Yogyakarta Principles in Action
Encyclopedia
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 "Activist's Guide" on the Yogyakarta Principles in August, 2010 and also provided translations of the Yogyakarta Principles in languages which are not official languages of the United Nations, including Catalan
, Dutch
, Euskara (Basque), Filipino
, German
, Hungarian
, Indonesian
, Lithuanian
, Nepali
, Persian
, Portuguese
, Sinhala Slovak
and Tamil
.
On 28 February 2011, International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission
held a meeting to celebrate the launch of the Yogyakarta Principles accompanying "Activist's Guide". And on 4 July 2011, Philippine LGBT groups celebrate the Yogyakarta Principles with the "Activist's Guide".
is used in all occurrences.
, gender identity
, nationality
, place of residence, sex
, national or ethnic origin
, colour, religion
, language, or any other status, we are all equally entitled to our human rights without discrimination. These rights - interrelated, interdependent, and universal - are shared by each one of us." On p. 7, it is stated that "There is an inconsistency between the rights identified in international human rights documents
, such as those in the Yogyakarta Principles, and the rights actually enjoyed by individuals. While international standards may grant us rights, discrimination, stigma, violence, and fear pose real threats to people of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities. Activists, human rights defenders, and individual members of our many communities are the driving force behind closing this gap between our rights and our reality."
On p. 9, the Acknowledgement states that "Thanks are due to the staff of ARC International
and the International Commission of Jurists
, as well as the following group of generous activists:
On p. 10, the Purpose and Structure of this Guide states, "The Guide is an introduction to the Yogyakarta Principles, to facilitate a deeper understanding of the Principles and to encourage their use and their promotion."
Section 1, The Yogyakarta Principles - overview and Contents
Section 2, The Yogyakarta Principles Up Close
Section 3, The Yogyakarta Principle in Action
Section 4, Applying the Yogyakarta Principles
as reflected in international and regional treaties; the jurisprudence of human rights treaty bodies and specialised courts and commissions; authoritative interpretation by the special rapporteur and working groups of UN; expert opinion; and State practice." At p. 21 affirms relating the cause of the Yogyakarta Principles that "In many other parts of the world LGBTI people continue to face criminalisation, marginalisation, discrimination
, hatred
and many, many forms of rights violations. Within many mainstream societies, the notion of rights for LGBTI people has historically been ignored or treated with derision."
And about notion and categorisation of LGBTI on p. 23 states that "Notwithstanding the desire to escape the negative connotations and effect of identity category, the LGBTI community does organise itself around identity groups, and common patterns of oppression are clear." And about intersex
at p. 24-25 states that "Again, rights-based advocacy must be based on universal rights that are available regardless of how people are categorised. For example, although the drafters of the Yogyakarta Principles dis not specifically address the rights of intersex people, the Principles do identify the rights to be free from medical abuse. Advocacy on behalf of specific affirmation of each of the listed rights."
And further about the transsexuals, at p. 100 states that "It is important to note that while "sexual orientation" has been declassified as a mental illness
in many countries, "gender identity" or "gender identity disorder
" often remains under considerations.
Yogyakarta Principles
The Yogyakarta Principles on the Application of International Human Rights Law in relation to Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity is a set of principles relating to sexual orientation and gender identity, intended to apply international human rights law standards to address the abuse of the...
, supported by ARC International
ARC International
ARC International plc was a developer of configurable microprocessor technology and is now owned by Synopsys. ARC developed synthesisable IP and licensed it to semiconductor companies....
, Hivos
Hivos
Hivos is a Dutch organization for development co-inspired by humanist values. Hivos provides financial and political support to over 800 partner organizations in over 30 countries in Africa, Latin America, Asia and Southeastern Europe...
and Dreilinden Gesellschaft für gemeinnütziges Privatkapitel, Germany.
They published the "Activist's Guide" on the Yogyakarta Principles in August, 2010 and also provided translations of the Yogyakarta Principles in languages which are not official languages of the United Nations, including Catalan
Catalan language
Catalan is a Romance language, the national and only official language of Andorra and a co-official language in the Spanish autonomous communities of Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and Valencian Community, where it is known as Valencian , as well as in the city of Alghero, on the Italian island...
, Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
, Euskara (Basque), Filipino
Filipino language
This move has drawn much criticism from other regional groups.In 1987, a new constitution introduced many provisions for the language.Article XIV, Section 6, omits any mention of Tagalog as the basis for Filipino, and states that:...
