade of persons for this purpose.[10] UN agencies, such as WHO, UNAIDS, OHCHR, UNDP, international organizations such as ILO, UN treaty monitoring bodies, and UN Special Rapporteurs carefully distinguish between sex work and trafficking and sexual exploitation, and UN Women should follow the same practice.[11]

4. The importance of decriminalization and removal of related punitive laws and policies[12]

Strong evidence shows that criminalization and otherwise punitive and restrictive regulation of sex work puts sex workers at greater risk of violence and poor health outcomes. In contrast, an enabling legal environment for sex workers increases their access to justice and services.  Indeed, The Lancet suggests that decriminalization could avert 33–46% of HIV infections globally in the next decade.[13]  In doing so, decriminalization is an important tactic for reaching several of the SDGs, including SDG 3 (good health), SDG 5 (gender equality) and SDG 10 (reduced inequality).

Criminalization and the application of other punitive or restrictive regulations that violate the rights of sex workers and foster discriminatory practices and stigmatizing social attitudes, do not eliminate sex work, but rather, create barriers to sex worker’s access to essential services like health care or legal redress. It places women engaging in sex work at a higher risk of violence,[14][15] and reduces sex workers’ ability to organize with the aim to improve their health and safety or advance their rights.[16]

Positive measures, including decriminalization of sex work, that respect and protect the rights and promotes the well-being of sex workers should be supported. This includes full decriminalization of sex work  consultation with sex workers prior to any introduction of regulations that aim to protect the rights, health and safety of sex workers, including the  formulation and implementation of workplace occupational health and safety standards; recognizing sex work as labor and as an economic contribution to society; provision of non-discriminatory health and social services; non-discriminatory access to health insurance and social protections such as maternity leave; protection of labor rights; and protection from forced eviction, police brutality and violence. [17]

5. Addressing all forms of violence against all sex workers

UN Women’s policy should be anchored in evidence, and comprehensively address all forms of discrimination and violence against sex workers. Violence against sex workers occurs not only because of economic, social and legal disadvantages, but it is perpetrated with impunity by state (law enforcement officers) and non-state actors. Sex workers are often left without legal recourse or access to health and legal services. Hence, a comprehensive structural response is needed in order to eliminate violence against sex workers.[18] And indeed, full decriminalisation of sex work in combination with the recognition of sex worker’s rights and introduction of health and safety protections for sex workers can lead to a dramatic reduction of violence against sex workers of all genders and the reduction of corruption or organized crime.[19]

UN Women’s sex work policy should emphasize the importance of advancing sex workers’ access to equal protection of the law,[20] and address their lack of access to justice, remedies and redress. As suggested by the call by UN Women and the IOM to the UN General Assembly on the occasion of UN Summit for refugees and migrants[21], national or migrant sex workers should have access to justice mechanisms, as well as fair and adequate compensation for their work. They should also have access to health care facilities. The access should be non-discriminatory, free from stigma, youth-friendly, and the testimony and wishes of sex workers should be prioritized.[22]  Health services should be available upon request and should not require second-party (spousal guardian or parental) consent.

 

SIGNATORIES:

  1. NSWP/Global Network of Sex Work Projects (UK/Global)
  2. CREA (India)
  3. CREA (Global)
  4. VAMP/Veshya Anyay Mukti Parishad (India)
  5. Dandelion Kenya (Kenya)
  6. IWHC/International Women’s Health Coalition (US/Global)
  7. African Sex Workers Alliance/ASWA (Kenya/Regional)
  8. Mama Cash (Netherlands/Global)
  9. Davida – Prostituição, Direitos Civis, Saúde (Prostitution, Civil Rights, Health) (Brazil)
  10. Daspu (Brazil)
  11. RedTraSex, (Regional)
  12. Asia Pacific Network of Sex Workers/APNSW (Regional)
  13. Global Fund for Women (US/Global)
  14. Urgent Action Fund Sisterfunds (Fondo Acción Urgente (UAF-Latin America), Urgent Action Fund Africa, Urgent Action Fund)
  15. Caribbean Sex Work Coalition (Regional)
  16. Guyana Sex Work Coalition (Guyana)
  17. Balance (Mexico)
  18. UHAI, EASHRI (Eastern Africa)
  19. African Women’s Development Fund/AWDF (Regional)
  20. La Strada International (Europe)
  21. Rose Alliance (Sweden)
  22. South Asia Women’s Fund (Sri Lanka/Regional)
  23. Sexuality Policy Watch, a project based at ABIA (Brazil)
  24. Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice (US)
  25. Foundation Aid Care Prostitution/SHOP- Stichting Hulpverlening Opvang Prostitutie (Netherlands)
  26. SWAN/Sex Workers’ Rights Advocacy Network in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia (Hungary/Regional)
  27. International Network of Women who use Drugs (Global)
  28. Akahata – Equipo de Sexualidades y Generos (Argentina)
  29. Associação Mulheres Guerreiras (Brazil)
  30. Rights4Change (Netherlands)
  31. UCO Legalife-Ukraine (Ukraine)
  32. TAMPEP International Foundation (Europe)
  33. Arab Foundation for Freedoms and Equality
  34. GATE/Global Action for Trans Equality (Global)
  35. SWOP/Sex Workers Outreach Project (US)
  36. Arab Foundation for Freedoms and Equality
  37. Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women/GAATW (Global)
  38. ARC International (Canada)
  39. Red Umbrella Alliance, New Jersey (US)
  40. RESURJ/Realizing Sexual and Reproductive Justice Alliance (Global)
  41. Red Umbrella Fund (Global)
  42. Red Umbrella Sexual Health and Human Rights Association (Turkey)
  43. HIVOS (Netherlands/Global)
  44. International HIV/AIDS Alliance (UK/Global)
  45. AJWS/American Jewish World Service (US)
  46. The Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (ARROW) (Malaysia/Regional)
  47. Best Practices Policy Project (US)
  48. Youth Coalition for Sexual and Reproductive Rights (Global)
  49. Prostitution Policy Watch – Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)
  50. Atria – Institute for Gender Equality and Women’s History (Netherlands)
  51. Netherlands Council of Women (Netherlands)
  52. Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights (Canada)
  53. PONY, Prostitutes of New York (US)
  54. Global Health Justice Partnership, Yale University (US)
  55. Gender at Work (Canada/Global)
  56. Point of View (India)
  57. Count Me In! Consortium (Partnership of AWID, CREA, JASS, Mama Cash and the Urgent Action Funds)
  58. Coalition for Sexual and Bodily Rights in Muslim Societies (Global)
  59. IWRAW-AP/International Women’s Rights Action Watch Asia Pacific (Malaysia/Global)
  60. SANGRAM/Sampada Gramin Mahila Sanstha (India)
  61. CASAM/Centre for Advocacy on Stigma and Marginalisation (India)
  62. Nazariya (India)
  63. Coalition of African Lesbians (South Africa, Regional)
  64. Sexual Rights Initiative (Global)
  65. Center for Women’s Global Leadership (US)
  66. Naripokkho (Bangladesh)
  67. AWID/Association for Women’s Rights in Development (Global)
  68. Just Associates/JAS (Global)
  69. Sex Workers Project, Urban Justice Center (US)
  70. Hydra e.V. (Germany)
  71. ASTRA anti-trafficking action (Serbia)
  72. Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights/WGNRR (Global)
  73. African Sky
  74. FairWork, (Netherlands)
  75. LEFÖ – Information, Education and Support for Migrant Women (Austria)
  76. Association of Women and the Law/Vereniging Vrouw en Recht (Netherlands)
  77. Rede Brasileira de Prostitutas (Brazilian Network of Prostitutes)
  78. Gempac (Grupo de Mulheres Prostitutas do Pará – Brasil )
  79. Rutgers: for sexual and reproductive health and rights (Netherlands)
  80. DAWN/Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era (Global)
  81. TIYE International (Netherlands)
  82. Association PROJOB (Netherlands)
  83. Pathways of Women’s Empowerment (UK)
  84. International Committee on the Rights of Sex Workers in Europe/ICRSE (Europe).
  85. Coyote, Rhode Island (US)
  86. Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network (Canada)
  87. MATCH International Women’s Fund (Canada)
  88. Taso Foundation – Women’s Fund and Memory Research Center (Georgia)
  89. CFEMEA – Centro Feminista de Estudos e Assessoria (Brazil)
  90. Dutch CEDAW Network (Netherlands)
  91. Stepping Stone Association of Halifax, Nova Scotia (Canada)
  92. CVC/Caribbean Vulnerable Communities (Jamaica/Regional)
  93. Sex Worker Education and Advocacy Taskforce (South Africa)
  94. Sisonke National Sex Worker Movement of South Africa
  95. AMSHeR/African Men for Sexual Health and Rights (Continental Africa)
  96. Asia Pacific Network of People Living With HIV (APN+)
  97. International Council of AIDS Service Organizations/ICASO (Canada/Global)
  98. Coalition of Asia-Pacific Regional Networks on HIV/AIDS (7 Sisters)
  99. Simone de Beauvoir Leadership Institute/Instituto de Liderazgo Simone de Beauvoir (Mexico)
  100. Stella, l’Amie de Maimie (Canada)
  101. Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Taskforce (South Africa)
  102. Sisonke National Sex Worker Movement of South Africa (South Africa)
  103. Maggie’s Toronto Sex Workers Action Project (Canada)
  104. APDES (Portugal)
  105. Asociación Civil Angel Azul (Peru)
  106. Feminist Ire (Ireland)
  107. Gender and Sexual Health Initiative (Canada)
  108. Healthy Options Project Skopje (Macedonia)
  109. Ghapro VZW (Belgium)
  110. Comitato per i Diritti Civili delle Prostitute onlus (Italy)
  111. OTS-ES (El Salvador)
  112. STAR-STAR (Macedonia)
  113. Pace Society (Canada)
  114. Operation Snatch (Canada)
  115. L’association Nationale de Protection des Femmes et Enfants Haïtiens (Haiti)
  116. Pacific Rainbows Advocacy Network (Fiji)
  117. Zi Teng (Hong Kong)
  118. Respect Inc. (Australia)
  119. Women’s Network for Unity (Cambodia)
  120. HPLGBT (Ukraine)
  121. HIV/AIDS Research and Welfare Centre (Bangladesh)
  122. WONETHA (Uganda)
  123. Espace P (Brussels)
  124. Asociación de Mujeres Las Golondrinas (Nicaragua)
  125. Genera: Asociación en defensa de los derechos de las mujeres (Barcelona)
  126. Athena Network (US/Global)
  127. Kenya Sex Workers Alliance -KESWA
  128. Sisonke Botswana
  129. Alcondoms Cameroon
  130. WOPI -Nigeria

