International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission
Encyclopedia
The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) is a US-based international non-governmental organization
that addresses human rights
violations against lesbian
s, gay men
, bisexuals, intersexuals
, transgender
people and people with HIV
/AIDS
. It is accredited by the United Nations
and holds consultative status
with that organization.
IGLHRC was founded by Julie Dorf in 1990, and incorporated as a non-profit organization in 1991. Though initially focused on human rights abuses in Russia
, the organisation is now active in many parts of the world, including the Americas
, Africa
, the Middle East
, and Asia
. IGLHRC is headquartered in New York City
with satellite offices in Buenos Aires
, Johannesburg
, and Manila
.
In 2010, IGLHRC has also contributed in forming "An Activist's Guide" of the Yogyakarta Principles in Action
.
Award, to honour a human rights activist or organisation.
Award, IGLHRC occasionally presents the OUTSPOKEN Award to special honorees. The OUTSPOKEN Award "recognizes the leadership of a global ally to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) community whose outspokenness has contributed substantially to advancing the rights and understanding of LGBTI people everywhere."
The first OUTSPOKEN Award was presented in 2005 to the Honorable Mary Robinson
, former President of Ireland and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. In 2008, IGLHRC presented its second OUTSPOKEN Award to Archbishop Desmond Tutu. The 2010 OUTSPOKEN awardee was Michel Sidibé
, Executive Director of UNAIDS. The 2011 OUTSPOKEN awardee was journalist and author, Jeff Sharlet
.
voted to accredit IGLHRC as one of the NGO's granted consultative status with the international organization. This allows IGLHRC to attend U.N meetings, contribute statements, and collaborate with United Nations agencies.
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
that addresses human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
violations against lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
s, gay men
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
, bisexuals, intersexuals
Intersex
Intersex, in humans and other animals, is the presence of intermediate or atypical combinations of physical features that usually distinguish female from male...
, transgender
Transgender
Transgender is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies to vary from culturally conventional gender roles....
people and people with HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
/AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
. It is accredited by the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
and holds consultative status
Consultative Status
Consultative Status is a phrase whose use can be traced to the founding of the United Nations and is used within the UN community to refer to "Non-governmental organizations in Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council." Also some international organizations could...
with that organization.
IGLHRC was founded by Julie Dorf in 1990, and incorporated as a non-profit organization in 1991. Though initially focused on human rights abuses in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, the organisation is now active in many parts of the world, including the Americas
Americas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
, Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, and Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. IGLHRC is headquartered in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
with satellite offices in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, and Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
.
In 2010, IGLHRC has also contributed in forming "An Activist's Guide" of the Yogyakarta Principles in Action
Yogyakarta Principles in Action
Yogyakarta Principles in Action is a movement for activists and human rights defenders to promote human rights, especially those of LGBTI around the Yogyakarta Principles, supported by ARC International, Hivos and Dreilinden Gesellschaft für gemeinnütziges Privatkapitel, Germany.They published the...
.
Felipa de Souza Award
Since 1994, IGLHRC hands out an annual award, the Felipa de SouzaFelipa de Souza
Felipa de Souza was a woman who had romantic relationships with other women during the Brazilian colonial era...
Award, to honour a human rights activist or organisation.
| Year | Award | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Juan Pablo Ordonez ABIGALE Lepa Mladjenovic |
Colombia Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the... South Africa South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans... Serbia Serbia Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans... |
| 1995 | Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Group (TGLRG) Anjaree Luiz Mott Luiz Mott Luiz Roberto de Barros Mott or Luiz Mott , is a researcher and an anthropologist, a historian and one of the most notable gay civil rights activists in Brazil.... |
Australia Australia Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area... Thailand Thailand Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the... Brazil Brazil Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people... |
| 1996 | No award | |
| 1997 | Demet Demir Genc Xhelaj The Sister Namibia Collective Wilfredo Valencia Palacios (honourable mention) |
Turkey Turkey Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe... Albania Albania Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea... Namibia Namibia Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March... El Salvador El Salvador El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America... |
| 1998 | Circulo Cultural Gay (CCG) Dr. Tal Jarus-Hakak Dede Oetomo Nancy Cardenas (1934–1994, posthum) Carlos Jauregui (1958–1996, posthumous) |
Mexico Mexico The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of... Israel Israel The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea... Indonesia Indonesia Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an... Mexico Mexico The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of... Argentina Argentina Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires... |
| 1999 | Aung Myo Min Prudence Mabele Kiri Kiri and Chingu Sai Simon Nkoli (1957–1998, posthumous) |
Burma South Africa South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans... South Korea South Korea The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south... South Africa South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans... |
| 2000 | Dejan Nebrigic (1970–1999, posthumous) Ditshwanelo - The Botswana Center for Human Rights Intersex Society of North America Intersex Society of North America The Intersex Society of North America was a non-profit advocacy group founded in 1993 by Cheryl Chase to represent the interest of intersex people. Their objective was to end shame, secrecy, and unwanted genital surgeries... (ISNA) William Hernandez |
