HUMAN RIGHTS, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, AND GENDER IDENTITY

There is a considerable amount of action for equal rights for Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming people happening in the international community. Such declarations carry the authority of making a bold political statement for human rights. I am in solidarity with all those who do not have equal rights as human beings on our little planet. Dennis HambridgeJune 16 at 10:04 am This time the OAS condemned violent acts and human rights violations inviting investigation into them, to assure that those responsible would face the consequences before the justice system, to take measures to assure that violent acts are not committed, and to assure equal access to justice for the victims.  The Assembly invited the Inter-American Human Rights Commission to continue to pay attention to this matter, and to consider the possibility of carrying out a hemisphere level study of it.  At the end of this email, (and in an attachment) I am sending the text of the resolution, in a summary of the activities carried out in the development of the OAS Assembly related to the subjects of sexual orientation and gender identity with the list of the persons, organizations and countries that were present and the speech that was developed as a group and was read by the lesbian activist Sherlina Nagger of the SASOD (Society Against Social Orientation Discrimination).  See the video of the reading of the declaration (posted by George Liendo)  Photographs of the events: (Photos by Fernando Dellio) Greetings in the happiness of constructing social justice.  Germán Humberto Rincón Perfetti Latin American Representative of the International Lesbian and Gay Law Association www.ILGLaw.org  Alternate Regional Gay Representative: ILGA-LAC ILGA www.ILGA.org Bogotá, Colombia rinconperfettigerma n@hotmail. com  AG/RES. 2600 (XL-O/10) HUMAN RIGHTS, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, AND GENDER IDENTITY  (Adopted at the fourth plenary session, held on June 8, 2010)  THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT resolutions AG/RES. 2435 (XXXVIII-O/08) and AG/RES. 2504 (XXXIX-O/09) , “Human Rights, Sexual Orientation, and Gender Identity”;  REAFFIRMING:  That the Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights and that everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in that instrument, without distinction of any kind, such as race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth, or other status; and That the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man establishes that every human being has the right to life, liberty, and the security of the person;  CONSIDERING that the Charter of the Organization of American States proclaims that the historic mission of America is to offer to man a land of liberty and a favorable environment for the development of his personality and the realization of his just aspirations; REAFFIRMING the principles of universality, indivisibility, and interdependence of human rights;  TAKING NOTE of the Declaration on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, presented to the United Nations General Assembly on December 18, 2008; and  NOTING WITH CONCERN the acts of violence and related human rights violations as well as discrimination practiced against persons because of their sexual orientation and gender identity,  RESOLVES: 1.     To condemn acts of violence and human rights violations committed against persons because of their sexual orientation and gender identity; and to urge states to investigate these acts and violations and to ensure that their perpetrators are brought to justice.  2.     To encourage states to take all necessary measures to ensure that acts of violence and related human rights violations are not committed against persons because of their sexual orientation, gender identity, and to ensure that the victims are given access to justice on an equal footing with other persons.  3.     To encourage member states to consider ways to combat discrimination against persons because of their sexual orientation and gender identity.  4.     To urge states to ensure adequate protection for human rights defenders who work on issues related to acts of violence, discrimination, and human rights violations committed against persons because of their sexual orientation and gender identity.  5.     To request the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to continue to pay due attention to this issue and to consider the possibility of conducting a thematic study of it at the hemispheric level. 6.     To instruct the Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs (CAJP) to include on its agenda, before the forty-first regular session of the General Assembly, the topic of “Human rights, sexual orientation, and gender identity.” 7.     To request the Permanent Council to report to the General Assembly at its forty-first regular session on the implementation of this resolution. Execution of its activities shall be subject to the financial resources available in the program-budget of the Organization and other resources. More on the GAAI website--