131. Rights Not Rescue Trust (Namibia)

  1. SWATU (Swaziland)
  2. Rwanda Sex Worker
  3. Bar Hostess Empowerment and Support Programme (Kenya)
  4. Philippine Sex Worker Collective (Phillipine)
  5. The Stepping Stone Association (Canada)
  6. Réseau Solidarité pour le Droit des Travailleuses du Sexe (Burundi)
  7. Association Nle de Protection des Femmes et Enfants Haitiens  (Haiti)
  8. Safe Harbour Outreach Project (Canada)
  9. Sexual Health Options, Resources & Education Centre (Canada)
  10. Sex Professionals of Canada / SPOC (Canada)
  11. Voices of Women in Western Kenya/VOWWEK (Kenya)
  12. East Africa Trans Health and Advocacy Network (EATHAN)
  13. Fundación Arcoiris (Mexico)
  14. The Global Network of People Living with HIV/GNP+ (Netherlands/Global)
  15. Center for Health and Gender Equity/CHANGE (US)
  16. Options for Sexual Health (Canada)
  17. FEM Alliance Uganda
  18. SCOT-PEP (Scotland, United Kingdom)
  19. Associação das Prostitutas dr Minas Gerais (Brazil)
  20. Caribbean Sex Work Coalition (Caribbean, Regional)
  21. Jamaica SW Coalition (Jamaica)
  22. Guyana SW Coalition (Guyana)
  23. HIPS (United States)
  24. Crested Crane Lighters (Uganda)
  25. OPSI (Indonesia)
  26. Organization for Gender Empowerment and Rights Advocacy (Uganda)
  27. Amitiel Welfare Society (Pakistan)
  28. Aids Myanmar Association (Myanmar)
  29. Philadelphia Red Umbrella Alliance (United States)
  30. Kisauni Peer Educators (Kenya)
  31. Lady Mermaid’s Bureau (Uganda)
  32. Malawi Sex Workers Alliance (Malawi)
  33. Transgender Equality Uganda (Uganda)
  34. Tanzania Community Empowerment Foundation (Tanzania)
  35. Ohotu Diamond Women Initiative (Nigeria)
  36. Sex Workers Outreach Project Chicago (United States)
  37. Homme pour Les Droits et la Santé Sexuelle (Congo)
  38. Alcondoms (Cameroon)
  39. Cameroon Sex Worker Alliance (Cameroon)
  40. SeksworkExpertise (Netherlands)
  41. Aids Fund/Soa Aids (Netherlands)
  42. PROUD (Netherlands)
  43. Geledes Instituto da Mulher Negra (Brazil)
  44. CEPIA/Cidadania Estudo Pesquisa Informação Ação (Brazil)
  45. Rede Nacional Feminista de Saúde Direitos Sexuais e Direitos Reprodutivos (Brazil)
  46. Pivot Legal Society (Canada)
  47. Astitva Trust (India)
  48. Asia Pacific Transgender Network
  49. Uganda Health and Science Press Association
  50. LGBTI and Sex Workers Rights to Health in Public Health Policy and Law in Uganda
  51. Empower Foundation (Thailand)
  52. JJJ Association (Hong Kong)
  53. Teenz Links Uganda (Uganda)
  54. Action Humanitaire pour la Santé et le Développement Communautaire (Congo)
  55. MAIZ (Australia)
  56. Association of HIB Affected Women and their Families (Lithuania)
  57. Le Collectif Femmes de Strasbourg-Saint-Denis (France)
  58. Butterfly Asian and Migrant Sex Workers Support Network (Canada)
  59. Gay and Lesbian Coalition of Kenya/GALCK (Kenya)
  60. Asia Pacific Transgender Network/APTN (Thailand/Regional)

 

[*] All signatories are listed at the end of the letter.  Several of the signatories are networks that represent a number of other organizations, each of which did not sign individually but as part of the network.  The Global Network of Sex Work Projects, for instance, has over 200 members.

 

[1] Sex workers include “female, male and transgender adults and young people (over 18 years of age) who receive money or goods in exchange for sexual services, either regularly or occasionally”. Sex work may vary in the degree to which it is “formal” or organized. It is important to note that sex work is consensual sex between adults, which takes many forms, and varies between and within countries and communities.

[2] UNAIDS.  UNAIDS Guidance Note on HIV and Sex Work, Geneva, 2012.  http://www.unaids.org/en/media/unaids/contentassets/documents/unaidspublication/2009/JC2306_UNAIDS-guidance-note-HIV-sex-work_en.pdf

[3] UNAIDS Guidance Note on HIV and Sex Work that has been published in 2012. http://www.unaids.org/sites/default/files/sub_landing/JC2306_UNAIDS-guid…

[4] UN Women. Note On Sex Work, Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking. 2013.  See also UNAIDS Guidance Note On HIV and Sex Work, 2012; UNFPA Guidance Note On HIV/Aids, Gender and Sex Work – complete reference; NSWP Consensus Statement reaffirms NSWP ’s global advocacy platform for sex work, human rights and the law. 2013.

[5] International Labour Organization, Recommendation concerning HIV and AIDS and the World of Work (No. 200) adopted 2010. Available at http://www.ilo.org/aids/WCMS_142706/lang–en/index.htm

[6] Report of the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, Anand Grover. New York (NY): United Nations; 2010 (A/HRC/14/20); see also Global Alliance Against Trafficking in Women (GAATW), “The Cost of a Rumour” available at http://www.gaatw.org/publications/WhatstheCostofaRumour.11.15.2011.pdf; and Global Network of Sex Work Projects (NSWP) “Sex Work is not Trafficking” available at http://www.nswp.org/resource/sex-work-not-trafficking.

[7] See, for instance, Joanna Busza. Sex work and migration: the dangers of oversimplification-a case study of Vietnamese women in Cambodia. Health and Human Rights, 7:2, 231-249, 2004.

[8] See citations listed in footnote 6.  See also the Lancet Special Issue on HIV and Sex Work, July 2014 at http://www.thelancet.com/series/HIV-and-sex-workers; Decker, et al., “Human rights violations against sex workers: burden and effect on HIV, in the Lancet, Volume 385, Issue 9963, 10–16 January 2015, Pages 186–199; J. Amon et. al., Evaluating Human Rights Advocacy on Criminal Justice and Sex Work, International Journal of Health and Human Rights, Jun2015, Vol. 17 Issue 1, p91-101.

[9] The Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons Especially Women and Children, supplementing the
United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (Palermo Protocol).  GA resolution 55/25, adopted 15 November 2000.  Available at http://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/ProtocolTraffickingIn…

[10] UN Women. Note On Sex Work, Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking. 2013;

[11]  Global Commission on HIV and the Law. (2012) HIV and the law: risks, rights and health. New York (NY): United Nations Development Programme; 2012; Technical guidance for Global Fund HIV proposals Round 11 (complete), The report of the UNAIDS Advisory Group on HIV and sex work. Geneva: Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS; 2011; WHO, UNFPA, UNAIDS, NSWP, World Bank & UNDP, 2013, “Implementing Comprehensive HIV/STI Programmes with Sex Workers: Practical Approaches from Collaborative Interventions” available athttp://www.who.int/hiv/pub/sti/sex_worker_implementation/en/. UNODC 2006 Protocol to prevent, suppress and punish trafficking in persons, especially women and children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. New York (NY): United Nations; 2000 (A/55/49 (Vol. I)); http://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/ProtocolTraffickingIn…

[12] Decriminalization measures should include: every consensual act relating to exchanging sex for money; or specific or surrounding acts, such as buying sex and/or soliciting for the purpose of sex work, renting a room for this purpose, or brothel-keeping; and/or use of administrative and local regulations, such as charging with offences like vagrancy, public nuisance, being in parks or other public places after hours and the like. Persons who shall not be punished for activities related to consensual sex work, includes sex workers, clients, third parties such as brothel keepers, receptionists, maids, drivers, landlords, hotels who rent rooms to sex workers and anyone else who is seen as facilitating sex work, as well as families, partners and friends. See The report of the UNAIDS Advisory Group on HIV and sex work. Geneva: Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS; 2011. Global Commission on HIV and the Law 2012; Sexual Health, Human Rights and the Law. World Health Organization 2015.; UNAIDS Guidance note on HIV and sex work. Geneva: Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS; 2009.; Report of the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, Anand Grover. New York (NY): United Nations; 2010 (A/HRC/14/20; CREA, NSWP

[13] Shannon et. al. Global epidemiology of HIV among female sex workers: influence of structural determinants.  Lancet Special Issue on HIV and Sex Work, 2015; 385: 55–71.

