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An Equality March held in Windhoek, Namibia, to defend human rights in the face of President Sam Nujoma's verbal attacks on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, April 28 © 2001 The Rainbow Project, Namibia.
Pictures of Pride:
LGBT Celebrations Worldwide
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People around the world face violence and inequality – and sometimes torture, even execution – because of who they love, how they look, or who they are.
Sexual orientation and gender identity are integral aspects of our selves and should never lead to discrimination or abuse.
Human Rights Watch works for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people’s rights, with activists representing a multiplicity of identities and issues.
We document and expose abuses based on sexual orientation and gender identity worldwide – including torture, killing and executions, arrests under unjust laws, unequal treatment, censorship, medical abuses, discrimination in health and jobs and housing, domestic violence, abuses against children, and denial of family rights and recognition.
We advocate for laws and policies that will protect everyone’s dignity. We work for a world where all people can enjoy their rights fully.
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Written Testimony to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on the Human Rights Concerns of Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Programs
Accurate and objective sexual education is critical to advancing public health and promoting human rights. This fact is widely accepted within the international community and is supported by the provisions of fundamental human rights instruments. Indeed, the current federal policy of funding abstinence-only programs while failing to fund comprehensive sexuality education raises serious human rights concerns. Federal abstinence-only programs threaten a number of basic human rights, including the rights to health, information, and nondiscrimination.
April 30, 2008 Written Statement
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Colombia: Court Extends Benefits to Same-Sex Couples
Same-Sex Partnerships Entitled to Health and Pension Benefits
The ruling by Colombia’s Constitutional Court on April 17 to extend pension benefits to same-sex partners sets an example for other countries in achieving equality for all, Human Rights Watch said today.
April 18, 2008 Press Release
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Kyrgyzstan: Halt Anti-Gay Raids
Police Search LGBT ‘Safe Space’
Bishkek police carried out a warrantless raid on the community center of an organization working for the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in violation of the right to freedom of association, Human Rights Watch said today.
April 17, 2008 Press Release
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Reply to Bruce Golding, Prime Minister of Jamaica
We write on behalf of Human Rights Watch to thank you for your response to our letter of February 27, 2008, expressing our concern regarding a violent homophobic attack on a group of men in Mandeville in January 2008 and the disappearance of one of the victims of the attack.
April 17, 2008 Letter
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Letter to Turkish Government concerning Harassment of Lambda Istanbul
Human Rights Watch writes to express concern regarding the recent incursion by Istanbul city police into the headquarters of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) human rights organization Lambda Istanbul. We urge the Turkish government to respect the right to freedom of expression and association, and to halt harassment of legitimate human rights organizations.
April 16, 2008 Letter
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Turkey: End Harassment of Gay Rights Groups
A police raid on a Turkish human rights organization is the latest incident in an escalating pattern of harassment of gay rights groups, Human Rights Watch said today. In a letter to Turkish Minister of Interior Besir Atalay, Human Rights Watch called on the government to cease official harassment of groups working on sexual orientation and gender identity issues, and to ensure training of all criminal-justice officials in human rights principles.
April 16, 2008 Press Release
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Egypt: 117 NGOs Slam HIV-Based Arrests and Trials
Doctors Helping Police Denounced for Breaching Medical Ethics, Human Rights
As five more men face trial in Cairo on April 9 in a widening and dangerous police crackdown on people living with HIV/AIDS, 117 organizations worldwide working in the fields of health and human rights condemned the crackdown and the participation of medical personnel.
April 7, 2008 Press Release
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Letter Regarding Arrests and Prosecutions of People Living with HIV/AIDS
We are 117 human rights organizations based in 41 countries around the world, working in the fields of health and human rights. We write you urgently to voice concern over the arrest and trial of men in Egypt for alleged homosexual conduct, apparently based on men’s suspected HIV serostatus. We are concerned that medical personnel may have been complicit, or actively participated, in acts violating the international norm prohibiting torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment. We are further concerned that the Ministry’s involvement with the detention and interrogation of suspects in these cases condones or gives credit to myths about HIV/AIDS, in a way that is incompatible with the Ministry’s public health responsibilities and can only contribute to the epidemic’s spread.
April 7, 2008 Letter
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Universal Periodic Review of South Africa
Human Rights Watch's Submission to the Human Rights Council
Emerging from a history of institutionalized racial inequality, South Africa has made admirable progress in transforming the state and society to ensure respect for fundamental rights, including freedom of expression, an independent judiciary, and free and fair elections. Nevertheless, widespread poverty, unemployment, persistently high levels of violent crime, and gender inequality continue to inhibit the full enjoyment of human rights.
April 7, 2008 Written Statement
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Kuwait: Halt Dress-Code Crackdown
Authorities Should Repeal Repressive Law, Free Detainees
New arrests show that Kuwait has resumed enforcing a repressive dress code that criminalizes “imitating the appearance of the opposite sex,” Human Rights Watch said today. It called on the government to investigate allegations of ill-treatment of people detained and to repeal the offending provision, which violates Kuwait’s human rights obligations.
