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Lankan and global LGBTIQ activists urge Trump to uphold human rights for all
View(s):NEW YORK – Global LGBTIQ activists gathering here yesterday to mark International Human Rights Day urged President-elect Donald Trump to maintain US commitment to protecting the human rights of LGBTIQ people globally. The activists from Iraq, Lebanon, South Africa, Sri Lanka, St. Lucia, Sweden, Thailand, and the United States gathered at the office of OutRight Action International, formerly the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission to discuss the impact of the incoming Trump Administration on the LGBTIQ communities.
In a statement issued yesterday, they noted that under the Obama administration, the US had shown unprecedented commitment to promoting the human rights of LGBTIQ people internationally, by issuing a presidential memorandum to advance LGBT rights globally, creating the Global Equality Fund to financially support LGBTIQ rights internationally, and by appointing the first-ever Special Envoy for LGBTI Rights.
They said that support from US embassies to LGBTIQ groups in countries often hostile towards LGBTIQ rights was especially important to increasing visibility and understanding of human rights for vulnerable communities.
Rosanna Flamer-Caldera, of Equal Ground in Sri Lanka, said, “The leadership of the US in good governance and democratic principles has had influence on the political paradigm shift in Sri Lanka. President-elect Trump and his administration must maintain this leadership and safeguard the principles of democracy and human rights, especially for populations that are most vulnerable like LGBTIQ people who still face violence and discrimination everywhere.”
The activists also highlighted that safeguarding LGBTIQ rights cannot be seen as an isolated issue and must be understood in broader human rights and democracy contexts.
Amir Ashour, founder of Iraq’s only LGBT+ organization, IraQueer, said, “In a country like Iraq where the State Department has provided help to LGBTIQ people, there is virtually nowhere else to turn for support. The US must sustain efforts on the international level and at the UN because it is often the only platform to advocate for country level change since it is almost impossible to do any advocacy inside Iraq.”
The discussions concluded with a message by Jessica Stern, Executive Director of OutRight Action International. “There is a framework of international solidarity in place, one that cannot be easily broken. We have stepped up into this brilliant, strong, and resilient global LGBTIQ movement and we will not move backwards.”