[14] (UNAIDS 2011b). (Burris et al. 2010; Global Commission on HIV and the Law 2012; Mossman 2007). WHO 2015 (Betteridge 2005; Day and Ward 2007; Reckart 2005; UNAIDS 2009, United Nations 2010). CREA, NSWP; Understanding the De- Criminalisation Demand: Aarthi Pai and Meena Saraswathi Seshu. 2014.

[15] UN Women. Note On Sex Work, Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking. 2013

[16] Sex work, HIV and access to health services in Namibia: national meeting report and recommendations. Windhoek: UNFPA/Namibia; 2011; Prevention and treatment of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections for sex workers in low- and middle-income countries. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2012.; Sexual Health, Human Rights and the Law. World Health Organization 2015. Eight working papers/case studies: Examining the intersections of sex work law, policy, rights and health. New York (NY): Open Society Institute; 2006. (India related reference)

[17] Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. (2012) Dutch Policy on Prostitution. Questions and answers 2012 (http://www.minbuza.nl/binaries/content/assets/minbuza/en/import/en/you_and_the_netherlands/about_the_netherlands/ethical_issues/faq-prostitutie-pdf–engels.pdf-2012.pdf, ; New Zealand. (2003) Prostitution Reform Act 2003. Public Act 2003 No 28; República de Colombia Corte Constitucional (Constitutional Court of the Republic of Colombia). (2010) Sentencia T-629/10.Decided on 13 August 2010; South Africa Labour Appeals Court. (2010). Kylie v. Commission for Conciliation Mediation and Arbitration and Others. Case No. CA10/08. Decided on 26 May 2010; Bangladesh Society for the Enforcement of Human Rights and Others v. Government of Bangladesh and Others. Case 53 DLR (2001) 1. Dhaka: High Court Division, Supreme Court; 2000 (e.g. Bangladesh; Bangladesh Supreme Court 2000). Prevention and treatment of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections for sex workers in low- and middle-income countries. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2012. Global Commission on HIV and the Law. (2012) HIV and the law: risks, rights and health. New York (NY): United Nations Development Programme; 2012; Sexual Health, Human Rights and the Law. World Health Organization 2015.

[18] UN Women. Note On Sex Work, Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking. 2013

[19] Sexual Health, Human Rights and the Law. World Health Organization, 2015.

[20] (General Recommendation No. 19: Violence against women. New York (NY): United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women; 1992 (A/47/38). United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women; 1999. (A/54/38/Rev.1, Chapter I Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography. New York (NY): United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child; 2000 (A/RES/54/263) (Entered into force 18 January 2002).; Protocol to prevent, suppress and punish trafficking in persons, especially women and children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. New York (NY): United Nations; 2000 (A/55/49 (Vol. I); Report of the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, Anand Grover. New York (NY): United Nations; 2010 (A/HRC/14/20).  Prevention and treatment of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections for sex workers in low- and middle-income countries. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2012.

[21] http://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2016/9/statement-un-women-and-iom-call-on-world-leaders-to-make-migration-policies-that-work-for-women

[22] NSWP Consensus Statement sets out sex workers entitlements and demands around sex work, human rights and the law. 2013.

 

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Holding governments to account for the sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights of women and girls around the world

On the occasion of the 1st Anniversary of the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), CSBR joined 60+ organizations and International Planned Parenthood Federation in writing to the UN General Assembly President and UN Secretary-General to urge them to hold UN Member States accountable to their committments to sexual and reproductive health rights, gender equality and women’s empowerment. Read the letter below.

* * * * * *
IPPF_allies_lettertoUNGAonSDGs13 September 2016

 

To the President of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), HE Ambassador Peter Thomson of Fiji and the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban-Ki Moon,

On the anniversary of the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) we, the undersigned, call on you, in your roles as the President of the United Nations General Assembly and the Secretary-General of the United Nations, to hold Member States to account for their progress towards achieving SDG 5 on gender equality and women’s empowerment. As you know, gender equality is central to achieving sustainable development, and the target on universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights is a pre-requisite for that change.

The ambition set out in the SDGs is clear. Gender equality, women’s and girls’ human rights, and the empowerment of girls and women will not be possible without the realization of sexual and reproductive health and rights. Providing the full range of sexual and reproductive health services, information and education so that all women and girls can make free and informed choices about their sexuality and their reproductive lives is a basic human right and central to realizing the full range of women’s rights, and to progressing gender equality.

Achieving sexual and reproductive health and rights, and gender equality is not just an end in itself. Enabling everyone to access these life-changing services will support the elimination of poverty and hunger, achievement of gender equality and quality education, reduction of inequality, adaptation to climate change, and sustainable consumption. Without access to sexual and reproductive health services and education achieving some of the other goals will become a much harder task, while others will be impossible to realize.

We must ensure that the commitments made just one year ago are not forgotten. We cannot risk failing on all the goals due to a lack of political will to implement those related to gender equality and SRHR.

In this 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly, one year after the SDGs were adopted, we urge you to work with Member States to turn their ambition into reality by supporting their efforts for implementation, encouraging effective partnerships and ensuring their commitment through strong accountability mechanisms. In advance of The High Level Political Forum in 2017, which will be focusing on goals 3 and 5, now is the opportunity to work with Member States to help them to meet their commitments on SRHR and move towards a sustainable world where no one is left behind.

Signed

Action Works Nepal

AFLED Mali

AKAHATÁ

Akina Mama wa Afrika

American Jewish World Service

Arab Women Organization of Jordan

Association for Farmers Rights Defense, AFRD – EUFRAS Georgia

Balance from México

Caidre Cameroon Association

CARE International

China Family Planning Association

Coalition for Sexual and Bodily Rights in Muslim Societies

Coordinadora de la Mujer – Bolivia

Danish Family Planning Association

Family Planning New Zealand

Family Planning NSW

Family Planning Tasmania

Family Planning welfare Northern Territory

FOKUS- Forum for Women and Development

Forum International des Femmes d’lespace Francophone

Fundación para el Estudio e Investigación de la Mujer

Gender and Development Network

Gender-Center Republic of Moldova

GENDERS AC

GROOTS Trinidad & Tobago

INPPARES- Perú

International Community of Women Living with HIV

International Council of AIDS Service Organizations

International Federation of Women in Legal Careers

International Federation of Women Lawyers

International Peace Initiatives

Isis-Women’s International Cross Cultural Exchange

Japan Family Planning Association

Japanese Organization for International Cooperation in Family Planning

medica mondiale

Mexfam

Mongolian Family Welfare Association

National Alliance of Women’s Organisations Nigerian Network of Women

Exporters of Services Orchid Project

‘Pacificwin’ Pacific Women’s Indigenous Networks

Papua New Guinea Family Health Association

Planned Parenthood Federation of America

Red Federación Mujeres & Municipalidades A.L.C- Enlace Perú

Regional Centre for International Development Cooperation

Rural Women’s Network Nepal

Rutgers

Samoa Family Health Association

SDGs Kenya Forum and GCAP Kenya

Sexual Health information networking & education SA Inc

Sexual Health Switzerland

Society of Catholic Medical Missionaries

Solar Cookers International

SOVA Somalia

Stichting Ultimate Purpose

Support for Women in Governance Organization

The Association of War Affected Women

The Central America Women’s Network

The German Medical Aid Organization

The Global Initiatives for Human Rights – Heartland Alliance for Human Needs & Human Rights

The International Alliance of Women Equal Rights – Equal Opportunities

The Swedish Women’s Lobby

Tonga Family Health Association

Trust for Indigenous Culture and Health Union de l Action Feministe

Väestöliitto ry

Vision Spring Initiatives Lagos Nigeria Womankind Worldwide

Women for Women’s Human Rights-New Ways

Women Peacemakers Program

Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights

World Vision Finland

View the PDF letter here: http://www.csbronline.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/IPPF_UNGALETTER_SRHR_SDGS_SEPT-2016.pdf

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Justice for Hande Kader

Logo for Web

31 August 2016

 

H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

President of the Republic of Turkey
T.C. Cumhurbaşkanlığı Genel Sekreterliği
06689 Çankaya, Ankara, Turkey
Tel: +90 312 525 5555
Fax: +90 312 525 583
Email: contact@tccb.gov.tr

 

Your excellency,

As members and allies of the Coalition for Sexual and Bodily Rights in Muslim Societies (CSBR), we are writing to call for justice, and to express our grief and despair, at the fate of Hande Kader, the 23 year-old transgender woman who was tortured, raped, and burned to death earlier this month.

