UN LGBTI Summary 2019

The Role of the United Nations in Combatting Discrimination and Violence against
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex People
A Programmatic Overview
20 September 2019
This paper provides a snapshot of the work of a number of United Nations entities in
combatting discrimination and violence based on sexual orientation , gender identity, sex
characteristics and related work in support of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) and
intersex communities around the world. It has been prepared by the Office of the UN High
Commissioner for Human Rights on the basis of inputs provided by relevant UN entities, and
is not intended to be either exhaustive or detailed. Given the evolving nature of UN work in
this field, it is likely to benefit from regular updating1. The final section, below, includes a
Contact List of focal points in each UN entity, as well as links and references to documents,
reports and other materials that can be consulted for further information.
Click to jump to: Joint UN statement, OHCHR, UNODC, UNDP, UNFPA, UNHCR,
UNICEF, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO, the World Bank, IOM, UNAIDS (the Joint
UN Programme on HIV/AIDS), UNRISD and Joint UN initiatives.
Joint UN statement
Joint UN statement on Ending violence and discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgender and intersex people:
o On 29 September 2015, 12 UN entities (ILO, OHCHR, UNAIDS Secretariat, UNDP,
UNESCO, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNICEF, UNODC, UN Women, WFP and WHO) released
an unprecedented joint statement calling for an end to violence and discrimination against
lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people.
o The statement is a powerful call to action to States and other stakeholders to do more to
protect individuals from violence, torture and ill-treatment, repeal discriminatory laws and
protect individuals from discrimination, and an expression of the commitment on the part
of UN entities to support Member States to do so.
UN Secretariat
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
Support and follow-up to UN human rights bodies and mechanisms :

o OHCHR prepared the first two official UN reports on violence and discrimination based
on sexual orientation and gender identity (2011, 2015), as requested by UN Human Rights
Council resolutions.
o OHCHR provides support to the UN Independent Expert on protection against violence
and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity appointed by the
Human Rights Council in 2016 and reappointed in 2019. The Independent Expert has
1
The latest edition of this document is available here:
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Discrimination/Pages/LGBTUNSystem.aspx
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Role of the UN in combatting violence and discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgender and intersex people – programmatic overview (20 September 2019)
conducted official visits to Argentina, Georgia, Mozambique and Ukraine and plans to
visit Sri Lanka in 2019. The Independent Expert has also produced comprehensive reports
both to the Human Rights Council and General Assembly making significant contributions
to the development of jurisprudence related to sexual orientation and gender identity. He
also sends communications on allegations of human rights violations and engages in
activities aimed at raising awareness about violence and discrimination based on sexual
orientation and gender identity.
o OHCHR also supports other UN human rights treaty bodies and special procedures to
fulfil their respective mandates in relation to the rights of LGBTI people. Such work
includes gathering and sharing information on alleged rights abuses, assisting in the
development of treaty body recommendations and general comments, and drafting urgent
appeals to Governments.
o In September 2015, OHCHR organized the first UN meeting on the human rights of
intersex people to support the work of UN, regional and national human rights mechanisms
in better addressing the specific human rights violations they face, and has launched a
dedicated campaign website on the rights of intersex people. The Office will publish a
report on Ending Human Rights Violations against Intersex People in 2019.
o OHCHR, in partnership with UNAIDS and UNDP, supported an unprecedented dialogue
between the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, the Inter-American
Commission on Human Rights and UN human rights experts on sexual orientation, gender
identity and sex characteristics, with a first dialogue in 2015 hosted by the ACHPR and a
second dialogue in 2018 hosted by IACHR.
Support to informal inter-governmental processes:

o OHCHR provided support to the Oslo Conference on Human Rights, Sexual Orientation
and Gender Identity co-chaired by Norway and South Africa in April 2013 and regional
meetings organized by UN Member States.
o OHCHR has helped organize ministerial-level meetings at the General Assembly in
September 2013, September 2014, September 2015 (inclusion of LGBT people in efforts
to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals), September 2016 (positive stories of
leadership and legislative change) and September 2017 (addressing violence and
discrimination against LGBTI persons).
o The Office also supports a cross-regional group of UN Member States in the organization
of public events at UN HQ in New York, including annual Human Rights Day events that
focuses on the rights of LGBTI people (2013 event on the role of sports in the fight against
homophobia, 2014 event on family diversity, 2015 event on the cost of discrimination ,
2016 event on LGBT children and young people).
Advocacy and policy advice:

o OHCHR advocates for the protection of the human rights of LGBTI people through public
advocacy and statements of the High Commissioner, the Secretary-General and other senior
staff, and in private meetings with member States and other stakeholders.
o OHCHR field offices integrate LGBTI-related human rights concerns into their monitor ing
and advocacy work, engaging with civil society and other stakeholders, and raising
concerns with Governments. In a number of countries, OHCHR field presences have played
a role in advocating against measures that threaten the rights of LGBTI persons, or in favour
of measures aimed at strengthening human rights protection for members of LGBTI
communities.
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Guidance and training materials:

o A 2012 OHCHR publication, “Born Free and Equal: Sexual Orientation and Gender
Identity in International Human Rights Law” outlines the key obligations of States under
international law to protect the rights of LGBTI people. An updated version will be
published in 2019.
o A 2016 publication, “Living Free and Equal” offers concrete guidance for States based on
more than 200 examples from 65 countries of what Governments, courts, parliaments,
national human rights institutions and others around the world are doing to tackle violence
and discrimination against LGBTI people.
o OHCHR is finalizing an electronic course on the human rights of LGBTI People,
developed with material from OHCHR ,UN-Women and UNAIDS online course "I know
gender".
o In September 2018, OHCHR validated it’s Training Course on Protecting the Human
Rights of LGBTI People, which will offer guidance to OHCHR filed staff, to include
LGBTI people and address their human rights in their work and activities related to
monitoring reporting and technical cooperation.
Standards of Conduct for Business

o The OHCHR global standards of conduct for business on tackling discrimination against
LGBTI people provide concrete guidance to the private sector on respect and support for
equality and the human rights of LGBTI people. The standards were developed in
partnership with civil society and the business community and launched in business hubs
around the world in 2017 and 2018. By September 2019, more than 260 of the largest
companies in the World had joined a coalition of companies expressing support for the
Standards.
o In July 2019, OHCHR brought together human rights defenders on LGBTI issues from
around the World in Berlin to inform and help refine a guide on “Engaging the private
sector: A Guide for LGBTI human rights defenders” for LGBTI activists and civil society
organizations (CSOs) globally.
UN Free & Equal Campaign (www.unfe.org):

o In July 2013, the High Commissioner launched the global public information campaign,
UN Free & Equal, aimed at promoting greater respect for the rights of LGBTI people.
o Since its launch, the campaign has generated a stream of videos, fact sheets, macros and
other popular content for dissemination on social media – reaching more than 2.44 billion
social media streams in 2017 alone.
o Campaign events have taken place in almost 30 countries around the world – in several
cases organized jointly by OHCHR and UN partners on the ground.
o UN Free & Equal has benefitted from the support of the Secretary-General and celebrity
Equality Champions who have helped spread campaign messages to a global audience.
During the campaign’s first four years, billions of people have seen, read or heard
campaign messages online, on TV, radio and print media.
o UN Free & Equal videos reached more than 25 million people in 2017, including 9.3
million via social media. This included an animated video that shone light on the problem
of bullying affecting LGBTI youth, which was accompanied by dedicated website,
factsheet and tips for schools, authorities, friends and parents.
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OHCHR’s main website also contains a dedicated webpage with further information on related
activities and outputs.
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
Prison Management
Guidance and training materials
o Handbook on Prisoners with Special Needs (EN FR SP AR). LGBTI people are
among prisoners with special needs and as such are covered in a dedicated chapter
of the Handbook on Prisoners with Special Needs.
Advising
o Consultative opinion issued by UNODC Regional Office Panama on intimate visits
in prisons (in Spanish) including in relation to LGBT people.
Drug dependence in prison

Good practices document
o Drug dependence treatment: Interventions for Drug users in prisons – Good
practices document (Short section on needs of LGBT people in prisons).
HIV prevention, treatment care and support in prisons

o In 2013, UNODC, ILO, UNDP, WHO and UNAIDS developed a comprehensive
package of 15 key intervention for HIV prevention, treatment and care in prisons
and other closed settings, including condom programmes and prevention of
violence. These address vulnerable people in detention, including those targeted
based on their sexual orientation. This brief is currently being updated to reflect
recent international tools, and includes additional interventions regarding sexual
and reproductive health, addresses special health needs of men who have sex with
men and transgender people in prisons, and promotes anti-discrimination laws for
prison settings.
o UNODC developed a set of guidelines and standard operating procedures to support
professionals and peer workers providing HIV prevention, treatment, care and
support services, including condom programmes, in prison settings in sub-Saharan
Africa. These guidelines are intended to assist the provision of HIV services in
prison settings by adopting a target-group specific approach including for men who
have sex with men (MSM). In 2019, UNODC in collaboration with other UN
agencies, developed a Technical Guide on Prevention of Mother-to-Child
Transmission of HIV in Prisons, which promotes sexual and reproductive health
and rights including condom programmes and prevention of stigma, discriminat ion
and sexual and gender-based violence in prisons. Based on this technical guide,
UNODC has developed training materials for the roll-out in selected
regions/countries with unmet needs in 2019/2020.
Advocacy / Consultation
o UNODC promotes the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment
of Prisoners, The Nelson Mandela Rules”. Rule 2 of the basic principles indicates
that: no discrimination on the grounds of race, colour, sex. For the principle of non-
discrimination to be put into practice, prison administrations shall take account of
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the individual needs of prisoners, in particular the most vulnerable categories in