Serbia Serbia Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans... Botswana Botswana Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966... United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... El Salvador El Salvador El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America... |
| 2001 | Companions on a Journey and Women’s Support Group Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All-Sexuals and Gays J-Flag J-Flag, the Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All-Sexuals and Gays, is the first LGBT rights organization in Jamaica, founded in 1998, and works for the human rights of lesbians, all-sexuals, and gays in Jamaica and the world... (J-Flag) Luis Gauthier (1950–2000, posthumous) |
Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the... Jamaica Jamaica Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic... Chile Chile Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far... |
| 2002 | Elizabeth Calvet (posthumous) Marta Lucia Alvarez Giraldo, Marta Lucia Tamayo Rincon and Alba Nelly Montoya Cui Zi En Cui Zi En Cui Zi En, also Cui Zi'en , is a film director, film scholar, screenwriter, novelist and an outspoken gay activist based in Beijing. He graduated from the Chinese Academy of Social Science with an MA in literature and now is an associate professor at the Film Research Institute of the Beijing Film... Maher Sabry Maher Sabry Maher Sabry is an Egyptian theater director, playwright, film director, producer and screenwriter, poet, writer and cartoonist artist. A gay activist, he was the first director to portray gay and lesbian love in lyrical and sympathetic manner on Egyptian stage... |
Brazil Brazil Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people... Colombia Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the... China China Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture... Egypt Egypt Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world... |
| 2003 | Lohana Berkins | Argentina Argentina Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires... |
| 2004 | Gender/Sexuality Rights Association Taiwan Gender/Sexuality Rights Association Taiwan Gender/Sexuality Rights Association Taiwan also known by the acronym G/STRAT was established in May 1999 in Taiwan. It aims to promote rights of sexual minorities in the aspects of family, education system, politics, economy and law.... (G/STRAT) |
Taiwan Taiwan Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following... |
| 2005 | Gay and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ) | Zimbabwe Zimbabwe Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three... |
| 2006 | Rauda Morcos (ASWAT) | Palestinian Activist from Haifa, Israel |
| 2007 | Blue Diamond Society Blue Diamond Society The Blue Diamond Society is an LGBT rights organization in Nepal. It was organized in 2001 to oppose the conservative Hindu-oriented laws against homosexuality in the now-former Kingdom... |
Nepal Nepal Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India... |
| 2008 | Iranian Queer Organization Iranian Queer Organization The Iranian Queer Organization is an advocacy group for LGBT rights in Iran based in Toronto, Canada. The organization was founded by human rights activist Arsham Parsi and monitors violations of gay rights in Iran... Andrés Ignacio Rivera Duarte |
Canada / Iranian Diaspora Chile Chile Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far... |
| 2009 | Helem Lebanese Protection for LGBT Helem Helem is a Lebanese non-profit organization working on improving the legal and social status of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people . Helem is the first LGBT advocacy group in the Arab World... |
Lebanon Lebanon Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among... |
| 2010 | Colombia Diversa | Colombia Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the... |
| 2009 | LGBT Centre | Mongolia Mongolia Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest... |
OUTSPOKEN Award
In addition to the Felipa de SouzaFelipa de Souza
Felipa de Souza was a woman who had romantic relationships with other women during the Brazilian colonial era...
Award, IGLHRC occasionally presents the OUTSPOKEN Award to special honorees. The OUTSPOKEN Award "recognizes the leadership of a global ally to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) community whose outspokenness has contributed substantially to advancing the rights and understanding of LGBTI people everywhere."
The first OUTSPOKEN Award was presented in 2005 to the Honorable Mary Robinson
Mary Robinson
Mary Therese Winifred Robinson served as the seventh, and first female, President of Ireland from 1990 to 1997, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, from 1997 to 2002. She first rose to prominence as an academic, barrister, campaigner and member of the Irish Senate...
, former President of Ireland and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. In 2008, IGLHRC presented its second OUTSPOKEN Award to Archbishop Desmond Tutu. The 2010 OUTSPOKEN awardee was Michel Sidibé
Michel Sidibé
Mr Michel Sidibé has been the Executive Director of UNAIDS, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, and Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations since 1 January 2009....
, Executive Director of UNAIDS. The 2011 OUTSPOKEN awardee was journalist and author, Jeff Sharlet
Jeff Sharlet
Jeff Sharlet is an American journalist, bestselling author, and academic best known for writing about religious subcultures in the United States. He is a contributing editor for Harper's and Rolling Stone...
.
United Nations status
On July 19, 2010, the United Nations Economic and Social CouncilUnited Nations Economic and Social Council
The Economic and Social Council of the United Nations constitutes one of the six principal organs of the United Nations and it is responsible for the coordination of the economic, social and related work of 14 UN specialized agencies, its functional commissions and five regional commissions...
voted to accredit IGLHRC as one of the NGO's granted consultative status with the international organization. This allows IGLHRC to attend U.N meetings, contribute statements, and collaborate with United Nations agencies.
See also
- Human rights commissionHuman rights commissionA Human Rights Commission is a body set up to investigate, promote or protect human rights.The term may refer to international, national or subnational bodies set up for this purpose, such as national human rights institutions or truth and reconciliation commissions.-International Human Rights...
- International Lesbian and Gay AssociationInternational Lesbian and Gay AssociationThe International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association is an international organization bringing together more than 750 LGBTI groups from around the world. It continues to be active in campaigning for LGBT rights on the international human rights and civil rights scene and...
- International Lesbian and Gay Law AssociationInternational Lesbian and Gay Law AssociationThe International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender & Intersex Law Association is an international association of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex lawyers...
- List of LGBT rights organisations
- Pink Triangle Coalition