Her body was found in Istanbul on 12 August 2016, and to our knowledge no effectual investigation has been made into her murder, and no steps taken by the authorities to bring the perpetrators of this unlawful act and violent crime to justice.

Hande Kader was a strong and outspoken young woman, who proudly worked for Turkish citizens to be able to exercise their inalienable civil, political and human rights. She earned a living as a sex worker. She is one of but too many Turkish citizens whose bodily integrity and lives have been brutally violated and cut short, by people whose bigotry and fear has manifested in unacceptable violence against women, violence against transgender youth, and violence against those who speak up for justice.

As many in the international community are asking, we ask you now, ‘how is beating, raping and burning someone to death more acceptable than being transgender?’ #HandeKadereSesVer

According to a civil society report, Turkey has the highest rate of reported murders of transgender persons in Europe, and the 9th highest rate of reported murder of transgender persons in the world.[1]

There is never an excuse for violence against women, and violent hate crimes cannot continue with impunity.

In 2012, Turkey took a historic step in being the first country to ratify the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, which explicitly includes gender identity as categories of non-discrimination under Art. 4(3). It is the obligation of the state to fully address violence against women in all its forms and to take measures to prevent violence against women, protect its victims, and prosecute the perpetrators.

In accordance with Turkey’s commitments under the Istanbul Convention, we ask you:

  • To publicly denounce the rape, torture and murder of Hande Kader, and ensure a full, effective investigation into her murder and the prosecution of the perpetrators;
  • To ensure effective investigations of all reported gender-based hate-crimes in Turkey, including by allocating adequate resources and trainings to investigating agencies;
  • To regularly run awareness-raising campaigns on prevention of violence and discrimination against transgender women and women sex workers, with effective collaboration from civil society groups;
  • To consistently monitor, collect and publish statistical data on the number of complaints of violence against transgender women and women sex workers, the responses from the authorities to each complaint, and the results and redress available in each investigation of a complaint;
  • To take all administrative measures to strengthen legal protections to prevent discrimination and violence against transgender women and women sex workers, in consultation with Turkish civil society groups.

Hande Kader and all young women have the right to live their lives free from violence. We ask you to take action today to uphold that right.

We thank you for your attention and look forward to your response.

 

Yours sincerely,

Rima Athar
Coordinator, Coalition for Sexual and Bodily Rights in Muslim Societies (CSBR)

Ahlem Belhaj
Chairwoman, Association Tunisienne des Femmes Démocrates (ATFD), Tunisia

Dede Oetomo
Founder & Trustee, GAYa NUSANTARA Foundation, Indonesia

Evelyne Accad
Professeur Emerite, University of Illinois & Lebanese American University, Lebanon

Isabelita Antonio
Executive Director, PILIPINA Legal Resources Center, Philippines

Najma Kousri Labidi
Co-Coordinator, Commission on Sexual & Reproductive Rights, ATFD, Tunisia

Nursyahbani Katjasungkana
National Coordinator, Indonesian Women′s Association for Justice (APIK), Indonesia

Saskia E. Wieringa
Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research (AISSR), University of Amsterdam, Netherlands

Şehnaz Kıymaz Bahçeci
Executive Board Member, Women for Women’s Human Rights – New Ways, Turkey

Tahir Khilji
Executive Director, VISION, Pakistan

 

Kaos Gey ve Lezbiyen Kültürel Araştırmalar ve Dayanışma Derneği

Flu Baykuş

SPOD Sosyal Politikalar Cinsiyet Kimliği ve Cinsel Yönelim Çalışmaları Derneği

Pembe Hayat LGBTT Derneği

Hevi LGBTI Derneği

Mersin LGBT 7 Renk Eğitim ve Araştırma Derneği

Kırmızı Şemsiye Cinsel Sağlık ve İnsan Hakları Derneği

Ah Tamara LGBTI Wan

Istanbul LGBTI Dayanışma Derneği

T-Kulüp (Transmaskülen Kültür Üretim Platformu)

Trabzon Mor Balık

HDK LGBTİ Meclisi

LGBTİ Barış Girişimi

 
CC:

H.E. Prime Minister Binali Yildirim
Office of the Prime Minister
Başbakanlık, 06573 Ankara, Turkey
Fax: +90 312 417 0476

Women’s Status General Director Gülser Ustaoğlu
T.C. Aile ve Sosyal Politikalar Bakanlığı
Eskişehir Yolu Söğütözü Mahallesi 2177.Sokak No:10/A
Çankaya, Ankara, Turkey
Email: gulser.ustaoglu@aile.gov.tr
Fax: +90 (312) 705 53 49

[1] See http://transrespect.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/TvT_TMM_IDAHOT2016_Tables_EN.pdf, and http://dagmedya.net/2016/08/16/dunyadaki-trans-cinayetleri-verileriturkiye-trans-cinayetinde-avrupada-1-sirada-dunyada-9/

****

PDF of Letter sent to H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, H.E. Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, and Women’s Status General Director Gülser Ustaoğlu: http://www.csbronline.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/CSBR_JusticeforHandeKader_31Aug2016-1.pdf

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Rights Spotlight: IDAHOT

IDAHOT 2016, Tunis

Yesterday and today – people around the world continue to be denied their basic and fundamental human rights, targeted on the basis of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity and expression. And not only do violence, criminalization, discrimination, and impunity remain widespread, anti-rights actors frequently justify them at the national and international level in the name of culture, religion and tradition.

Over 70 countries continue to criminalize consensual same-sex relationships, and many people who are non-conforming in terms of their gender identity and expression and sexual orientation, including LGBTIQ people, undergo torture and ill-treatment in everyday life, in custody, and in clinics and hospitals. Across contexts, the law is employed to punish individuals on the basis of their sexual orientation and gender identity and to restrict rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly. Still today, region across region, entrenched discriminatory attitudes thrive in legal and policy vacuums and hate-motivated violence blights and ends the lives of many.

Yet states are legally bound by international human rights law to respect, protect and fulfil the human rights of all persons, no matter their gender identity and expression and sexual orientation.

Human rights are for each and every one of us. To reserve rights for the powerful in society and to withhold them from the marginalized makes a mockery of our human rights system and of state obligations to their citizens, and to deny any group or individual their essential rights is nothing less than to try to define them as less than human.

Join OURs today in celebrating the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia(IDAHOT) and stand in solidarity with activists and individuals worldwide. Let us call for all states to uphold the universality of rights for everyone, everywhere – equally and without discrimination.

What is OURs?

OURs aims to monitor, analyze, and share information on anti-rights initiatives threatening our human rights systems. Our goal is to strengthen the work of activists facing direct challenges to rights, especially rights related to gender and sexuality.

Resources and further information

This IDAHOT, OURs highlights a selection of resources for activists working on rights related to sexual orientation and gender identity and expression worldwide.

Please share these with your networks, let us know of your key resources, and tweet using the hashtags#RightsAreUniversal and #IDAHOT

Resources:

    1. AWID – Arab Queer Women and Transgenders Confronting Diverse RFs: the case of Meem in Lebanon (case study)
    2. African Commission – Resolution on Protection against violence and other human rights violations on the basis of their real or imputed SOGI 
    3. MPV – Position Statement on SOGI 
    4. Joint UN agency statement – Ending Violence and Discrimination against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex People 
    5. OHCHR Information Series on SRHR: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Intersex and Transgender People 
    6. PRA: Colonizing African Values (report) 
    7. Yogyakarta Principles – Principles on the application of International Human Rights Law in relation to Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity 
    8. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: Discrimination and violence against individuals based on their sexual orientation and gender identity (report)
    9. ARC International: How far has SOGII advocacy come at the UN and where is it heading?(report)
    10. CAL & AMSHeR: Realities and Rights of Gender Non-Conforming People and People Who Engage in Consensual Same-Sex Sexual Relations in Africa (a civil society report)
    11. ILGA – State-sponsored Homophobia (2015 report) 
    12. ICJ – SOGI Casebook
    13. TGEU – Transrespect vs Transphobia (TVT) Worldwide
    14. TGEU and ILGA Europe – Human Rights and Gender Identity, Best Practice Catalogue
    15. GATE – Gender Identity and Human Rights (fact sheet)
CSBR Featured, News on Sexual & Bodily Rights, Resources & Tools, Statements

Rights Spotlight: International Day of Families

Image: Art Around| Flicker | CC-BY-20

This May 15th is the International Day of Families. So what’s this all about – and what do families, human rights and gender justice have to do with one another?

Established principles of international human rights law uphold the rights of all individuals within families to be free of coercion, violence and discrimination; free to found families on an equal basis; and free to become a part of diverse forms of families around the world.

Yet today we stand witness to ongoing violations of these intrinsic rights across regions – including intimate partner violence and child abuse, harmful practices, stigmatization, and unequal family laws – and the failure of states to ensure these rights and to hold perpetrators accountable.

And at the same time, conservative actors are leading the charge at the United Nations and other human rights spaces to undermine and chip away at our rights protections themselves. Ironically, many of these actors use emerging discourses around ‘the family’ to defend violations committed against family members, to bolster and justify impunity, and to restrict equal rights within and to family life.