, German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, Hungarian
Hungarian language
Hungarian is a Uralic language, part of the Ugric group. With some 14 million speakers, it is one of the most widely spoken non-Indo-European languages in Europe....
, Indonesian
Indonesian language
Indonesian is the official language of Indonesia. Indonesian is a normative form of the Riau Islands dialect of Malay, an Austronesian language which has been used as a lingua franca in the Indonesian archipelago for centuries....
, Lithuanian
Lithuanian language
Lithuanian is the official state language of Lithuania and is recognized as one of the official languages of the European Union. There are about 2.96 million native Lithuanian speakers in Lithuania and about 170,000 abroad. Lithuanian is a Baltic language, closely related to Latvian, although they...
, Nepali
Nepali language
Nepali or Nepalese is a language in the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family.It is the official language and de facto lingua franca of Nepal and is also spoken in Bhutan, parts of India and parts of Myanmar...
, Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
, Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
, Sinhala Slovak
Slovak language
Slovak , is an Indo-European language that belongs to the West Slavic languages .Slovak is the official language of Slovakia, where it is spoken by 5 million people...
and Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
.
On 28 February 2011, International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission
International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission
The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission is a US-based international non-governmental organization that addresses human rights violations against lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, intersexuals, transgender people and people with HIV/AIDS...
held a meeting to celebrate the launch of the Yogyakarta Principles accompanying "Activist's Guide". And on 4 July 2011, Philippine LGBT groups celebrate the Yogyakarta Principles with the "Activist's Guide".
Activist's Guide
This 146-page guide consists of four sections preceded by a foreword, acknowledgements, and the purpose and structure of the guide. Unlike The Yogyakarta Principles, the term LGBTI instead of LGBTLGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
is used in all occurrences.
Table of Contents
The Foreword at p. 6 states, "We all have the same human rights. Whatever our sexual orientationSexual orientation
Sexual orientation describes a pattern of emotional, romantic, or sexual attractions to the opposite sex, the same sex, both, or neither, and the genders that accompany them. By the convention of organized researchers, these attractions are subsumed under heterosexuality, homosexuality,...
, gender identity
Gender identity
A gender identity is the way in which an individual self-identifies with a gender category, for example, as being either a man or a woman, or in some cases being neither, which can be distinct from biological sex. Basic gender identity is usually formed by age three and is extremely difficult to...
, nationality
Nationality
Nationality is membership of a nation or sovereign state, usually determined by their citizenship, but sometimes by ethnicity or place of residence, or based on their sense of national identity....
, place of residence, sex
Sex
In biology, sex is a process of combining and mixing genetic traits, often resulting in the specialization of organisms into a male or female variety . Sexual reproduction involves combining specialized cells to form offspring that inherit traits from both parents...
, national or ethnic origin
Ethnic origin
The concept of ethnic origin is an attempt to classify people, not according to their current nationality, but according to where their ancestors came from...
, colour, religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
, language, or any other status, we are all equally entitled to our human rights without discrimination. These rights - interrelated, interdependent, and universal - are shared by each one of us." On p. 7, it is stated that "There is an inconsistency between the rights identified in international human rights documents
International human rights instruments
International human rights instruments are treaties and other international documents relevant to international human rights law and the protection of human rights in general...
, such as those in the Yogyakarta Principles, and the rights actually enjoyed by individuals. While international standards may grant us rights, discrimination, stigma, violence, and fear pose real threats to people of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities. Activists, human rights defenders, and individual members of our many communities are the driving force behind closing this gap between our rights and our reality."
On p. 9, the Acknowledgement states that "Thanks are due to the staff of ARC International
ARC International
ARC International plc was a developer of configurable microprocessor technology and is now owned by Synopsys. ARC developed synthesisable IP and licensed it to semiconductor companies....
and the International Commission of Jurists
International Commission of Jurists
The International Commission of Jurists is an international human rights non-governmental organization. The Commission itself is a standing group of 60 eminent jurists , including members of the senior judiciary in Australia, Canada, and South Africa and the former UN High Commissioner for Human...
, as well as the following group of generous activists:
- Adrian Coman, International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights CommissionInternational Gay and Lesbian Human Rights CommissionThe International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission is a US-based international non-governmental organization that addresses human rights violations against lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, intersexuals, transgender people and people with HIV/AIDS...