March 31, 2008 Press Release
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The issue is torture
By Scott Long, Director, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights Program
Published in Guardian Unlimited
When talking about Iranian asylum seekers, activists should be careful not to play the Home Office's game
March 31, 2008 Commentary
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Iran: Private Homes Raided for ‘Immorality’
Authorities Escalate Arbitrary Arrests, Harassment
The arrest of more than 30 men attending a party in a private home in the city of Esfahan signals renewed efforts by Iranian authorities to enforce “morality” codes, and highlights the fragility of basic rights in a country where police powers routinely undermine privacy, Human Rights Watch said today.
March 28, 2008 Press Release
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Egypt: New Indictments in HIV Crackdown
Persecuting People Living With HIV/AIDS Feeds the Epidemic
The Egyptian government’s new indictments against several men arrested apparently on suspicion of having HIV violate their basic rights and deeply undermine Egypt’s fight against HIV/AIDS, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch said today.
March 11, 2008 Press Release
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Letter from Bruce Golding, Prime Minister of Jamaica
I refer to your letter of 27th February regarding the violent attack on a group of men at a house in Mandeville. This is clearly a criminal act and is to be condemned and prosecuted.
February 28, 2008 Letter
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Letter to Bruce Golding, Prime Minister of Jamaica
We write on behalf of Human Rights Watch to express our concern that Jamaican police have again failed to protect individuals from homophobic violence and to investigate recent abuses against men suspected of being gay by members of the Jamaican community. We urge you to direct the police forces to duly investigate these cases of abuse and violence and to bring to justice those found responsible. We also urge you to ensure a full investigation of the whereabouts of a victim who remains missing after the most recent attack.
February 27, 2008 Letter
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Morocco: Protect Rights to Privacy and Fair Trial
Petition Calls for Repeal of Repressive Law
The Moroccan government should protect the rights to privacy and a fair trial, Human Rights Watch and the Moroccan Human Rights Association said today. Human Rights Watch and the Moroccan Human Rights Association called on the government to repeal a law that provides prison terms for consensual homosexual acts, and launched a petition demanding that the government repeal article 489 of the penal code. They also demanded the release of the six men currently imprisoned under this article.
February 26, 2008 Press Release
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Egypt: Spreading Crackdown on HIV Endangers Public Health
Rights Violations Drive Those in Need Underground
Cairo police arrested four more men suspected of having HIV, signaling a wider crackdown that endangers public health and violates basic human rights, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch said today in a joint statement.
February 15, 2008 Press Release
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Ksar el-Kbir Case Prompts Moroccan Association for Human Rights and Human Rights Watch to Launch Petition for Fair Trials and Privacy
February 15, 2008 Special Focus
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Religious Leaders Call on Government of Uganda to Protect the Rights of Gays and Lesbians
A coalition of 120 religious leaders has called on the government of Uganda to protect the human rights of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender (LGBT) citizens in the East African nation.
February 15, 2008 Press Release
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Romania: Reject Discriminatory Definition of Family
Lawmakers Should Ensure Equal Protection for All Families
Romanian legislators should reject a change to the Family Code that would narrow the definition of marriage to one exclusively between a man and woman, Human Rights Watch said in a letter sent today to government officials. The measure would deprive many Romanian families of basic civil rights and introduce inequality into law.
February 7, 2008 Press Release
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Christian Leaders in US Condemn Nigeria’s Anti-Gay Bill
A pending law in Nigeria that would impose brutal penalties on all relationships, activism, advocacy, and shows of affection among lesbian and gay people violates basic religious principles of respect for human dignity and life, a group of more than 250 Christian leaders said in a letter to the Nigerian government.
February 27, 2007
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An African Statement on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Human Rights
The attached statement—urging the United Nations Commission on Human Rights
to support a resolution affirming the principle of non-discrimination in
human rights based on sexual orientation, gender identity—was adopted by a
conference of African LGBT and human rights groups based in Johannesburg,
South Africa.
February 13, 2004
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U.S.: Full Marriage Rights for Same-Sex Partners
U.S. state governments should extend civil marriage to same-sex partners to ensure the equality of gay and lesbian people, Human Rights Watch said in a briefing paper released today. The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on the Constitution will hold hearings on the issue today.
September 4, 2003
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Homophobia and the Church in southern Africa
In the light of current controversies about lesbian and gay people
within Christian churches, we draw your attention to recent reporting by HRW and the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission on the impact of Church promotion of tolerance
or intolerance in Africa. |
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Related Links:
LGBT Web Resources
Compiled by Human Rights Watch
HIV/AIDS and Human Rights
HRW Children's Rights Division
HRW Women's Rights Division
International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission
Contact Us:
If you would like to
contact Human RIghts Watch about a human rights violation based on
sexual orientation or gender identity, or if you would like to learn more
about Human RIghts Watch's work on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and
transgender human rights issues, please write us at lgbt@hrw.org.
© Patricia Williams for
Human Rights Watch, 2001
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