Today, join the Observatory on the Universality of Rights (OURs) in calling for our universal human rights: equality within families and respect for the human rights of all family members worldwide, without discrimination. Human rights are indivisible, universal, interdependent, and inalienable to every person in the world.

OURs aims to monitor, analyze, and share information on anti-rights initiatives threatening our human rights systems. We hope to strengthen the work of activists facing direct challenges to rights, especially rights related to gender and sexuality.

This International Day of Families, OURs highlights a selection of relevant resources. Please share these with your networks, let us know of your key resources, and tweet using the hashtags #RightsAreUniversal and #FamilyDay

Families are diverse

Counter to the claims of anti-rights actors, as the human rights framework has recognized time and time again, families are diverse and take many different forms around the world.

Conservative discourses undermining rights

We are increasingly seeing the spread of a conservative discourse in human rights spaces which seeks to employ the term “family” strategically – to reserve human rights for the few instead of for all, to promote inequality and to weaken our existing human rights protections.

Regressive actors are collaborating across borders and religions to attack human rights standards with appeals to a narrow and discriminatory conception of ‘the family’ and ‘family values,’ including the recent “Protection of the Family” resolutions at the United Nations.

Equality in family laws

From country to country, personal status or family laws discriminate against women and are employed to restrict their rights to family life and other fundamental freedoms.

Not only do these laws continue to grant unequal rights to custody; provide cover for coercion, abuse and sexual violence; and delimit women’s access to money – states continue to attempt to back out of their human rights commitments to change these laws and challenge discriminatory gender stereotypes by reference to national sovereignty, tradition, religion and culture.

Resources

Diversity of families

Conservative discourses

Family laws

 

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Safeguarding Individuals, Civil Society & Our Shared Humanity: An Urgent Plea to the Government of Bangladesh

JointStatement-Bangladesh

2 May 2016

SAFEGUARDING INDIVIDUALS, CIVIL SOCIETY AND OUR SHARED HUMANITY:
AN URGENT PLEA TO THE GOVERNMENT OF BANGLADESH

 

We, the undersigned, join other voices from across Asia and the Pacific – and around the world – in calling upon the Government of Bangladesh to step up efforts to effectively address the horrific violence that has claimed the lives of several journalists, bloggers, academics, activists and other civilians who advocated for a secular, open, just and equitable society for all citizens — regardless of religion, ethnicity, sexuality or any other labels.

The latest victims of the carnage were the prominent LGBTI activists Xulnaz Mannan and Mahbub Rabbi Tonoy, both hacked to death by a group of assailants at Mannan’s home in Dhaka. So-called “Islamist” groups, including or linked to ISIS and Al-Qaeda, have claimed responsibility for these and previous attacks, but the facts surrounding many of these killings over the past year remain unclear.

The Bangladesh government has sworn to track down those responsible for Mannan and Rabbi’s murders. While we welcome that pledge, the international human rights organization Amnesty International has noted that “not a single person has been held to account” in the various killings so far.

In recent years, LGBTI activists in Bangladesh have sought to expand the space for dialogue and inclusivity for their communities even though they are criminalized by the country’s British-era penal code. These efforts in Bangladesh and other countries such as Indonesia have, on one hand, brought about acceptance and openness on some levels, but have also been met by an increasingly severe backlash as well from a range of actors including governments and religious institutions.

The escalating threats to civil liberties, including LGBTI rights, in so many places are all the more ironic – and dangerous – considering we are in the era of the Sustainable Development Goals that underpin the 2030 Agenda whose primary pledge is “to leave no one behind.”

How can we as a region, and indeed as a world, even begin to fulfil such a pledge if we do not collectively come together to address these threats that target our friends, families and fellow human beings? The rhetoric of the SDGs and 2030 Agenda will indeed ring hollow if we do not bring about genuine openness and understanding leading to an end to persecution and terror. Governments must be held accountable, but organizations such as ours, and each of us as individuals, must play our part as well.

Let us seize this opportunity then to bring about dialogue between governments and civil society, with the support of the United Nations, national, regional and global human rights networks and other facilitators, to tackle the mounting crises in Bangladesh and elsewhere. Together we call on the government of Bangladesh to bring justice and ensure that the rule of law is firmly in place and is implemented to provide safety to all citizens.

All individuals across Asia and the Pacific must not see these atrocities as isolated events, but must act in solidarity to uphold the rights of all human beings.

Ultimately, we must collectively work towards a world where enlightenment prevails, even as we vow never to forget the sacrifice that far too many have made to safeguard our shared humanity.
Signed By:

Midnight Poonkasetwattana, Executive Director, APCOM

Sattara Hattirat, Regional Coordinator, ILGA Asia

Ryan Silverio, Regional Coordinator, ASEAN SOGIE Caucus

Natt Kraipet, Network Coordinator, APTN

Niluka Perera, Project Officer, Youth Voices Count

Rima Athar, Coordinator, CSBR

South Asian Human Rights Association of Marginalised Sexualities and Genders

 

Endorsed By The Following Organizations:

1. Association of Transgender People in the Philippines (ATP), Philippines

2. Blue Diamond Society, Nepal

3. Central Initiative for Transgender, Young Gay, Lesbian Asylum Seekers (CITY GLASS), Kenya

4. Consultation Centre of Aids Aid and Health Service, China

5. EQUAL GROUND, Sri Lanka

6. FORUM-ASIA

7. GAURAV, India

8. GAYa NUSANTARA Foundation, Indonesia

9. Haus of Khameleon, Fiji

10. Health Options for Transgender (HOT GENDER), Tanzania

11. Health Options for Transgender, Tanzania

12. HIV YOUNG VOICES (Hi 5), Kenya

13. Human Rights Working Group, Indonesia

14. Human Rights- Youth Health Support Centre NGO, Mongolia

15. I-Girl group, Việt Nam

16. IDENTITY ETHIOPIA (ID ETHIOPIA), Ethiopia

17. ILGA Oceania

18. India HIV/AIDS Alliance, New Delhi, India

19. Khwaja Sira Society, Pakistan

20. LGBT Kiribati, Kiribati

21. Life Gets Better Together (LGBT FOUNDATION), South Sudan

22. Lighthouse club, Việt Nam

23. NAZ Pakistan, Pakistan

24. NGO Phoenix PLUS, Russia

25. Oogachaga, Singapore

26. Organization Intersex International-Chinese, Taiwan

27. PinoyFTM (Filipino Trans Men), Philippines

28. Project Mama, Rwanda

29. QUEER ESCORT NETWORK (Quest Net), Madagascar

30. Rainbow Pride Foundation Youth Wing, Fiji

31. Safety Urban Network (SUN East Africa), Uganda and Kenya Chapter

32. Samoa Faafafine Association, Samoa

33. Sangama, India

34. Sierra Leone Youth Coalition on HIV & AIDS, Sierra Leone

35. SOMALI SOCIETY CARE (SSC), Somalia

36. South Asian Human Rights Association for Marginalized Genders & Sexualities (SAHRA)

37. SUNCITY AFRICA FOUNDATION, Kenya

38. Taiwan Tongzhi (LGBT) Hotline Association, Taiwan

39. Transgender Resource Center, Hong Kong

40. Transgender Youth Revolving Fund (TRAY REFUND), Uganda

41. Transmen Indonesia, Indonesia

42. Transpiration Power, Thailand

43. We are students club, Việt Nam

44. Yourself Belize Movement, Belize


Endorsed By The Following Individuals:

1. Abhina Aher, India

2. Ahsan Ullah, Bangladesh

3. AR Arcon, Philippines

4. Farid Ahmed, Bangladesh

5. Idrissa A. Conteh, Sierra Leone

6. Jake Oorloff, Sri Lanka

7. Jofiliti Veikoso, Fiji

8. Kemas Achmad Mujoko, Indonesia

9. Masaki Inaba, Japan

10. Nguyễn Đặng Duy Anh, Việt Nam

11. Qasim Iqbal, Pakistan

12. Raksak Kongseng Desaulniers, Thailand

13. Sumit Pawar, India

14. To’oto’oali’I Roger Stanley, Samoa

15. Trung Tâm NT.LGBT, Việt Nam

16. Tuisina Ymania Brown, Samoa

17. Vaialia Iosua, Samoa


Media Contacts:

Midnight Poonkasetwattana, Executive Director, APCOM: midnightp@apcom.org, +66-85-360-5200 (Bangkok)

Sattara Hattirat, Regional Coordinator, ILGA Asia: sattarah@gmail.com, +66-82-339-5252 (Bangkok)

Ryan Silverio, Regional Coordinator, ASEAN SOGIE Caucus: rsilverio@aseansogiecaucus.org, +63-917-879-7710 (Manila)

Natt Kraipet, Network Coordinator, APTN: natt.kraipet@weareaptn.org, +66-82-653-3999 (Bangkok)

Niluka Perera, Project Officer, Youth Voices Count: niluka@youthvoicescount.org, +66-94-835-1762 (Bangkok)

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Urgent Call to Action: End the Crackdown against Egyptian Human Rights NGOs

TAKE ACTION: CSBR Logo

The Coalition for Sexual and Bodily Rights in Muslim Societies (CSBR) is deeply concerned about the on-going crackdown against independent human rights NGOs in Egypt, including the recent imposition on NGO staff of travel bans, asset freezes, as well as the interrogation by investigative judges without transparency or due process.