- Justus Eisfeld, Global Advocates for Trans EqualityGlobal Action for Trans EqualityGlobal Action for Trans* Equality is an organisation and think tank for transsexuals' or transgender's dignity and rights founded in 2009...
- Stefano Fabeni, Global RightsGlobal RightsFounded in 1978, Global Rights is an international human rights capacity-building organization that works side by side with local activists in Africa, Asia, and Latin America to promote and protect the rights of marginalized populations...
- Scott Long, Human Rights WatchHuman Rights WatchHuman Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
- Sara Perle, International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission
- Cynthia Rothschild, Center for Women's Global LeadershipCenter for Women's Global LeadershipThe Center for Women’s Global Leadership, based at Rutgers University, was founded in 1989 by Charlotte Bunch, the former Executive Director and an internationally renowned activist for women's human rights...
- Renato Sabbadini, International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex AssociationInternational Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex 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...
- Kate Shell, Amnesty InternationalAmnesty InternationalAmnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
- Katrine Thomasen, International Service for Human RightsInternational Service for Human RightsThe International Service for Human Rights is a Geneva- and New York-based human rights NGO that specializes in providing training, information and advice for defenders of human rights worldwide. Established in 1984, ISHR provides information on both international and regional human rights law...
"
On p. 10, the Purpose and Structure of this Guide states, "The Guide is an introduction to the Yogyakarta Principles, to facilitate a deeper understanding of the Principles and to encourage their use and their promotion."
Section 1, The Yogyakarta Principles - overview and Contents
- 19 What are the Yogyakarta Principles?
- 21 Why the Yogyakarta Principles?
- 23 Application of the Yogyakarta principles to women, trans, and intersex people
- 25 The International Human Rights System
- 27 Human Rights at Regional Level
- 27 The Inter-American Human Rights System
- 28 The European system
- 29 The African Human Rights System
- 29 Asia Pacific ForumAsia Pacific ForumThe Asia Pacific Forum is one of four regional networks of national human rights institutions within the International Co-ordinating Committee of NHRIs...
- 30 Rights for LGBTI People and International Human Rights Law
- 35 To whom are the Yogyakarta Principles Addressed?
- 36 The Yogyakarta Principles - A Living Document
Section 2, The Yogyakarta Principles Up Close
- From page 39 to page 84, the articles of the Yogyakarta Principles are explained in 14 sections relating to particular rights of the international human rights lawInternational human rights lawInternational human rights law refers to the body of international law designed to promote and protect human rights at the international, regional and domestic levels...
, including case lawCase lawIn law, case law is the set of reported judicial decisions of selected appellate courts and other courts of first instance which make new interpretations of the law and, therefore, can be cited as precedents in a process known as stare decisis...
.
Section 3, The Yogyakarta Principle in Action
- 88 Challenging oppressive legal standards
- 89 Blue Diamond SocietyBlue Diamond SocietyThe 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...
, NepalNepalNepal , 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... - 92 Naz Fondation and Voices Against 377, IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
- 95 Transgender Netwerk Nederland
- 98 AIZHI Action Progect and Chinese Society for the Study of Sexual MinoritiesSexual minorityA sexual minority is a group whose sexual identity, orientation or practices differ from the majority of the surrounding society. The term was coined most likely in the late 1960s under the influence of Lars Ullerstam's ground breaking book "The Erotic Minorities: A Swedish View" which came...
(founded by Wan YanhaiWan YanhaiWan Yanhai is the best-known AIDS activist in China born 20 November 1963.His "frank and aggressive" approach toward AIDS have led to frequent run-ins with authorities and landed him in detention three times in the past 12 years. Wan, 43, is the director of the country's foremost AIDS-awareness...
) - 101 Developing new government policy
- 102 Brazilian Association of Lesbiens, Gays and Bisexuals, Travestis and Transsexuals
- 104 United Belize Advocacy Movement, BelizeBelizeBelize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...
- 106 Swedish International Development Cooperation AgencySwedish International Development Cooperation AgencyThe Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency is a government agency of the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Sida is responsible for organization of the bulk of Sweden's official development assistance to developing countries....
(Sida) - 109 The Alliance for full citizenship for LGBT people, ColombiaColombiaColombia, 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...
- 111 Seeking a responsive government
- 112 New Zealand Human Rights CommissionNew Zealand Human Rights CommissionThe Human Rights Commission is the national human rights institution in New Zealand. It is funded through the Ministry of Justice, but operates independently of the New Zealand Government...