prison settings. Measures to protect and promote the rights of prisoners with special
needs are required
o In October 2014, UNODC held a global consultation on HIV in prisons in Vienna,

where experiences of countries that established special facilities for gay, lesbian and
transgender people in detention were discussed.
Technical Assistance
o UNODC provides technical assistance to countries in a number of regions to
implement comprehensive HIV prevention, treatment and support programmes in
prisons, including for key populations. For example; UNODC launched a
programme in Sub Saharan Africa 2017 – 2020 to support the development and
implementation of health and rights based policies and strategies. As such, more
attention will be paid to improving prison-based compliance with HIV/AIDS and
SRHR minimum standards within prison environments.
HIV prevention and treatment care and support for people who use stimulants
o In 2015, UNODC commissioned a literature review on HIV risks and stimulant
drugs use. The review focused on HIV transmission risks and the use of cocaine,
of amphetamine type stimulant (ATS) and of new psychoactive substances (NPS)
that are stimulant. The last part of the review looked at the evidences related to
interventions for the prevention of HIV and treatment for people who use stimulant
drugs. The detailed reports of the review have been published in 5 parts accessible
on UNODC-HIV Publications webpage.
o In 2016 UNODC developed, in partnership with the International Network of
Women Who Use Drugs (INWUD), Women Harm Reduction International
Network (WHRIN), the Eurasian Harm Reduction Network (EHRN) The practical
guide Addressing specific needs of women who inject drugs for HIV service
providers on gender sensitive HIV services The publication was officially launched
during International AIDS Conference 2016 and it is accessible on UNODC-HIV
Publications webpage.
o In 2017, UNODC initiated and developed a training module on Gender
Mainstreaming Monitoring and Evaluation of HIV Services for Women Who Use
Drugs for implementation of country-level workshops. The workshops aim at
building capacity in how to mainstream gender in HIV programming, monitoring
and evaluation among service providers, programme managers, other relevant
government and civil society partners.
o In 2019 UNODC developed in collaboration with representatives from the
community of people who use drugs and international experts in the field and
published the Technical Guide on HIV prevention care and support among people
who use stimulant drugs. The purpose of this publication is to provide guidance on
implementing HIV, hepatitis C (HCV) and hepatitis B (HBV) programmes for
people who use stimulant drugs and who are at risk of contracting these viruses. It
aims to:
 increase awareness of the needs and issues faced by the affected groups,
including the intersectionality among different key populations; and
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 provide implementation guidance to help establish and expand access to

core HIV and hepatitis prevention, treatment, care and support services.
Advocacy / Consultation
o In 2016, in the framework of the preparation towards the United Nations General
Assembly on the world drug problem (UNGASS2016) and the United Nations High
Level Meeting on Ending AIDS (HLM2016), UNODC conducted a scientific
consultation, including on stimulant drugs and HIV. The main conclusions in the
“Second Scientific Statement, Science addressing Drugs and HIV: State of the Art,
” were presented at the 59th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs as well
as at the UNGASS2016 and at the HLM2016.
o In 2017 UNODC organized technical consultations HIV and stimulant drug use in
Vietnam where the focus was on amphetamine/methamphetamine use; Ukraine
addressing injecting NPS; and in Brazil, focusing on crack cocaine. The
consultations brought together over 100 representatives from national HIV/AIDS
programme, drug control agencies and other relevant law enforcement agencies, as
well as governmental and non-governmental organizations developing and
implementing harm reduction programmes, drug dependence treatment
programme, academics and representatives from people who use drugs, MSM, SW
and LGBTI communities to discuss the national specific approaches in
implementing HIV prevention treatment and care interventions among people who
use stimulant drugs, as well as structural barriers for effective programming.
o In 2019 UNODC organized capacity building national workshops on HIV
prevention care and support among people who use stimulant drugs in Viet Nam,
Brazil, Dominican Republic and a regional workshop for the MENA region. The
purpose of the training is to increase the capacity of, programme managers,
governmental and non-governmental implementers including community members
part of a HIV key population (men who have sex with men, people who inject drugs,
sex workers, transgender people, people in prisons) to provide evidence-based
services and to implement effective HIV and HCV programmes for people who use
Stimulant drugs.
Technical Assistance
o UNODC developed a training package designed to build the capacity of the
participants to mainstream gender into services for people who inject drugs. The
capacity-building program is implemented in all UNODC High Priority Countries
(HPC) for drug use and HIV. In 2017-2018 UNODC organized trainings for service
providers in in Afghanistan, Belarus, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Tajikistan, Thailand,
Uzbekistan & Viet Nam. In each country the training on gender responsive HIV
services was followed by a training on Gender Mainstreaming Monitoring and
Evaluation of HIV Services for Women Who Use Drugs.
o UNODC developed a training package designed to be used and adapted at country
level to support rolling-out the Technical Guide on HIV prevention care and support
among people who use stimulant drugs. Three training packages have been
designed that each address a specific subcategory of stimulant drugs:
 Amphetamine-type stimulant drugs (ATS)
 Cocaine
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 New Psychoactive Substances (NPS)

The training packages are designed to flexibly adjust the training to various context
and communities.
UN Funds and Programmes
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Advancing inclusion of sexual and gender minorities and promoting their access to HIV and
health services is a key priority for UNDP. Regional “Being LGBTI” and “SOGIESC and
rights” programmes are building understanding of the issues that lesbian, gay, bi, trans, and
intersex people face and advancing their inclusion in national development efforts. Built on
South-South cooperation within and across regions, “Being LGBTI” and related programmes
have been rolled out across 53 countries worldwide, in partnership with communities of LGBTI
people, governments, civil society, academia, and the private sector. “Being LGBTI” is
supported by USAID, the Government of Sweden, the Australian Department of Foreign
Affairs and Trade, the Ministry for European Affairs and Equality and Faith in Love
Foundation. Partners include ILO, OHCHR, UNESCO, UN Women, UNAIDS, WHO, the
World Bank, The Economist Events, The Lancet and the Salzburg Global Seminar.
“Being LGBTI in Asia and the Pacific” has engaged with 235 government departments, 643
civil society groups, 27 human rights bodies, and 174 private sector organizations across over
50 countries. UNDP was among the stakeholders that provided technical assistance and inputs
to drafting Pakistan’s Protection of Rights of Transgender Persons Act, which was adopted in
2018. Upon government’s request, together with UNAIDS and the UN Resident Coordinator’s
Office in Pakistan, UNDP also supported development of transgender welfare policies.
In 2018, the UNDP-OHCHR “SOGI and Rights in Africa” project provided recommendations
for Botswana, including to decriminalize same sex relations. UNDP also supported the research
and the development of amicus curiae by civil society partner LEGABIBO. Joint advocacy
efforts of multiple stakeholders were successful in 2019, when with a unanimous decision the
High Court of Botswana found provisions criminalizing same sex relations unconstitutional.
With the first phase of “Being LGBTI in Eastern Europe” completed, the project is now
focusing on follow up with country reports’ recommendations. In 2018, civil society in Albania
used the country report on the LGBTI rights to advocate with the Ministry of Health and Social
Protection for speeding up the National LGBTI Action Plan implementation.
“Being LGBTI in the Caribbean” implemented in Barbados, Dominican Republic, Grenada,

Haiti, Jamaica, and St. Lucia seeks to increase inclusive public policies, representation, and
access to justice for LGBTI people and address stigma and discrimination. In 2018, the project
focused on civil society capacity development, stigma reduction consultations, training
national authorities such as the public defender in Haiti. UNDP also supported a diploma course
“Strengthening capacities of organized LGBTI community in the Dominican Republic”, taught
at the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO).
Through its regional LGBTI programmes and partnerships, UNDP continues to support law
and policy reform, capacity development of all stakeholders, dialogues, analyses, knowledge
products, advocacy efforts. Support to and partnership with civil society is an essential
component of the regional initiatives.
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In 2018, UNDP has supported gender legal recognition work in Asia and the Pacific through
series of country reports and regional roundtables). Police officers have been trained in
partnership with transgender civil society (Sisters Foundation) on SOGIE-related issues. The
first ever national workshop on SOGIE in closed settings in Thailand was organized by UNDP
and UNOD with the support of national authorities. Joint civil society-NHRI action plans were
developed for Bangladesh, Fiji, Philippines, Samoa and Timor-Leste. The first-ever regional
intersex network in Asia was created with support from UNDP in 2018.
In Africa, UNDP supported the drafting of LGBTI rights assessment reports for Botswana,
Cameroon, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania and Zambia. In Cameroon the report was used
by the government as the key document for drafting the Global Fund grant application,
informing the 2018-2021 National Strategic Plan, and a key populations HIV prevention
strategy.
UNDP, OHCHR and UNAIDS supported the second thematic cross-regional dialogue on
SOGIESC between the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the Inter-
American Commission on Human Rights, and the UN. UNDP and UNFPA supported the
Southern African Development Community’s Parliamentary Forum to develop Minimum
Standards for Parliamentarians for removing barriers and ensuring equitable HIV preventio n
and SRH services for key populations, including LGBT people, in the SADC region. The
Minimum Standards were adopted by the Parliamentary Forum in December 2018.
At the global level, UNDP continued to lead and partner in the work of the LGBTI Inclusion
Index with the Proposed Set of LGBTI Inclusion Indicators, published together with the World
Bank now available in seven languages. A proposed LGBTI Inclusion Index Methodology was
completed after extensive all-stakeholder consultations and the preparation for the Index
piloting have started. UNDP is also actively engaging with the Equal Rights Coalition on SDGs
and LGBTI people and supports mainstreaming of LGBTI inclusion issues at the High Level
Political Forum on Sustainable Development.
Select knowledge products

o UNDP (2018), The Sustainable Development Goals: Sexual and Gender Minorities
o UNDP and the World Bank (2018), A Set of Proposed Indicators for the LGBTI
Inclusion Index – in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish.
o UNDP (2018) LGBTI Inclusion Index Methodology
o UNDP and PGA (2017) Advancing the Human Rights and Inclusion of LGBTI People:
A Handbook for Parliamentarians – in Russian (Продвижение прав и социальной
интеграции ЛГБТИ людей Пособие для парламентариев)
o APTN, UNDP, Curtin University (2018). Denied Work – An audit of employment
discrimination on the basis of gender identity in South-East Asia.
o APTN, UNDP (2018). From barriers to bridges: Increasing access to HIV and other
health services for trans people in Asia.
o UNDP, ICRW, APCOM (2018). Know Violence: Exploring the links between
violence, mental health and HIV risk among men who have sex with men and
transwomen in South Asia.
o UNDP, China Women’s University (2018). Legal Gender Recognition in China: A
Legal and Policy Review.
o UNDP, ILO (2018). LGBTI People and Employment: Discrimination Based on Sexual
Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression, and Sex Characteristics in China, the
Philippines and Thailand.
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o UNDP, Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines (2018). Legal Gender