Since mid-2011, thirty-seven of Egypt’s leading independent human rights NGOs have been under threat of closure and their workers under threat of prosecution, and/or imprisoned, in relation to Case 173—“the foreign funding” case.

The harassment continues today, and the NGOs under threat—including the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, the Arab Network for Human Rights Studies, and most recently Nazra for Feminist Studies—make up some of Egypt’s most respected, independent human rights civil society. They are some the few organizations that continue provide essential social services, including documentation and legal advocacy on human rights violations in Egypt. As recently as 17 February 2016, the Nadeem Center for Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence was served with a closure order by the Ministry of Health for “breach of licence conditions.”

If the current prosecution of NGO workers goes ahead, including the charges being brought against Hossam Baghat and Gamal Eid, it could lead to the closure of these NGOs and the sentencing of their workers on charges that could carry life sentence in prison.

The laws being used include Penal Code Articles 78, 98(c)(1), 98(d), as well as Article 76(2)(a) of the Associations Law 84/2002. For full details on the ongoing cases, charges, and background please see: goo.gl/PmZ6GN


Asks to the government of Egypt: 

  • Halt the ongoing investigation of independent human rights organisations in relation to their legitimate exercise of their activities, and close the “foreign funding” case once and for all.
  • Grant NGOs a grace period of one year to register under a new associations law that would comply with Article 75 of the Egyptian Constitution, which allows groups to be recognized and funded by notification and invite NGO participation in consultations on the drafting of this new associations law.
  • Withdraw the administrative decision to close down the Nadeem Centre for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Torture and Violence.
  • Lift travel bans and asset freezes that were arbitrarily ordered against human rights defenders.
  • Issue a presidential decree pardoning all Egyptian and foreign NGO staff convicted in the 2012 foreign funding case.
  • Comply with the pledges made when accepting Egypt’s UPR recommendations in March 2015 at the UN Human Rights Council, and cease the harassment and prosecution of civil society organizations, women’s rights defenders and human rights defenders.


TAKE ACTION: We are asking for your support in circulating the news: goo.gl/PmZ6GN, and request that you write immediately to your government officials at home and in Egypt, to relay the demands above. Find contact information for Egyptian embassies here: http://www.embassypages.com/egypt

CSBR Featured, News from Member Organizations, Statements

Oral Statement by WWHR at CSW 60

Women for Women's Human RightsOral Statement by Women for Women’s Human Rights – New Ways for the General Discussion segment of the 60th session of the Commission on the Status of Women

18 March 2016

Your Excellences,

In September 2015, the world has made a promise to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls by 2030 under this very same roof. We are proud to say that women’s and feminist organizations have been vital contributors and enablers for the realization of this commitment. Today, we express our continued enthusiasm and ambition to realize 2030 Agenda and reaching the Sustainable Development Goals.

In this regard we welcome the Secretary General’s report to this session, which specifically refers to “the key role of women’s leadership and women’s civil society organizations” in all aspects and levels of 2030 Agenda. We would like to note our suggestions for equal, effective, transparent and well-resourced participation of women and feminist organizations, at all levels, to ensure a gender – responsive and human rights based sustainable development.

We already have existing international and regional instruments on development, human rights and gender equality. The question remains, how we can make the normative power of all instruments, and now the ambitious 2030 agenda, operative and responsive to women’s human rights and gender equality causes. Our suggestion for the optimization of this process is the inclusion of women, throughout their life course, and women’s and feminist organizations at every step and level of the implementation, monitoring, follow up and review of the SDGs and the Beijing PfA.

CSW will, and should play an active role in this regard, and needs to be a strong platform to ensure that gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls is undertaken as a crosscutting issue of all the SDGs as well as Goal 5 and other gender-related targets, as these are necessary for the full implementation of the Beijing PfA. And we affirm this session and its Agreed Conclusions as important milestones towards this end. CSW should also provide a space for establishing interlinkages within different international instruments on gender equality and human rights, especially the CEDAW Committee.

The UN’s institutional capacity needs to be supported to ensure an “open UN” that effectively engages with various groups, including women’s and feminist civil society organizations, not only to promote and support their engagement in SDG implementation and monitoring at all levels, but also to ensure their full engagement in the UN system’s own work.

We take this opportunity to strongly condemn the assassination of the Honduran feminist indigenous rights activist Berta Cáceres, in early March, and demand justice and protection for the sole witness. We are very much concerned about the escalating restrictions of space and security for women’s human rights defenders (WHRDs). All relevant instruments, including CEDAW, should also support and take measures to address the issue of security of and space for WHRDs in their capacities. Throughout the 2030 Agenda, an enabling environment to support the work of women human rights defenders, and women and feminist organizations, should be created. WHRDs should be able to work in an environment conducive for their work free from harassment, intimidation and violence by state and non-State actors. Flexible and rapid funding should be available for women’s and feminist organizations in order to ensure their effective response to urgent crises and opportunities.

 

This statement has been prepared and made by Women for Women’s Human Rights – New Ways, on behalf of the list of organizations and groups below (in alphabetical order):

  1. Afrihealth Optonet Association (AOA), Nigeria
  2. Antalya Women’s Counseling Center and Solidarity Association, Turkey
  3. Association Femmes Africaines, Congo
  4. Associazione Italiana Donne per lo Svilupp – AIDOS, Italy
  5. Association for Support of Women Candidates, Turkey
  6. ATHENA Network
  7. Atria – Institute for Gender Equality and Women’s History, The Netherlands
  8. Balance Promoción para el Desarrollo y Juventud, Mexico
  9. Beyond Beijing Committee (BB), Nepal
  10. Center for Egyptian Women’s Legal Assistance (CEWLA)
  11. Christian Aid, United Kingdom
  12. CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation
  13. Coalition for Sexual and Bodily Rights in Muslim Societies (CSBR)
  14. CSW Organizing Group, Turkey
  15. Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS (GYCA), United States of America
  16. Equality Watch Women’s Group – EŞİTİZ, Turkey
  17. Executive Committee for NGO Forum on CEDAW, Turkey
  18. Federation for Women and Family Planning, Poland
  19. Fondation pour les femmes Africaines, Nairobi
  20. Fundacion Arcoiris, Mexico
  21. Fundacion para Estudio e Investigacion de la mujer – FEIM, Argentina
  22. Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
  23. International Council Of Aids Service Organizations, Canada
  24. International-Curricula Educators Association, United Kingdom
  25. International Federation of Settlements and Neighborhood Centers, United States of America
  26. International HIV/AIDS Alliance, United Kingdom
  27. International Women’s Health Coalition
  28. IPAS
  29. IWRAW Asia Pacific
  30. Izmir CEKEV, Turkey
  31. Der – Ankara, Turkey
  32. Karadeniz Women’s Solidarity Association, Turkey
  33. MenEngage Global Alliance, United States of America
  34. Women’s Coalition, Turkey
  35. Kaos Gay and Lesbian Cultural Research and Solidarity Association, Turkey
  36. Red Pepper Association, Turkey
  37. Liberia Girl Guides Association (LGGA), Liberia
  38. Mor Salkim Women’s Solidarity Association, Turkey
  39. National Alliance of Women’s Organisations, United Kingdom
  40. Nepalese Women Watch (NWW), Nepal
  41. RESURJ
  42. Sansristi, India
  43. SERR, United States of America
  44. SIGLO XXIII, El Salvador
  45. Swedish Federation for LGBTQ Rights (RFSL), Sweden
  46. The Roosevelt Institute, United States of America
  47. The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA)
  48. Federation of Women’s Associations – Turkey, Turkey
  49. Union de L’Action Feminist, Morocco
  50. Urgent Action Fund for Women’s Human Rights, United States of America
  51. Vision Spring initiatives, Nigeria
  52. WO=MEN – Dutch Gender Platform, The Netherlands
  53. Women for Peace and Ecology, Germany
  54. Women in Europe for A Common Future
  55. Women NGO Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL), Liberia
  56. Women’s Aid Organisation, Malaysia
  57. Women’s Solidarity Foundation, Turkey
  58. World Federation of Ukrainian Women’s Organizations, Ukraine

 

Video:

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CSBR: President Widodo & Indonesian Govt. Must Uphold Constitutional Rights of Indonesian Citizens


CSBR Logo

President Joko Widodo & the Indonesian Government Must Uphold the Constitutional Rights of Indonesian Citizens

 

The Coalition for Sexual and Bodily Rights in Muslim Societies (CSBR) is gravely concerned about the on-going attacks against the civil, political and human rights of Indonesian citizens of diverse gender identities and sexual orientations.

What began in January 2016 with a spiteful comment from the Minister of Research, Technology and Higher education that LGBTIQ people ‘corrupted the morals of the nation’, has turned into an almost two-month long series of attacks and an increasingly hostile climate spreading across different cities and provinces in Indonesia.[1]

As a Coalition of over 30 civil society organizations and academic institutions working to uphold sexual and bodily rights in Muslim societies, CSBR urges President Joko Widodo to unequivocally come out in support of Indonesia’s LGBTIQ citizens, to uphold democratic rights and ensure protection from discrimination and harassment, and to call for an end to the hateful and discriminatory rhetoric being propagated by government officials.