- 116 Transsexual Organisation for Dignity in Diversity, ChileChileChile ,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...
- 118 Union Afirmativa De VenezuelaVenezuelaVenezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
- 120 Educating the public
- 121 Society Against Sexual Orientation DiscriminationSociety Against Sexual Orientation DiscriminationThe Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination is a group which is committed to the removal of discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation, especially in Guyana and the Caribbean .- History of SASOD :...
(SASOD), GuyanaGuyanaGuyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British... - 123 Sangama, IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
- 125 Campaign Against HomophobiaCampaign Against HomophobiaCampaign Against Homophobia is a Polish LGBT organisation, which aims to promote legal and social equality for people outside the heteronorm. It was founded in Warsaw in September 2001 and since it has grown to the biggest NGO of this kind in Poland...
, PolandPolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north... - 128 Building a movement
- 129 07-07-07 Campaign, South AfricaSouth AfricaThe 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...
- 132 MeemMeem (group)Meem is a Lebanese LBTQ women group that was founded in August 2007 as the first ever lesbian organization established in the Arab World...
, LebanonLebanonLebanon , 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...
Section 4, Applying the Yogyakarta Principles
- 140 Potential Applications
- 145 Conclusion and Resources
Characteristics of the Guide
On p. 19, the guide states that "The Principles do not create any new rights; they are, rather, an articulation of rights already held. The Yogyakarta Principles are based on international human rights lawInternational human rights law
International human rights law refers to the body of international law designed to promote and protect human rights at the international, regional and domestic levels...
as reflected in international and regional treaties; the jurisprudence of human rights treaty bodies and specialised courts and commissions; authoritative interpretation by the special rapporteur and working groups of UN; expert opinion; and State practice." At p. 21 affirms relating the cause of the Yogyakarta Principles that "In many other parts of the world LGBTI people continue to face criminalisation, marginalisation, discrimination
Discrimination
Discrimination is the prejudicial treatment of an individual based on their membership in a certain group or category. It involves the actual behaviors towards groups such as excluding or restricting members of one group from opportunities that are available to another group. The term began to be...
, hatred
Hatred
Hatred is a deep and emotional extreme dislike, directed against a certain object or class of objects. The objects of such hatred can vary widely, from inanimate objects to animals, oneself or other people, entire groups of people, people in general, existence, or the whole world...
and many, many forms of rights violations. Within many mainstream societies, the notion of rights for LGBTI people has historically been ignored or treated with derision."
And about notion and categorisation of LGBTI on p. 23 states that "Notwithstanding the desire to escape the negative connotations and effect of identity category, the LGBTI community does organise itself around identity groups, and common patterns of oppression are clear." And about intersex
Intersex
Intersex, in humans and other animals, is the presence of intermediate or atypical combinations of physical features that usually distinguish female from male...
at p. 24-25 states that "Again, rights-based advocacy must be based on universal rights that are available regardless of how people are categorised. For example, although the drafters of the Yogyakarta Principles dis not specifically address the rights of intersex people, the Principles do identify the rights to be free from medical abuse. Advocacy on behalf of specific affirmation of each of the listed rights."
And further about the transsexuals, at p. 100 states that "It is important to note that while "sexual orientation" has been declassified as a mental illness
Mental illness
A mental disorder or mental illness is a psychological or behavioral pattern generally associated with subjective distress or disability that occurs in an individual, and which is not a part of normal development or culture. Such a disorder may consist of a combination of affective, behavioural,...
in many countries, "gender identity" or "gender identity disorder
Gender identity disorder
Gender identity disorder is the formal diagnosis used by psychologists and physicians to describe persons who experience significant gender dysphoria . It describes the symptoms related to transsexualism, as well as less severe manifestations of gender dysphoria...
" often remains under considerations.
See also
- UN declaration on sexual orientation and gender identityUN declaration on sexual orientation and gender identitySince its founding in 1945, the United Nations has not touched on the issue of sexual orientation or gender identity until December of 2008, when a Dutch/French-initiated, European Union-backed statement was presented to the United Nations General Assembly. The statement, originally intended to be...
- LGBT rights by country or territory
- List of LGBT rights organisations
- LGBT social movementsLGBT social movementsLesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender social movements share inter-related goals of social acceptance of sexual and gender minorities. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and their allies have a long history of campaigning for what is generally called LGBT rights, also called gay...