Recognition in the Philippines: A Legal and Policy Review.
o UNDP, MSDHS (May 2018). Legal Gender Recognition in Thailand: A Legal and
Policy Review.
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
o UNFPA continues to be engaged in delivery of UN for All workshops – including the

SOGIE module, together with internal UNFPA actions in support of LGBTQI
acceptance and inclusion within UNFPA.
o Across the UN, UNFPA has also continued collaboration and support for UN advocacy
bodies including the LGBTI Core Group and Equal Rights Coalition, and attended the
launch of the new Global Equality Caucus.
o Together with UNDP and UNODC, UNFPA continues co-chairing the IAWG on HIV
and key populations – updating the Terms of Reference to reinvigorate our collective
responses.
o For IDAHOT Day, UNFPA Executive Director issued a statement in support of
LGBTQI people. UNFPA also hosted a seminar on Indigenous two spirit issues in June.
o Regionally and nationally, UNFPA continues support for roll-out of the key pop HIV
implementation tools (MSMIT, TRANSIT), as well as a young key populations SRHR
toolkit – through training of trainers, implementation of services and an advocacy
toolkit for addressing barriers to services.
o At the 24th Congress on Sexual Health in October, UNFPA is hosting a symposium on
“Progress and challenges in achieving sexual health, and sexual and reproductive rights
for all”, including advocacy for trans people’s, MSM and other minorities’ sexual
rights.
o UNFPA is also making inputs to the Global Partnership on ending HIV-related stigma
and discrimination – including against LGBTQI persons, within health care, education,
justice and humanitarian settings.
o Potential for community shadow reporting of GARPR and UBRAF key population
indicators is being examined with UNAIDS. In the Pacific region initiatives include:
partnering with LGBTQI organizations on inclusion of LGBTQI awareness raising
within comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) and sports education; inclusion of
LGBTQI organizations in a regional Youth SRHR Alliance; care and support for
survivors of GBV; and LGBTQI community engagement in the 2nd Pacific Human
Rights Conference.
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
International Protection:
o UNHCR’s Guidelines on International Protection No. 9 (2012) for people seeking
refugee status due to a well-founded fear of persecution on the basis of sexual orientation
and/or gender identity, provides legal interpretative guidance for governments, legal
practitioners, decision makers and the judiciary, as well as UNHCR staff carrying out
refugee status determination under its mandate.
o UNHCR administers a web page on its refugee-related information portal, Refworld,
with legal, policy and operational guidance material UNHCR and others have developed
on this topic. UNHCR’s technical guidance in this area include:
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 "Need to Know Guidance: Working with Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual,

Transgender & Intersex Persons in Forced Displacement" (2011), which
provides practical guidance to staff on a range of issues to ensure the rights
of LGBTI persons of concern to the Office are met without discrimination.
 "Resettlement Assessment Tool: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and
Intersex Refugees" (revised in May 2019), which assists UNHCR staff and
other stakeholders working with LGBTI refugees with assessing claims and
resettlement needs.
 UNHCR’s 2012 “Guidelines on the Applicable Criteria and Standards
relating to the Detention of Asylum-Seekers and Alternatives to Detention”
and the “Detention Monitoring Manual”, both of which contain sections
specifically dealing with issues of detentions related to LGBTI persons.
o In 2018, a chapter on LGBTI persons was integrated in UNHCR’s “Alternatives to
Detention Self-Study Modules (ATDSSM)”. This chapter touches on international and
regional law and practices related to the detention and alternatives to detention for
LGBTI people, and highlights the specific risk and needs of LGBTI detained
refugees/asylum seekers. The ATDSSM is a blended learning programme which targets
UN staff, as well as governmental and non-governmental partners, designed to equip the
learner with knowledge and skills related to advocating for, developing and
implementing alternatives to immigration detention in national contexts.”
o UNHCR’s training package on the protection of LGBTI persons, jointly developed with
IOM, is publically available online and is updated and delivered regularly to UNHCR
staff in the field through a learning programme of three phases (including a project phase
assignment where staff are requested to apply what they learned in their operation).
UNHCR is in the process of developing an online module on working with LGBTI
persons, to be available for all UNHCR and partners staff by early 2020 through
UNHCR’s learning platform.
o In March 2018, UNHCR issued an updated Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) Policy
which comes with 10 core actions advancing meaningful participation and equal access
to rights for all women, men, boys and girls of concern to UNHCR, irrespective of their
age, gender, and diverse characteristics, including; religion, ethnic background,
disability, sexual orientation and gender identity. The AGD policy is the cornerstone for
UNHCR’s work with LGBTI persons.
o In response to the growing need to identify and address protection gaps in working with
LGBTI persons in forced displacement throughout the displacement cycle, UNHCR
intends to organize a roundtable on “Protection and solutions for lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgender and intersex persons in forced displacement” in the first quarter of 2020.
This meeting will bring together experts from states, NGOs, academic institutions and
international organizations to discuss the challenges faced by LGBTI asylum-seekers
and refugees, share good practices, and propose actions to advance protection and
solutions for LGBTI individuals who are forcibly displaced. A series of informal
consultations are organized in 2019 to prepare for this event. The first discussion with
selected experts took place in May 2019.
o In July 2019, UNHCR and OHCHR issued a joint press release whereby the UN
Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual
orientation and gender identity, , and UNHCR’s Assistant High Commissioner for
Protection urged more protection for LGBTI refugees. The press release stressed the role
of states in protecting LGBTI refugees and to ensure that a well-founded fear of
persecution on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and/or
sex characteristics is accepted as a ground for the recognition of refugee status.
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United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
Issues affecting LGBTQI children (and the children of LGBTQI parents) are cross-cutting and
relevant to all areas of UNICEF programming. Programming experience has recurrently
highlighted how patterns of discrimination can affect the realization of children's rights. Guided
by the CRC and CEDAW, UNICEF's programming supports laws, policies, and practices that
promote healthy and safe development for all children including those who identify or are
perceived as LGBTQI.
In November 2014, UNICEF published a Current Issues paper on eliminating discrimination