To this end, President Joko Widodo and the Indonesian government must take all measures to protect the constitutional rights[2] of Indonesian citizens, including:

  • the right to education and the right to participate in and benefit from social, cultural and scientific life (Art. 28C(1));
  • the right to collective struggle for rights (Art. 28C(2));
  • the rights to equal recognition, guarantees, protection and fair treatment under the law (Art. 28D(1) and 28I(1));
  • the rights to freedom of thought, conscience, expression, opinion, assembly and association (Art. 28E);
  • the right to be free from discriminative treatment based upon any grounds whatsoever and the right to protection from such discriminative treatment (Art. 28I(2)).

As a member of the United Nations, and as a state party to the ICCPR and the ICESCR, the Indonesian government also has a duty to ensure non-discrimination, academic freedom, and access to education, to enable citizens to make informed decisions and autonomous choices on all matters relating to themselves, including their beliefs, opinions, and identities.

CSBR applauds the strong leadership demonstrated by KOMNAS-HAM, Indonesia’s independent National Human Rights Commission, which has consistently applied clear, rational and informed juridical reasoning to highlight the unconstitutionality of attempts to restrict the rights of all those who would seek to engage in public discussions, support services, and advocacy for rights, protection and education on issues of sexual orientation and gender identity and expression.[3]

 

Background & Further Details:

In January 2016, the Minister of Research, Technology and Higher Education called to ban a Support Group and Resource Centre on Sexuality Studies (SGRC) that offered LGBTIQ-friendly counselling services to students on Indonesian university campuses. His statement set off a chain reaction of spiteful attacks by militant groups, the police, and other government officials against civil society and LGBTIQ individuals.

Since January, numerous government officials have made hateful statements against the LGBTI community. This includes:

  • Legislator and Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) politician Nasir Djamil stating that “The LGBT community should not be allowed to grow or be given room to conduct its activities. Even more serious is those LGBT members who go into universities with scientific studies, or hold discussion groups”;[4] in contravention of Articles 28D(1) and 28D(2) which upholds the rights to education and participation in technology, arts, and culture, and the collective struggle for rights.
  • Culture and Primary Education Minister Anies Baswedan telling parents and teachers “that LGBT people were deviant and a danger to adolescents”,[5] and the National Broadcasting Commission banning content on TV and radio that ‘normalizes’ being LGBTIQ, in the name of ‘protecting children and adolescents’.[6] Such rhetoric ignores the Constitutional rights of LGBTIQ children to protection from violence and discrimination (Art. 28B(2)).
  • Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Minister Yuddy Chrisnandi, who stated that “Of course it is inappropriate for civil servants to be [homosexual]”, despite Art. 28D(3) guaranteeing “Every citizen shall have the right to obtain equal opportunities in government”.
  • Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu labelling the LGBTIQ movement a ‘proxy war’ that is a greater threat to national security than nuclear weapons;[7]
  • Indonesia’s Communications and Information Ministry has proposed and begun drafting a bill that will ban websites that ‘promote LGBT propaganda’ that could “damage national security, identity, culture and the faith of Indonesians.” [8]

The proliferation of fear-mongering and hateful rhetoric has also emboldened vigilante and militant groups to harass civil society and succeed in shutting down LGBTIQ events and spaces:

  • On 4 February, a militant group harassed participants at an event on access to justice for LGBTIQ people in Jakarta, and had the police shut the event down;[9]
  • On 23 February, the police turned against LGBTI advocates at a public demonstration in Yogykarta who were rallying to counter an anti-LGBTIQ demonstration;[10],[11]
  • On 24 February, the Al Fatah Pesantren Waria, a longstanding community supported religious boarding school for waria (transgender) students, was closed in Yogyakarta.[12]

 

These are but a few of the many statements and incidences that have been reported on in mainstream media in recent months, and they highlight a clear lack of political will to uphold the rule of law or ensure access to justice.

As Vera da Costa, an activist from long standing Indonesian LGBT organization GAYa NUSANTARA shared with us,

“The space for LGBTIQ people to exercise their rights to freedom of assembly and association in Indonesia is now very limited. The security of individuals and organizations is in jeopardy; we are being threatened and there is no protection from the government. Meanwhile the media sensationalizes the news in a negative fashion, so that the public is increasingly misinterpreting what is at stake here. We want the President to intervene and take action to protect us as citizens, because it is the government officials of his cabinet that are attacking us in the first place.”

The Coalition for Sexual and Bodily Rights in Muslim Societies is deeply concerned for the security and safety of our friends and allies who are organizing and living within such a climate of fear and insecurity, with no protection or recourse from the judicial or legal systems in place.

We join Indonesian civil society’s call and urge President Joko Widodo to take immediate action to end the harassment and to uphold the civil, political and human rights of Indonesia’s LGBTIQ citizens.


12 March 2016


For more information, please contact CSBR: coordinator@csbronline.org, and GAYa NUSANTARA: gayanusantara@gmail.com.

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[1] Further details below.

[2] http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—ed_protect/—protrav/—ilo_aids/documents/legaldocument/wcms_174556.pdf

[3] http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/02/05/komnas-ham-slams-vilification-lgbt-officials.html

[4] http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/25/lgbt-not-welcome-university-minister.html

[5] http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/02/13/luhut-defends-lgbt-groups.html

[6] http://www.kpi.go.id/index.php/lihat-terkini/38-dalam-negeri/33218-kpi-larang-promosi-lgbt-di-tv-dan-radio

[7] http://en.tempo.co/read/news/2016/02/23/055747534/Minister-LGBT-Movement-More-Dangerous-than-Nuclear-Warfare

[8] http://www.curvemag.com/News/Indonesia-Sees-Rising-Discrimination-Against-LGBT-Community-1008/

[9] https://www.hrw.org/tet/node/286749

[10] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gu66JLcEv8I

[11] http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/02/24/police-ban-rally-held-lgbt-supporters.html

[12] http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/02/26/yogyakarta-transgender-islamic-boarding-school-shut-down.html

CSBR Featured, News on Sexual & Bodily Rights, Statements

Justice for Sisters: End Arbitrary Arrests and Repeal Laws that Criminalize Transgender Persons – Malaysia

For immediate release

March 7, 2016

Justice for Sisters is extremely concerned and appalled by the arrests of 12 trans women, including an Indonesian trans woman in a police raid in Penang on 2 March 2016. The 12 are being investigated under various charges, including gang robbery, violation of social pass, and Section 28 of the Penang Syariah Criminal Offences Enactment 1996, which criminalizes male person posing as a woman.

Five women investigated for robbery, have been remanded for 6 days until 8 March 2016. No further information is available at the moment, including their cells, and the exact sections that they are being investigated for.

In a positive move in November 2015, Penang State EXCO for Youth and Sports; Women, Family and Community Development, and Member of Parliament for Bukit Mertajam YB Chong Eng recommended separate cells for transgender persons to protect their safety. Based on her correspondence with the Penang Police chief Datuk Abdul Rahim Hanafi in August 2015, she noted that there is currently no guideline for detainees who are transgender, however placed in separate cells based on sensitivity and discretion of the police.

We echo YB Chong Eng’s recommendation, and urge the Penang Police Department to ensure that the detainees are being treated humanely. We further call Members of Parliament and State Assemblypersons to support the recommendations, as all detainees and prisoners have the right to humane treatment, including being treated as per self-determined gender identity. There is overwhelming anecdotal evidence of the multiple forms of violence experienced by trans women in detention, including disregard of gender identity (being treated as a cisgender man), physical and sexual violence, and lack of access to trans specific healthcare needs, which increases anxiety and stress due to changes in appearance and body.

Article 9 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that no one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile. Some of the trans women were arrested in their hotel rooms, while they were asleep. Six trans women, who are being investigated under ‘Section 28 Male person posing a woman’, which criminalizes any male person who wears women’s attire or poses as a woman in a public place for immoral purposes, were released on 3 March 2015 by the Penang religious department.

These on-going arbitrary arrests of trans women further affirm Justice for Sisters’ call for the repeal of all laws that criminalize transgender persons based on gender identity. These laws are not only discriminatory and violate fundamental human rights of transgender persons— including right to self determination, freedom of movement and freedom of expression—but these laws are also open to abuse. In this case, although the women were asleep while they were arrested in their hotel rooms, they are still being investigated under Section 28.

We strongly emphasize that gender is not determined by genitals. In fact, it is a widely accepted and evidence-based fact that gender is a spectrum signifying personal sense of belonging and identification (as a girl/woman, boy/man, both, neither, other gender identities). Transgender persons do not pose, pretend or cross dress. Transgender people are merely expressing their identities, like cisgender persons. Parallel with this, gender recognition legislations in many countries now, no longer require medical intervention.

Dehumanizing Media Coverage of the Arrests

We are also extremely appalled by the media coverage of the arrests. The media cannot continue to dehumanize, dismiss and erase identities of trans people by misgendering (using the wrong pronouns) and using derogatory terms, like transvestite and cross dressers to refer to trans women. Further, it is disappointing to note that some media, which had in the past used trans affirming language, has reverted to using discriminatory, dehumanizing and outdated terms in their coverage.

At least one media outlet, The Star Online had published a photo of one of the detainees. Trans women are often subjected to public humiliation and violation of privacy during raids and arrests, including through the presence of media. I am scared to be woman, a report by Human Rights Watch that documented violence against transgender persons in Malaysia included an experience of a woman who lost her job after her photo and news of her arrest was released in the media.