against children and parents based on sexual orientation and/or gender identity. This Issues
paper has since been used across the organization.
In 2017, UNICEF issued a Pre-Deployment Guide for UNICEF Personnel in Emergency and
High Risk Environments, which included an annex for Staff and Personnel of Diverse Sex and
Sexual and Gender Identities. Recognising that people of diverse sex and sexual and gender
identities may face challenges of discrimination and/or harassment in their daily lives, the
Guide provides information and advice on precautions and considerations that are important
when serving in emergency or high-risk environments.
As part of its current Strategic Plan (2018-2021), UNICEF has been focusing on “Positive
Gender Socialisation” which seeks to address discriminatory gender norms, behaviours,
expectations and practices that limit achievements across result areas. That includes addressing
prevailing negative social norms and discriminatory legal frameworks against LGBTQI
communities. UNICEF Brazil, for example, is working with the Adolescent LGBT Network
Initiative which seeks to support LGBTQI adolescents and eliminate discrimination against
children and parents based on sexual orientation and gender identity. It does this through
support services, training of LGBT leaders, and policy advocacy, using an inclusive and
participatory approach. For reference, please see UNICEF Brazil’s Annual Report, 2017.
Another country example is Malaysia where in October 2018, UNICEF co-organised an event
“I am Not the Only One – Youth Manifestos for a More Inclusive Malaysia” that provided a
platform for marginalised young people, including LGBTQI, to share their perspectives in
relation to the exercise of their rights, and prevailing discrimination and stigma.
UNICEF’s Gender Action Plan (2018-2021), which is closely aligned with UNICEF’s
Strategic Plan prioritises strengthening the capacity of its staff through GenderPro which
covers key concepts related to sex, gender, and intersectionality. As a result, UNICEF’s
approach to gender analysis is now inclusive of assessing the needs, risks, and capacities of
LGBTQI children and young people. These gender analyses enable UNICEF and its partners
to design more gender-equitable, rights-based programming. Since UNICEF expects that 77%
of its country offices will have country programme documents that include a gender analysis
by 2021, the agency will be more informed on how it engages and supports LGBTQI children
and youth.
Moreover, a number of UNICEF global programming guidances make reference to the rights
of LGBTQI. For instance, the education sector’s guidance on “transferable skills”
acknowledges that poor learning outcomes can result from gender inequalities. The 2018
“Programme Guidance for the Second Decade: Programming with and for Adolescents” also
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highlights the particular vulnerability of LGBTQI adolescents and the need to support efforts
to address discrimination, transform social norms and advocate for marginalized adolescents.
All in to End Adolescent AIDS was launched in 2015 by UNICEF and UNAIDS with other
partners. It focuses on 25 priority countries that are home to most of the world’s adolescents
living with or at risk for HIV (including adolescent boys and young men who have sex with
men (MSM) and adolescents who are transgender, as part of the “Key populations” most at risk
of HIV). All 25 priority countries have conducted baseline reviews of the data, and some
countries such as China, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand have done situation analyses
or ‘deep-dives’ into adolescent HIV. In 2018, UNICEF in Indonesia supported the scale-up of
a pilot programme in six urban centres to improve supply and demand for HIV services among
young key populations; and in the Philippines supported the launch of an HIV awareness and
prevention campaign targeted to key populations, working closely with APCOM, an advocacy
coalition on behalf of MSM and transgender people in Asia and the Pacific, and LoveYourself,
a Manila-based volunteer organization that operates community-based STI/HIV clinics. In
2018, UNICEF, UNESCO, UNFPA and UNDP and other UNAIDS cosponsor organizations,
networks of key populations and experts collaborated closely to develop an online toolkit for
adolescent and young key populations to support the scaling up of programmes for these
groups.
In May 2019 UNICEF Executive Director sent a global message to mark the International Day
Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT), reminding staff
that we stand together and commit to shaping a more diverse, inclusive and respectful
workplace for all UNICEF staff members, no matter who they are or where they work. This
commitment is being taken up by UNICEF country offices (such as in India, Cambodia, and
the Philippines) that are building the capacity of their personnel on LGBTQI rights focusing
on dignity and inclusion in the workplace with the support of the UN Cares Asia-Pacific
regional coordinator.
On 24 June 2019, UN Women and UNICEF delivered a joint statement at the 41st Session of
the Human Rights Council, to mark their support to the Independent Expert on Sexual
Orientation and Gender Identity and his mandate in support of all members of the LGBTI
community.
In July 2019 UNICEF Executive Director carried out a video interview with the UNICEF co-
ordinator for UN Globe, during which she reaffirmed UNICEF’s commitment to diversity not
only among staff, but also through programming.
United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN
Women)
LGBTI people’s inclusion in economic and human development and the full realization of their
human rights are strong imperatives for UN Women’s engagement within the context of its
mandate on advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment. Therefore, UN Women
works across its normative, UN coordination and operational roles to develop programming
and advocacy that integrate LGBTI people’s rights and perspectives, and has continued to
expand its work on LGBTI issues.
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o In order to support a more structured, consistent and integrated approach to SOGI rights,
UN Women had developed an internal Guidance Note on strengthening of programming
and advocacy on the rights and empowerment of LGBTI people in its work. The
Guidance Note is framed by international human rights standards and the Agenda 2030
and the SDGs, and the principle of leaving no one behind.
o Continued analysis of UN treaty body and Universal Periodic Review recommendations
on the rights of LGBTI persons and mapping of recommendations related to gender
equality issued by UN human rights mechanisms for use by country offices, also
included recommendations on sexual orientation and gender identity;
o UN Women integrates issues related to the human rights of LGBTI peoples into our
work on civil society mobilization, especially given the intersectional lens of the SDGs.
UN Women continues to issue public statements during IDAHOTB, and during
International Human Rights Day. UN Women’s Executive Director regularly meets with
the LGBTI caucus. UN Women aims to ensure that all civil society meetings convened
by UN Women have intersectional representation, including from LGBTI groups, not
just in the global meetings but also in the regional and country level meetings. UN
Women also ensures that LGBTI voices are part of the formal mechanism of its Civil
Society Advisory Groups at the global, regional and country levels;
o UN Women integrated its advocacy work on LGBTI rights into various forums of the
63rd session of the Commission on the Status of Women held in March 2019, where UN
Women partnered with some LGBTI groups on flagship side events including the Youth
Dialogue, where Youth LGBTI civil society activists and leaders also played a key role.
o UN Women, in collaboration with OHCHR, the Permanent Mission of Argentina to the
United Nations, the Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the United
Nations, OutRight Action International and UN GLOBE, organized a panel discussion
on “Gender Diversity Beyond Binaries – An interactive dialogue among Member States,
UN entities, and civil society on the current state of LGBTQI+ rights globally”. The
panel discussion took place on 15 July 2019 at the UN Secretariat, New York.
o UN Women, in collaboration with the Permanent Mission of Argentina to the United
Nations, the Permanent Mission of Australia to the United Nations and the Permanent
Mission of Uruguay to the United Nations, hosted a roundtable and interactive
discussion on “Gender and Sexual Minorities – Leaving No One Behind”, which took
place on IDAHOTB at the UN Secretariat, New York.
o UN Women has participated in working groups aimed to strengthen the impact of gender
and diversity perspectives in public policy making on HIV; ensured the inclusion of
LGBTI voices as part of the formal mechanism of the Civil Society Advisory Groups at
global, regional and country level, as well as at global, regional and country level civil
society gatherings; supported awareness raising on the violence against LGBTI persons;
conducted research with, and supported representation and capacity development of,
LGBTI organizations to; participate in Commission on the Status of Women and other
global events, including the upcoming Beijing +25 consultations and events, understand
how to better protect, promote and defend the rights of LGBTI people, prepare CEDAW
shadow reports, engage in policy dialogue and lobby for policy change, in several
countries. The roadmap to 2020, which sees the intersections of Beijing+25, Security
Council resolution 1325+20, SDGs+5, and the UN at 75 has already galvanized UN
Women’s work in ensuring that LGBTI rights are inserted into the planning and
coordination work taking place in 2019 around these anniversaries.
UN Specialised Agencies
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International Labour Organization (ILO)
o ILO’s project Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation: Promoting Rights, Diversity and
Equality in the World of Work (PRIDE) conducted research to identify good practices
and discrimination faced by LGBT people under each of the four pillars of the ILO’s
Decent Work Agenda. It:
 Identified the gaps and shortcomings in legal provisions and their
application which lead to discrimination in the world of work for LGBT
persons, and record positive legal systems where such rights are protected
(Fundamental Principles and Rights);
 Identified ‘good practice’ workplaces where diversity and tolerance for
LGBT persons is promoted (Employment Promotion);
 Assessed whether social security instruments such as medical care, pension
entitlements and other benefits are available to LGBT workers on the same
terms as other workers (Social Protection); and
 Assessed the extent of governments’, trade unions’ and employer
organizations’ knowledge and capacity to raise LGBT issues in tripartite
social dialogue fora and collective bargaining processes (Social Dialogue).
A fifth component on HIV and AIDS is also included in the project to
address the challenges that LGBT persons face in this regard.
o Research is complete in Argentina, Costa Rica, France, Hungary, India, Indonesia,
Montenegro, South Africa and Thailand.
o A ‘For Information’ paper, outlining the preliminary results of the PRIDE project at that
time was put before the 319th Session of the ILO’s Governing Body in October, 2013.
o As a follow up to the PRIDE Project, the ILO is developing a gender-sensitive
comprehensive toolbox for the promotion of inclusion of LGBTI populations in the
world of work. The Toolbox will promote the use of social dialogue and collective
bargaining in addressing LGBTI+ concerns; adopt a differentiated approach to
addressing the needs of LGBTI+ persons; cover a broad scope from fair recruitment to
termination of work; focus on legal and policy issues at both the national and enterprise
levels; include modules on HIV to be used in countries where there is a significant link
between LGBTI and HIV; and promote non-violence, access to justice and social
inclusion of LGBTI+ in the world of work. The Toolbox is being developed through a
4-stepped process. A literature review and the production of the first draft of the Toolbox
has taken place. The next step will involve review, field testing and finalisation of the
Toolbox. It will present an easy to use reference with step-by-step and practical guidance
on how to develop inclusive working environments for use by Governments, i.e.
Ministries of Labour, Employers’ organizations, Workers’ organizations, companies
and civil society organizations.
o Since 2013, the ILO’s Director-General Guy Ryder has observed the International Day
against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT) by issuing a statement
promoting tolerance and condemning workplace discrimination against LGBTI+
workers (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019). The Director General’s message
in the statement focuses on the IDAHOTB theme for that particular year in relation to
the world of work. The statements also coincide with events held at HQ in Geneva to
celebrate the day and giving visibility to the ILO’s work on LGBTI+ issues as well as
the Office’s efforts to promote diversity and inclusion in the workplace. For IDAHOT
2017, in response to the results of an internal LGBT staff survey where 32% of LGBT
respondents indicated that they were not out to colleagues at work, ILO Officials at HQ
were invited to “come out” as LGBTI allies by wearing rainbow coloured
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lanyards/badge holder showing their commitment to making the ILO an inclusive

workplace for all. Owing to the IDAHOTB theme of “alliances for solidarity” the
LGBTIallies@ILO initiative was repeated in 2018, along with a panel discussion on the
theme of “LGBT Voices: our experiences in the workplace & beyond.” In addition, a
three step guidance piece on how to fight discrimination in the workplace and become
an LGBTI ally. On IDAHOTB in 2019, the ILO Director General focussed his statement
on affirming the importance of human rights for all. He called on all workers to play
their part in ensuring that we protect the human rights of all workers, regardless of their
sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics. He
highlighted the importance of the ILO’s support to constituents to work towards the new
ILO Labour Standards on Ending Violence and Harassment in the world of work2. A
seminar was organized on the theme Justice and Protection for LGBTI+ people in the
world of work with speakers from the ILO Labour Standards department, UN GLOBE,
ILGA World and a human rights consultant. The discussions touched on a broad array
of issues related to LGBTI+ rights within the context of the world of work.
o Working with LGBTI people, the ILO piloted a project to promote decent and
productive work for LGBTI people. 16 trans women participated in the 2nd edition of
the kitchen assistant course organised in April 2018 by the project “Employability of
Trans People – Kitchen & Voice.” The “Kitchen & Voice” project educated the first
group at the end of 2017 and managed to bring about 70 per cent of participants into
jobs offered by a network of partner companies. “Kitchen & Voice” is part of a National
Employability Project for the LGBTI population and is expected to expand its
geographic scope to other Brazilian states, including Bahia, Rio de Janeiro, Goiás and
Pará.
o In May 2019, the ILO issued an “Information Paper on Protection against Sexual
Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression, and Sex Characteristics (SOGIESC)
discrimination. This paper sets out and analyses the law and practice of ILO member
States in relation to discrimination in employment and occupation on the basis of sexual
orientation, gender identity and expression, and sexual characteristics (SOGIESC).
o The ILO has also been conducting trainings to strengthen the capacity and knowledge
of staff on sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics.
o ILO HQ is one of the first UN agencies in Geneva to have gender inclusive facilities on
each floor.
o As part of the UNAIDS Unified Budget Results and Accountability Framework (2016
– 17), the ILO reported on HIV interventions focussing on LGBTI people, mostly in the
Asia region.
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Supporting education sector responses to violence including bullying based on sexual

orientation and gender identity/expression (SOGIE)
o UNESCO’s work on preventing and addressing homophobic and transphobic violence
including bullying in educational institutions, is in line with UNESCO’s mandate on
ensuring the right to quality education for all in learning environments that are safe,
nonviolent and inclusive (SDG 4 – Target 2.a).
o UNESCO’s work in this area started in 2011 by convening the first-ever UN
international consultation to address homophobic bullying in educational institutions.
The findings were summarized in the 2012 publication “Good Policy and Practice in
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HIV and Health Education – Booklet 8: Education Sector Responses to Homophobic

Bullying”. (also available in Chinese, English, French, Italian, Korean, Polish,
Portuguese, Russian and Spanish).
o In 2013, with support from the Government of the Netherlands, UNESCO launched the
three-year project “Education and Respect for All: Preventing and Addressing
Homophobic and Transphobic Bullying in Educational Institutions”. The project
supported regional and country-level activities in Asia-Pacific, Southern Africa, Latin
America and the Caribbean to improve the evidence base, document and share best
practice for action, raise awareness and build coalitions, and implement school-based
interventions to prevent and address homophobic and transphobic bullying.
Improving the evidence base and documenting best practice:

o In 2014, UNESCO published in collaboration with Plan International a study on bullying
targeting secondary school students who are or are perceived to be transgender or same-
sex attracted in Thailand.
o In 2015 UNESCO launched of a comprehensive review into bullying based on SOGIE
in Asia Pacific, ‘From Insult to Inclusion’ (infographics).
o May 2016 brought the release of the report ‘Out in the open: Education sector responses
to violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity/expression ’ (Summary in
English and French) in May 2016. The report provides an up-to-date review of the scope
and impacts of that phenomenon across regions.
o In 2016, UNESCO supported the Ministry of Education and Training of Viet Nam to
conduct and publish a study, “Reaching out: Preventing and addressing school-related
gender-based violence in Viet Nam” (Volume 1 & Volume 2) in 2016, by the Ministry
of Education and Training of Viet Nam with support from UNESCO and UNGEI.
o In 2018, UNESCO worked with the Council of Europe to develop a European regional
report to enrich the evidence base for education sector responses to violence based on
SOGIE in the European region. In Asia, UNESCO produced a synthesis report on school
violence based on SOGIE with data from China, the Philippines, Thailand and Viet
Nam, to broaden awareness and understanding about school violence based on SOGIE,
while also identifying best practices and policies.
o In 2019, UNESCO published a Technical Brief that provides evidence-based
recommendations on how governments and organizations managing large school-based
or household surveys can routinely monitor violence based on SOGIE in education.
o Evidence related to school violence and bullying based on SOGIE is also highlighted in
UNESCO’s recent ground-breaking report Behind the numbers: Ending school violence
and bullying, which was released at the World Education Forum in London in 2019.
Raising awareness and building coalitions:

o On the occasion of the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia
(IDAHOT) in 2016, UNESCO organized an international ministerial meeting to catalyse
responses by its Member States to violence including bullying based on sexual
orientation and gender identity/expression in education. The meeting was attended by
250 participants. 67 countries were represented at the meeting, including 54 at
governmental level and 15 countries at ministerial level.
o A group of countries present at the meeting also affirmed a “Call for Action by
Ministers” expressing their political commitment to ensuring inclusive and equitable
education for all learners in an environment free from discrimination and violence,
including discrimination and violence based on SOGIE. 56 countries have already
expressed their support for the Call for Action by Ministers.
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Supporting the implementation of country-level activities addressing violence in

education based on SOGIE
o In Asia Pacific, UNESCO organized a regional consultation on education sector
responses to violence based on SOGIE in Manila, the Philippines, on 6-7 November
2017. The two-day consultation brought together representatives from nine countries to
highlight gaps and good practices at country-level, and identify strategic opportunit ies
for multi-stakeholder advocacy and action to address school-related SOGIE-based
violence. It featured the “Art for Inclusion” exhibition, which included artwork by
Visual Communications students from the University of the Philippines.
o Following the consultation, a teacher training and curriculum development workshop
was organized in Thailand, with the goal of providing national education authorities with
a deeper understanding of SOGIE and the impact of bullying and discrimination based
on SOGIE, and of identifying entry-points and strategies for the Thai context.
o In 2019, UNESCO coordinated another creative campaign #ColourMeIn, which
involved young LGBTI and ally artists in the Asia-Pacific region to create artwork that
captures what a safe and inclusive school would look or feel like for LGBTI learners.
o In Latin America, UNESCO is working with Cenesex (Centro Nacional de Educación
Sexual) in Cuba to generate data through two studies: a situation analysis on the response
of the education sector to homophobic and transphobic bullying, and a study conducted
amongst young LGBT adults about their experiences of violence when they were in
school.
o In Europe, the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer & Intersex
Youth and Student Organization (IGLYO) organized in Brussels, on 22-23 January
2018, a follow-up meeting to the Call for Action for European countries, with support
of UNESCO. Participating countries reviewed progress in the implementation of their
commitments, based on the LGBTQI Inclusive Education Index and Report released at
the meeting, and plan for further actions.
Mainstreaming issues related to homophobic and transphobic violence in UNESCO’s

general work on school violence and bullying.
o In 17-19 January 2017, UNESCO and the Ewha Womans University, organized the
International Symposium on school violence and bullying in Seoul, Korea, which
included a number of sessions presented data on school violence based on SOGIE, and
best practices in preventing and addressing it.
o During the symposium, the Global Status Report on School Violence and Bullying was
launched. It includes a specific section on “Children and adolescents whose sexual
orientation, gender identity or expression does not conform to traditional gender norms”.
Promoting education and health that are fully inclusive of LGBTI learners
o In 2017, at the invitation of UNDP and the World Bank, UNESCO chaired the expert
working group on education for the development of an international LGBTI Inclusion
Index.
o In 2018 UNESCO published the International technical guidance on sexuality education.
The guidance is developed to assist education, health and other relevant authorities in
the development and implementation of school-based and out-of-school comprehensive
sexuality education programmes and materials. The needs of LGBTI students are
extensively referenced.
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o In 2018, UNESCO supported a global web-based consultation conducted by the youth

organization MAG Jeunes LGBT on how to make the 2030 Sustainable Development
Agenda for education and health more inclusive of young LGBTI people. The inputs of
more than 20.000 LGBTI youth were presented during the second conference of the
Equal Rights Coalition (ERC) in Canada in August 2018, giving a voice to young
LGBTI people who are often underrepresented in forums where the rights of LGBTI
people are discussed.
o UNESCO will support the participation of LGBT young people in the International
Forum on Inclusive Education and Equity in Education that will take place on 11-13
September 2019, in Cali, Colombia, to ensure their perspectives and contributions are
adequately reflected in the process and outcomes of the Forum.
World Health Organization (WHO)
Principles and mandate with regards to LGBTI

o The support of WHO to Member States is founded on the principle that all persons
should have equitable and equal access to health services.
o With regard to all persons right to equitable and equal access to health services, WHO
provides leadership in developing evidence-based policy options; in providing
technical support to Member States and in helping to build institutional capacity; in
guiding the education and training of health workers; in shaping the research agenda to
stimulate the generation, translation and dissemination of information on access to
health services; and in monitoring and reporting progress towards universal health
coverage.
o WHO Regional offices have also taken a number of steps to advance the health of
LGBTI people and in 2013, the Directing Council of WHO/PAHO adopted a resolution
on addressing the causes and disparities in health service access and utilizatio n for
lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans persons. The Resolution followed the adoption in 2012
of a WHO/PAHO statement on "Cures for an illness that does not exist" on the lack of
medical justification and the threat to health and well-being of "therapies" to change
sexual orientation with recommendations for Governments, academic institutions,
professional associations, the media and other stakeholders.
Strategies, Policies and Guidelines