Anecdotal evidence shows that arrests and disclosure of details, including name as per identification card and photo in the media causes increased mental health issues, like trauma, anxiety, stress and isolation; and has the effect swaying support provided by family members. It exacerbates further humiliation and condemnation by friends and family members, and impacts future livelihood through the loss of employment.

In addition, we strongly emphasize that hate crime and violence against transgender persons are real. The lack of positive portrayal of trans people, and the overwhelming negative and sensationalistic articles further increase anxiety and fear over personal security and safety among transgender persons. It further creates an unhealthy and unsafe environment for trans people in this country.

Justice for Sisters firstly calls on all media outlets to treat transgender persons with dignity, and use respectful language to refer to trans people. We also call the media to play a role in public education to reduce intolerance and hatred towards communities already marginalised, misunderstood, and deprived of access.

media guides – panduan media BM | GLAAD media reference guide

+++

For more details, please contact justiceforsisters@gmail.com

CSBR Featured, News on Sexual & Bodily Rights, Statements

Call for Action: Request for Protection for Kemal Ördek

Reposted from AWID:

© Kemal Ördek'in Yanındayız
© Kemal Ördek’in Yanındayız

 

We call for action for Justice for Kemal and for all trans people and sex workers in Turkey!

 

1. Please kindly send your letters of protest to the Presidency, Prime Ministry, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Family and SocialPolicies.

Use the template letter that we have developed for your own use. Below are the exact information you will need to send your letters:

Republic of Turkey, President’s Palace,
Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (President)
Cumhurbaşkanlığı Külliyesi
06560 Beştepe – ANKARA
+903125255555

Republic of Turkey, Prime Ministry
Mr. Ahmet Davutoğlu (Prime Minister)
T.C. Başbakanlık
Çankaya Mah. Ziyaur Rahman Cad. Çankaya/ANKARA
+903124035000

Republic of Turkey, Ministry of Interior
Mr. Efkan Ala (Minister of Interior)
T.C. İçişleri Bakanlığı
Bakanlıklar – ANKARA
+903124224000

Republic of Turkey, Ministry of Family and Social Policies
Mrs. Sema Ramazanoğlu (Minister of Family and Social Policies)
T.C. Aile ve Sosyal Politikalar Bakanlığı
Eskişehir Yolu Söğütözü Mah. 2177. Sok. No: 10/A
Çankaya – ANKARA
+903127054000

Republic of Turkey, Ministry of Justice
Mr. Bekir Bozdağ (Minister of Justice)
T.C.Adalet Bakanlığı
06659 Kızılay – ANKARA
+903124177770

If you would like to prepare your own template, please send the final draft to kirmizisemsiye.csihd@gmail.com prior to sending to the relevant officials so that we can check and provide our comments to you.

Please also send a copy of your letters to the Turkish embassies in your countries.

2. Please kindly send letters to the politicians in your countries, requesting their support for Kemal Ördek, especially in their communication with their Turkish counterparts.

We would very much welcome your efforts in asking your governments to inform their embassies in Ankara – Turkey to put pressure over the Turkish Government in regard to this case and the overall situation of trans people and sex workers in Turkey. Please feel free to contact us for any supporting documentation that can help you in this process.

Please kindly request the Foreign Affairs Ministry in your country to encourage their embassies in Ankara to monitor Kemal’s hearings.

3. Inform your friends, colleagues or other contacts who work for the media in your countries in regard to Kemal Ördek’s case.

We would very much welcome your efforts in encouraging your contacts in the media toconduct interviews with Kemal or Red Umbrella in regard to the case.

4. Please kindly inform your contacts at relevant international committees

Contact the European Parliament (especially relevant committees and heads of political groups), Council of Europe, OSCE and the United Nations about the updates regarding Kemal’s case and the negative approach of the court team.

Also, please kindly convey us the contact information of those officials or contact people at the abovementioned institutions/bodies so that we can regularly contact them in cases of further actions.

5. Think of other ways to support Kemal

For regional and global LGBTI, sex workers’, women’s and other human rights networks, we strongly encourage you to think of other ways of support to Kemal;

e.g. a visit to Turkey for meetings with the relevant Ministries in Turkey as well as the parliamentarians to encourage them to follow-up Kemal’s case and support them.

 

Thanks in advance for your support!

Short information on what happened:

Kemal Ordek (610x470)
Kemal Ordek

Kemal Ördek is a trans sex worker and a human rights defender from Turkey. They are the co-founder and the current chair of the sex workers’ rights advocacy NGO Red Umbrella Sexual Health and Human Rights Association.

Kemal was raped, physically attacked, threatened, insulted and robbed on the night of 5 July 2015. After escaping from the 3 young men who attacked them, Kemal sought help from two police officers, however Kemal became a victim of ill-treatment at Esat Police Station on the same night.

After filing a complaint against the 3 attackers, a case as opened against the perpetrators however the court team has continuously rejected arresting theattackers in the last two hearing which took place on 27 October 2015 and 26 January 2016. The same court team continuously rejected the third-party intervention bids of human rights associations in support of Kemal, including Red Umbrella which has been negatively impacted on by Kemal’s case.

 

Even though the perpetrators are free and haven’t attended the last hearing and that there is a potential of another attack against Kemal, the court team acts in opposite of what Kemal’s lawyers have demanded.

CSBR Statements

URGENT ACTION: Call on Saudi Arabia to Stop Execution by Stoning of Sri Lankan Domestic Worker

UPDATE on 23 December 2015:

Saudi Arabian court has commuted the sentence of death by stoning to an imprisonment term.
Excerpts from various news:
  • BBC: The life of a Sri Lankan domestic worker due to be stoned to death in Saudi Arabia for adultery has been spared, Sri Lanka’s foreign ministry says. She will instead be imprisoned, Sri Lankan Deputy Foreign Minister Dr Harsha de Silva announced.
  • Saudi Gazette: A Saudi Arabian court has commuted the death sentence passed on a Sri Lankan domestic worker convicted of adultery, the government in Colombo said on Wednesday. “We have succeeded in getting the death sentence overturned. Our concern was to make sure that the original sentence was not carried out,” Harsha de Silva, the deputy foreign minister, told reporters in Sri Lanka’s capital. “The government of Sri Lanka wishes to acknowledge and appreciate the good offices of the Saudi authorities. “The sympathy, understanding and the concern expressed, and assistance extended by many other parties is also noted and deeply appreciated.”  De Silva said the woman would now serve a “short jail sentence” but details on the exact amount of time that she would have to remain behind bars were not yet clear.
  • Global Post: Saudi Arabia has commuted a Sri Lankan woman who was sentenced to ben stoned to death for adultery to a jail sentence after an appeal by Sri Lankan authorities, Deputy Foreign Minister Harsha De Silva said on Wednesday. In a joint media briefing with the Minister of Foreign Employment, Thalatha Athukorala, De Silva said that Sri Lanka had been successful in its appeal to Saudi authorities and had the execution order withdrawn.
  • Daily Mail: Married mother of two given death penalty after her conviction in August. Unmarried Sri Lankan man convicted with her was sentenced to 100 lashes. Saudi Arabian court commuted her sentence after an appeal from Colombo. Woman would now serve a ‘short’ jail sentence, says Sri Lankan minister.

————————————————————-

UPDATE on 8 December 2015:

Excerpt from the Economy Next:

Saudi authorities have agreed to reopen the case of a Sri Lankan domestic worker sentenced to death by stoning for adultery, Deputy Foreign Minister Harsha de Silva told parliament Tuesday.

Sri Lankan diplomats met with the unidentified woman at a Saudi jail over the weekend and Colombo secured agreement to give her a fresh trial, the deputy minister said.

“Through our intervention, they (Saudi authorities) have agreed to reopen the case,” de Silva told parliament. “This can be considered a big victory. We will provide her with legal counsel.”

The woman, a 45-year-old married mother of two who has not been named, was convicted of adultery in August. She was sentenced to death by stoning, while an unmarried Sri Lankan man convicted alongside her was sentenced to 100 lashes.

Sri Lankan lawmakers from all parties have united in urging the government to secure clemency for the woman and a pardon for the man.

————————————————————-

Take Action Now!

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/petition/Saudi_Arabia_Stop_Stoning_Sri_Lankan_Domestic_Worker/


Why this is Important

According to the Muslim Women’s Research & Action Front Sri Lanka, a 45 year old, unnamed Sri Lankan migrant domestic worker and mother of 3 has been sentenced to death by stoning in Saudi Arabia for “adultery.” Zina – that is any sexual relations outside of marriage – are Hudud crimes or “crimes against God.”

The man in the alleged relationship who is single has been sentenced to 100 lashes for “fornication.”

We, the undersigned, condemn the death penalty and stoning or flogging, including for private sexual relations between consenting adults.

The state must not kill people for love.

The Saudi authorities must release the two and extradite them to their home country.

Sign: https://secure.avaaz.org/en/petition/Saudi_Arabia_Stop_Stoning_Sri_Lankan_Domestic_Worker/

More information here: https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/take-all-possible-measures-to-revoke-death-sentence-on-sri-lankan-domestic-worker-csos-tell-govt/