o A key tool to monitor health coverage and outcomes is the International Classification
of Diseases (ICD). In 2019 a new edition of the ICD, ICD-11, included changes to more
accurately reflect understanding of sexual health and gender identity – notably, by
replacing “transsexualism” with a new concept of “gender incongruence”, defined as a
condition related to sexual health rather than a mental and behavioural disorder.
o In 2016, three Global Health Sector Strategies on HIV, viral hepatitis and STIs were
adopted by member states at the World Health Assembly. These 2016-2021 strategies
make explicit reference to services and policies for men who have sex with men and
transgender people, along with other key populations.
o In 2011 WHO issued guidelines on Prevention and Treatment of HIV and other STI
among men who have sex with men and transgender people which led to the
development of a joint UN/civil society tool on Implementing Comprehensive HIV and
STI programmes for men who have sex with men. In 2014 a range of HIV guidelines
were integrated into a consolidated version for HIV prevention, diagnosis, treatment and
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care for key populations and updated in 2016 following a survey on values and
preferences of transgender people. The latest guidelines include recommendations to,
inter alia, decriminalize same-sex behaviour and non-conforming gender identities as
well as drug use, and legally recognise transgender people. A supplement to these
guidelines included a Tool to set and monitor targets for HIV prevention, diagnosis,
treatment and care for key populations to support national programme managers to plan
and measure disaggregated response for the five key populations.
o In 2012, WHO issued guidelines on Prevention and Treatment of HIV and other STI for
sex workers in Low-and Middle –Income countries, which formed the basis for a
WHO/HIV 2013 tool on Implementing comprehensive HIV/STI programmes with sex
workers: practical approaches from collaborative interventions, both of which address
the situation of men who have sex with men and transgender sex workers. A similar tool
was developed in 2015 to address the needs of MSM ‘Implementing comprehensive HIV
and STI programmes with men who have sex with men. Practical guidance for
collaborative interventions an implementation tool for men who have sex with men’.
o In 2014, WHO led the preparation of inter-agency guidelines on the elimination of
forced, coercive and otherwise involuntary sterilization. Some groups, such as
transgender and intersex persons, also have a long history of discrimination and abuse
related to sterilization.
o In 2015, WHO published a report on Sexual Health, Human Rights and Law. The report
shows how states in different parts of the world can and do support sexual health through
legal and other mechanisms that are consistent with human rights standards and their
own human rights obligations.
o In 2015, WHO published a Policy Brief on Transgender people and HIV the first of its
kind, which paved the way for a Blueprint for the Provision of Comprehensive Care for
Trans People and Trans Communities in Asia and the Pacific. In 2016 a commentary on
the ‘Growing recognition of transgender health’ was published in the WHO Bulletin.
WHO also supported the development of a tool ‘Implementing comprehensive HIV and
STI programmes with transgender people. Practical guidance for collaborative
interventions’. ¨
o In 2015, WHO published four technical briefs on HIV and young key populations
(including young men who have sex with men, young people who inject drugs, young
transgender people, and young people who sell sex) In 2018, the young MSM brief was
updated with partners including MPact ‘Out with it - HIV and other sexual health
considerations for young men who have sex with men’
o In 2016, WHO published a Frequently Asked Questions on health and sexual diversity:
An introduction to key concepts that consolidates existing WHO guidance on gender
minorities
o In 2017, WHO published an operational approach to sexual health and its linkages to
reproductive health. The framework is intended to support policy-makers and
programme implementers.
o In 2017 WHO published a paper describing the new operational framework for sexual
health, which describes sexual health intervention areas and the inter-relationship
between sexual health and reproductive health.
o A compendium of case examples of innovation and good practice in HIV prevention,
diagnosis, treatment and care was published in 2018
Research
o In 2002, WHO published the report of a technical consultation on “Defining sexual
health” which included a number of guiding principles for successful programme
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interventions, such as the importance of an affirmative approach to sexuality, and

noting the importance of considering sexual orientation in the design of health
programmes.
o A 2010 report "Developing sexual health programmes: A framework for action" further
recommended the repeal of discriminatory laws and the adoption of anti-discriminat ion
legislation that includes grounds of sex and sexual orientation. Similar conclusions
were drawn in the 2015 report Sexual health, human rights and the law which highlights
the relationship between sexual health, human rights and the law.
o In 2013-2014 WHO contributed to the SIALON II project, a multi-centre bio-
behavioural cross-sectional survey carried out among MSM across 13 European
countries. Results of this study have been published with WHO support on test seeking
behaviour and serostatus disclosure. In 2018, results were published on outness, sexual
satisfaction and, autonomy and safety.
o In January 2016, WHO published a review of systematic reviews, compiling evidence
and knowledge gaps on the disease burden in sexual and gender minorities.
o In 2017, WHO published a study exploring the link between violence and perceptions
of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, based on a systematic
review of 74 studies.
o In 2018, WHO presented papers on the role of behaviour interventions for STI
prevention that includes a specific focus on LGBTI health within the context of
biomedical interventions such as pre exposure prophylaxis.
o WHO initiated a two-year feasibility study on the use of a brief sexuality-related

communication intervention among different populations, including MSM and
transgender populations in Peru.
o In 2018, WHO published a review of inclusion of key populations in national HIV plans
of countries in the WHO Africa region Focus on key populations in national HIV
strategic plans in the WHO African Region’
o In 2018, WHO/PAHO issued a report on the health situation of LGBT individuals
urging the elimination of barriers to accessing care, so that no one is left behind
o In 2019, WHO/Europe marked the IDAHOT and published a brief on transgender
health in the context of ICD-11
World Bank
This summary details the approach of the World Bank Group to address exclusion based on
sexual orientation and gender identity in client countries.
Economic, social, and human development:

o The World Bank approaches SOGI inclusion through our commitments on gender
equality and social inclusion. The links between gender equality and development were
well established in the 2012 World Development Report on Gender Equality and
Development, while the importance of social inclusion in development was articulated
in the 2013 report Inclusion Matters. Jim Yong Kim, the World Bank Group’s former
president calls for LGBTI inclusion in a video message and advocates for countries to
address the cost of discrimination on societies and economies—including on grounds of
SOGI. In November 2016, the World Bank appointed first-ever SOGI Global Advisor.
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He is providing thought leadership and technical guidance to ensure LGBTI inclusion

in World Bank programs and operations. During the IDAHOT 2019 commemoration
event, David Malpass, the new World Bank president reiterated the organization’s
commitment to SOGI inclusion.
o Existing evidence indicates that LGBTI people suffer lower education outcomes due to
discrimination, bullying and violence in schools; higher unemployment rates; and a lack
of access to adequate housing and health services and financial services. As a result,
LGBTI people are likely overrepresented in the economic bottom 40% of the population.
The main strategic contributions and priorities for the World Bank are to expand the
evidence-base on the links between LGBTI exclusion and development through
research, and to the application of knowledge to project design. Secondary contributions
include platforms that promote knowledge-exchange—especially in relation to poverty
alleviation.
Research and Data:

o With support from the World Bank internal Nordic Trust Fund (NTF), the World Bank
surveyed more than 3500 LGBTI and non LGBTI people in Thailand and launched a
report on the Economic Inclusion of LGBTI Groups in Thailand. The research generated
quantitative and qualitative data on the forms of discrimination—specifically in
accessing markets, services and spaces pertaining to the employment, labor, and
education sectors. This involved an online survey targeting LGBTI individuals as well
as, for comparison, the general population, plus focus-group discussions.
o With support from the NTF, the World Bank has generated quantitative data in the
Western Balkans on the economic dimensions of LGBTI exclusion. This included a
regional survey designed to capture the experiences of LGBTI people in 5 countries of
the Western Balkans, Croatia and Slovenia, Life on the Margins: experiences of LGBTI
people in South-eastern Europe (September 2018). In Serbia, a specialized survey
modelled on the methodology of the EU Survey on Income and Living Conditions
(SILC), was designed to capture the development outcomes of LGBTI Serbians (report
forthcoming), while two experimental studies provided in depth insights into SOGI
based discrimination and exclusion. .
o Based on the work of the Development Economics unit, the World Bank is expanding a
survey tool that examines discriminatory laws applied to sexual and gender minorit ies
as a way to measure the impact of these laws on economic growth.
o Building on the study “The Economic Cost of Stigma and the Exclusion of LGBT
People: A Case Study of India,” the World Bank is partnering with the Inter-American
Development Bank (IDB) on studies in Latin America to measure the economic cost of
SOGI-based exclusion from markets, services and spaces.
o Based on the 51 LGBTI inclusion indicators produced through a partnership with UNDP
and other UN agencies and stakeholders, the World Bank is undertaking internal
validation of the indicators for Bank projects.
Applying Knowledge to Project Design:

o The World Bank in Costa Rica is seeking to operationalize new public policies to protect
the rights to life, health, social security and social protection of LGBTI individuals.
Additionally, the project seeks to support government staff to improve health care for
LGBTI individuals and their participation in the implementation of results monitoring.
o Through a series of briefs which seek to operationalize violence prevention in sectoral
loans, the World Bank co-created a guidance note to promote violence prevention among
lesbian, bisexual, and transgender women. Additionally, regional gender action plans
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and diagnostics in Europe, Central Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean have
specifically incorporated LGBTI issues as important to the larger goals of gender
equality.
o Examples of development initiatives focusing on SOGI include:
o In Argentina, a social protection and jobs project is focusing on building the
capacity of unemployment centers throughout the country to better address the
challenges women face in getting access to training and opportunities to enter
the formal job market. In a subset of these unemployment centres, the project
is also addressing the challenges faced by unemployed people with disabilit ies,
unemployed indigenous people, and unemployed LGBTI+ people.
o In Chile, a new higher public education project, currently in design, will focus
on building the capacity of social inclusion centres in public universities to
address the challenges female students face. Chile has data that show that
female students have a much higher dropout rate than male students. The
project will also build the centres’ capacity to address the challenges faced by
students with disabilities, indigenous students, migrant students, and LGBTI+
students.
o In 2018 the World Bank updated its safeguard framework to modernize its approach of
risk mitigation during the lending process and enacted the new Environmental and
Social Framework (ESF). In parallel, the World Bank president enacted a Presidential
Directive to be implemented alongside the framework. This Directive specifically
demarcates discrimination based on SOGI as contributing toward vulnerability, and thus
places a responsibility on staff to ensure vulnerable groups (including LGBTI people)
are not negatively impacted by lending. The Bank is producing a SOGI Good Practice
Note to help staff apply a SOGI lens to project design and implementation and minimize
the possibility of discrimination based on SOGI. Meanwhile, the SOGI Global Advisor
has been leading consultations with LGBTI CSOs in client countries around the world
to inform the application of the ESF.
o We are also producing a knowledge product on the intersection of SOGI and contexts
of Fragility, Conflict, and Violence (FCV). This knowledge product identifies the entry
points for SOGI inclusion in areas such as health, education, jobs and social protection
to mitigate SOGI-based vulnerabilities in FCV contexts.
o The World Bank’s Social, Urban, Rural, and Resilience global practice along with the
Education global practice produced a discussion paper on inclusive education Equity
and Inclusion in Education in World Bank Projects: Persons with disabilities,
indigenous peoples, and sexual and gender minorities. Another discussion paper on the
intersectionality of SOGI and disability is in production.
Knowledge-Exchange:
Since 2011, the World Bank has convened numerous public events on SOGI inclusion in
development—particularly by advancing the link to poverty and larger development goals.
These events have taken place on internationally recognized days, including IDAHOT, World
AIDS Day, and the Zero Discrimination Day. Other events have taken place during the World
Bank’s Annual and Spring Meetings, and include the World Bank President and Executive
Directors meeting with global LGBTI leaders. Finally, other events have prioritized sharing
best practices regarding governmental inclusion of LGBTI people, in addition to exchanging
expertise on measuring the extent of exclusion. Throughout these events, the World Bank
fostered knowledge-exchange among organizations, governments, World Bank staff, and
international organizations. In this, the World Bank will continue to convene a diverse group
Page | 22 of 28
of actors who seek to promote inclusion and rights, will continue to showcase global successes,
and will continue to promote the exchange of cutting-edge methods of measuring exclusion.
o The World Bank has invested in new Virtual Reality technology for staff trainings and
sensitization and the first module to be offered is on SOGI (featuring former WB acting
president Kristalina Georgieva).
Other UN Entities and Related Organizations
International Organization for Migration (IOM)
IOM aims to combat discrimination and abuses against LGBTI migrants and to build a work
environment with zero tolerance for homophobia, transphobia and biphobia.
Training on Working with LGBTI Migrants:

o From 2011-2016, the IOM LGBTI Focal Point provided training on working with LGBTI
people in the humanitarian context to nearly 1500 staff members of IOM and 25 other
organizations and entities, including UNHCR, other UN agencies, government
representatives and NGOs, in 18 countries in the Americas, Europe, Africa, the Middle
East and Asia. The training sessions were between one and three days in length and
included such topics as terminology, global issues, communication, creating safe spaces,
conducting interviews, operational protection, resettlement and travel and transit for
LGBTI migrants and refugees.
o In December 2016 and August 2017, IOM and UNHCR held joint “training of trainers”
sessions for 46 staff members from around the globe to deliver the training package. Since
those Training of Trainer sessions, the certified IOM trainers have provided LGBTI
training for more than 300 staff members in 10 countries. They are expected to continue
training IOM, UNHCR and operating partners in 2018 and beyond.
o In September 2017, an updated version of the 2015 IOM UNHCR training package
“Working with LGBTI Persons in the Humanitarian Context” was released. The material
is suitable for a wide range of entities, and organizations are encouraged to adapt the
material for their own use. The training package includes five modules comprised of 26
units and covers a wide range of topics, from terminology, international law, successful
communication and safe spaces to conducting interviews, operational protection, durable
solutions, health, sexual and gender-based violence, travel and transit and intersectionality.
The package has been translated into Spanish and is currently being translated into French,
Spanish and Arabic. An updated version is expected in 2020.
o To complement the LGBTI training package, IOM developed two key informational tools,
the SOGIESC Spectrums and the Trans Information Sheet. These materials are used as
flyers, hand-outs, posters and in training presentations.
o IOM has additionally developed a Spanish-language training course “Migration and the
LGBTI Community” (English translation available here). It is being implemented through
LGBTI focal points in Mesoamerica and raises awareness among public servants, shelter
workers, migration-related NGOs and LGBTI activists and advocates by teaching
participants how to better address the challenges faced by LGBTI migrants due to
persecution on the basis of their sex, sexual orientation and gender identity.
o Under the regional project PROTECT project, IOM Slovenia recently contributed to a
chapter on LGBTI migrants in a GBV Protection and Response Train the trainers Manual.
The chapter was developed by the NGO Legebitra and the training will be used to train
IOM and operational partners.
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The IOM Work Environment:

o In 2017, IOM hired its first Diversity Officer under the division of Human Resources
Management. The Diversity Officer’s portfolio includes gender and geographical balance
in the workforce and other diversity-related concerns, including improving the workplace
for persons of diverse ability, sexual orientation and gender identity.
o In 2015, IOM appointed a global LGBTI Focal Point who handles programmatic and
personnel questions related to LGBTI migrants and staff members of diverse sex, sexual
orientation and gender identity from throughout the organization. The LGBTI Focal Point
is also IOM’s representative to UN-GLOBE. In 2019, several other departments
nominated LGBTI Focal Points, including Media and Communications.
o IOM has made several important policy changes related to LGBTI staff issues, including
on the provisions on rotation, recognition of spouses and partners in same-sex relationships
(IN/225) and the inclusion of gender identity as a category protected by the Standards of
Conduct (IN/15, Rev. 1).
o For IDAHOBIT 2016 - 2019, IOM undertook a wide range of activities, including a multi-
agency panel discussion in Geneva, a session with LGBTI migrants in Geneva, training
sessions and global information dissemination to staff through a staff advisory and other
means. This year, the IOM Director General released a new IDAHOBIT video message to
all staff members and the general public on “IOM and Working with LGBTI People in the
Humanitarian Context.”. The organization also produced an article for partners on IOM’s
LGBTI-related work and printed diversity and inclusion, “safe space workplace” and
“LGBTI ally” posters, buttons, stickers and bookmarks that were distributed in print to
IOM’s regional offices and digitally to staff worldwide.
o In 2015, IOM launched a social media campaign on Twitter (@IOM_LGBTI) and
Facebook (IOM LGBTI Migrant Equality) highlighting the importance of respecting
LGBTI migrant rights.
UNAIDS - the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS3
UNAIDS is a partnership of 11 UN organizations (UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA,

UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank) that leads UN efforts to
achieve universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support. UNAIDS fulfils its
mission by uniting global efforts, speaking out in solidarity, mobilizing political, technical,
scientific and financial resources, empowering agents of change with strategic information and
evidence, and supporting inclusive country leadership. This update focuses uniquely on the
UNAIDS Secretariat.
The UNAIDS strategy, 2016–2021: On the Fast-Track to end AIDS, aligns with the Sustainable
Development Goals and incorporates human rights based approach to development..
Advocacy and speaking out in solidarity:

o One of 12 UN agencies endorsing a joint statement on Ending violence and
discrimination against LGBTI people.
o Led the development and is supporting the implementation of a Joint UN Statement on
Ending Discrimination in Health Care Settings that was endorsed by 12 UN Agencies.
3 UNAIDS means the UNAIDS Secretariat unless otherwise noted.
Page | 24 of 28
o Developed a Global Expert Consensus Statement on the Science of HIV in the Context
of Criminal Law that aims to update concepts of HIV-related risks and harms, based on
the science of HIV, improve understanding and utilization of forensic evidence on HIV
transmission, and help ensure a fair and science-based application of criminal law.
o Prevents and responds to HIV-related human rights crises including those faced by
LGBTI people. This work involves direct support and diplomacy as necessary. This
also includes issuing statements and undertaking high-level advocacy by the UNAIDS
Executive Director, RST Directors and UNAIDS Country Directors. Recently this
included statements issued in support of Botswana decriminalizing LGBT people, a
statement against the decision by the High Court of Kenya to uphold LGBT
criminalization, and a statement against the application of a new anti-LGBT law in
Brunei.
o Signed a memorandum of understanding with Pride House Tokyo for the 2020 Tokyo
Olympics and Paralympic Games to provide technical assistance to and jointly
programme activities related to human rights and sexual health.
o Host annual IDAHOT programme for UNAIDS staff.
o Organised a consultation in conjunction with OHCHR on promoting HIV in the human
rights response in February 2019, bringing together civil society, mandate holders,
judges, policy makers and experts, including representing LGBTI communities. The
report of the consultation recommended, among other things, acting to remove stigma
and discrimination against key populations and the removal of laws criminalising same-
sex sexual activity and gender identity and expression.
o Advocacy at the sustainable development agenda fora, including expert meetings on
goals 10 and 16, and the high-level political forum on the need to focus on key
populations and criminalised groups, in particularly LGBTI communities, ensuring the
presence and voice of LGBTI civil society organisations to speak at the fora.
Mobilizing political, technical, scientific and financial resources:

o Providing technical assistance and high-level political engagement in countries on
issues related to policies such as criminalization, mandatory testing, travel restrictions,
and more. This includes engaging as a “friend of the court” or Amicus Curiae when
necessary.
o Working in partnership with USAID and the Elton John Foundation on the Deep
Engagement Fund to support access to health care by LGBTI people in Uganda, Kenya
and Mozambique. The partnership has also initiated an Emergency Response Fund
administered by the International HIV/AIDS Alliance. Grants of up to $20,000 are
available in 29 countries where these communities are at high risk of experiencing
human rights violations.
o Continue to support the guidelines on the use, overuse and misuse of criminal law in
relation to consensual sex, HIV exposure, non-disclosure and transmission, gender
identity and expression, led by the International Commission of Jurists.
Convening stakeholders and partners:

o With UN agencies and civil society organizations, implementing the Global
Partnership for action to eliminate all forms of HIV-related stigma and discrimination.
This initiative aims to support countries to fulfil the human rights obligations,
strengthen partnerships among stakeholders to implement programmes and support
accountability towards the elimination of stigma and discrimination.
o Coordinating an annual global effort on March 1:International Zero Discrimination
Day.
Page | 25 of 28
o Continue to support, monitor and report on the results of the Global HIV Prevention
Coalition and a Prevention Road Map. One of the five pillars in the Prevention Road
Map specifically aims at scaling up evidence-informed and human-rights based
combination prevention programmes tailored to LGBTI people.
o Supporting #uproot, a youth political agenda led by The PACT. It aims to tackle the
root causes that put young people at risk, including inequalities, discrimination,
exclusion and violence. #Uproot’s first pillar is to challenge harmful policies that
jeopardize young people’s access to HIV and sexual and reproductive health services
and rights, including criminalization of LGBT communities.
o UNAIDS Country Offices (UCOs) routinely convene representatives from the
gay/MSM and transgender communities for consultations. They remain in-country
responders to issues impacting access to health and justice.
Empowering agents of change with strategic information and evidence:

o In partnership with the LGBT Foundation, launched an online survey to evaluate
happiness, sex and quality of life for LGBTI people. The survey, the first of its kind, is
part of a campaign to gain more information and insight into the challenges faced by
LGBTI people. (May 2019)
o Launched an interactive LGBT map that highlights data and stories from around the
world focusing on protection, justice and equality among the LGBTIQ+ community
(May 2019). Key statistics come from AIDSinfo and stories from Equal Eyes.
o Continue to monitor laws, policies and practices that affect LGBTI persons through the
National Commitments and Policy Instrument, including criminal laws, presence of
protective laws, arrests, access to services, stigma and discrimination as well as
epidemiological data disaggregated for transgender persons and gay men and other men
who have sex with men.
o Held a regional “train-the-trainers” workshop in the Latin America and the Caribbean
(LAC) region for civil society including transgender people on HIV and Social
Protection (November 2018). The aim is to promote inclusive national social protection
programmes.
o Mapping and monitoring HIV laws and policies: the Laws and Policies Analytics
website gives a full overview of a country’s laws and policies related to the HIV
response. It allows to view policy data jointly with other data on the HIV epidemic and
response that enables people to identify national laws and policies related to the AIDS
response.
o Produce and disseminate Equal Eyes a bi-weekly curated compilation of stories that
highlight successes and challenges facing LGTBI people. It is available in English,
Portuguese, French and Chinese.
Supporting inclusive country leadership:

o Supporting countries to develop and implement Global Fund grants to scale-up human
rights programmes that include removing legal, policy and program barriers to HIV
services and addressing stigma and discrimination against LGBTI people and others.
o Continued engagement with stakeholders in-country to support the development of
concept notes to the Global Fund that include activities related to human rights and
stigma & discrimination.
UNRISD - United Nations Research Institute for Social Development
Page | 26 of 28
UNRISD is an autonomous research institute within the UN system that undertakes

interdisciplinary research and policy analysis on the social dimensions of contemporary
development issues. Through its work, the Institute aims to ensure that social equity, inclusion
and justice are central to development thinking, policy and practice. To this end, UNRISD:
o focuses on the often neglected social content and impacts of development processes and
the role of social institutions, relations and actors in shaping development policies and
pathways;
o engages researchers, policy makers and civil society actors from around the world in
generating and sharing knowledge, in order to shape policy within and beyond the UN
system;
o mobilizes and strengthens the research capacity of individuals and institutions in
developing countries through collaborative inquiry; and
o provides a space for the exchange of ideas, giving prominence to marginalized
viewpoints, often challenging mainstream development thinking and offering
alternative policy options.
Research for Social Change

As a voluntary funded entity, UNRISD must mobilize financial support for all its activities.
Unfortunately, fundraising was unsuccessful for the proposed research project, “Beyond
Binary”, reported in 2018, which sought to fill identified gaps in current analysis and policy
recommendations related to trans* people’s civil and political rights as well as economic, social
and cultural rights in national and local contexts. In 2019 the Institute was part of a successful
funding application, “Strengthening LGBTQI+'s Voice in Politics”, funded under the EU
Rights, Equality and Citizenship Work Programme. This two-year project aims to increase
popular awareness of LGBTQI+ rights, and enhance the capacity and empowerment of
LGBTQI+ individuals to participate in political decision-making processes, in Greece, Cyprus
and Italy. In 2019, UNRISD is also undertaking a scoping of cutting-edge topics in the field of
gender and development in view of relaunching a programme of research in this area.
Joint UN initiatives
UN For All
UN Cares, the UN system-wide workplace programme on HIV, has created a training project
called "UN for All: Dignity and inclusion in the UN system workplace." The purpose of the
learning modules is to help foster a fully inclusive UN system workplace, and it includes a
specific learning module on inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people
in the UN Workplace. So far about 256 UN staff from 106 countries and 30 United Nations
entities have been trained to facilitate the UN for All learning modules for their colleagues.
Country-level implementation began in 2015. In 2016 UN for All received the "Innovation in
Talent Management" award at the Career Development Roundtable in International
Organizations meeting in Helsinki. Information about the UN for All project is available on
the UN Cares website.
Page | 27 of 28
Contact List
Focal Points on LGBTI people
Agency Name Email

ILO Shauna Olney olney@ilo.org
Kofi Amedkuzi amekudzi@ilo.org
Gurchaten Sandhu sandhu@ilo.org
IOM Jennifer Rumbach jrumbach@iom.int
OHCHR Rikke Hennum hennum@un.org
Fabrice Houdart houdart@un.org
Kalekye Kyalo kkyalo@ohchr.org
Elsa Le Pennec elepennec@ohchr.org
UNAIDS Secretariat Richard Burzynski burzynskir@unaids.org
UNDP Boyan Konstantinov boyan.konstantinov@undp.org
Tenu Avafia tenu.avafia@undp.org
Nicholas Booth nicholas.booth@undp.org
UNESCO Christophe Cornu c.cornu@unesco.org
Yong Feng Liu yf.liu@unesco.org
Christopher Castle c.castle@unesco.org
UNFPA Tim Sladden sladden@unfpa.org
Ilya Zhukov zhukov@unfpa.org
UNHCR Gregory Garras garras@unhcr.org
Machtelt De Vriese devriese@unhcr.org
Tamar Joanian joanian@unhcr.org
UNICEF Ratna Jhaveri rjhaveri@unicef.org
UNODC Ehab Salah ehab.salah@un.org
Monica Ciupagea monica.ciupagea@un.org
UNRISD Jenifer Freedman jenifer.freedman@un.org
UN-Women Vivek Rai vivek.rai@unwomen.org
Zohra Khan zohra.khan@unwomen.org
WHO Andy Seale sealean@who.int
Rajat Khosla khoslar@who.int
World Bank Clifton Cortez ccortez2@worldbank.org
Page | 28 of 28

UN LGBTI Summary 2019

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The Role of the United Nations in Combatting Discrimination and Violence against

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex People

Support and follow-up to UN human rights bodies and mechanisms :

Support to informal inter-governmental processes:

Advocacy and policy advice:

Guidance and training materials:

Standards of Conduct for Business

UN Free & Equal Campaign (www.unfe.org):

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)

Drug dependence in prison

HIV prevention, treatment care and support in prisons

the individual needs of prisoners, in particular the most vulnerable categories in

o In October 2014, UNODC held a global consultation on HIV in prisons in Vienna,

 provide implementation guidance to help establish and expand access to

 New Psychoactive Substances (NPS)

UN Funds and Programmes

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

“Being LGBTI in the Caribbean” implemented in Barbados, Dominican Republic, Grenada,

Select knowledge products

o UNDP, Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines (2018). Legal Gender

United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)

o UNFPA continues to be engaged in delivery of UN for All workshops – including the

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

 "Need to Know Guidance: Working with Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual,

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)

In November 2014, UNICEF published a Current Issues paper on eliminating discrimination

International Labour Organization (ILO)

lanyards/badge holder showing their commitment to making the ILO an inclusive

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

Supporting education sector responses to violence including bullying based on sexual

HIV and Health Education – Booklet 8: Education Sector Responses to Homophobic

Improving the evidence base and documenting best practice:

Raising awareness and building coalitions:

Supporting the implementation of country-level activities addressing violence in

Mainstreaming issues related to homophobic and transphobic violence in UNESCO’s

o In 2018, UNESCO supported a global web-based consultation conducted by the youth

World Health Organization (WHO)

Principles and mandate with regards to LGBTI

Strategies, Policies and Guidelines

interventions, such as the importance of an affirmative approach to sexuality, and

o WHO initiated a two-year feasibility study on the use of a brief sexuality-related

Economic, social, and human development:

He is providing thought leadership and technical guidance to ensure LGBTI inclusion

Research and Data:

Applying Knowledge to Project Design:

Other UN Entities and Related Organizations

International Organization for Migration (IOM)

Training on Working with LGBTI Migrants:

The IOM Work Environment:

UNAIDS - the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS3

UNAIDS is a partnership of 11 UN organizations (UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA,

Advocacy and speaking out in solidarity:

3 UNAIDS means the UNAIDS Secretariat unless otherwise noted.

Mobilizing political, technical, scientific and financial resources:

Convening stakeholders and partners:

Empowering agents of change with strategic information and evidence:

Supporting inclusive country leadership: