Universal Periodic Review

Universal Periodic Review recommends changes for sexual and gender rights

During the UPR, many recommendations were made regarding sexual rights as they relate to human rights across the 14 countries reviewed.

Kenya is making progress on gay rights, says AG Githu Muigai

Speaking at the 21st Universal Periodic Review, at the United Nations, Attorney General Githu Muigai said that Kenya has made progress on rights of the country’s gay community.

As Kenya’s human rights records is being assessed, the Attorney General was responding to recommendations made by Slovenia, Sweden, Brazil, and Chile that Kenya should decriminalize same sex relations and adopt non-discrimination law covering Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI)

"It is not Government policy to discriminate against persons based on their sexual orientation and gender identity," Githu said Despite these statements, same sex relations remain criminalized in Kenya. Read More

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Iran Representative to the UN: Under no circumstances do we recognize the rights of homosexual citizens

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During the UN session of the 2014 Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on Iran, member states presented a total of 291 recommendations to the Islamic Republic of Iran, including 11 that addressed sexual minorities.

As an example, Iceland recommended repealing laws that criminalise consensual same-sex sexual relations; amend laws and policies that treat homosexuality as a mental disorder and outlaw forced sterilisation and reparative therapies against LGBT individuals. 

In response, Mohammad Javad Larijani, the Head of the Human Rights Council of the Judiciary in Iran, stated that under no circumstances will the Islamic Republic of Iran “accept imposing a lifestyle under the banner or umbrella of human rights”, indicating that the lifestyle of LGBT individuals in no circumstances or arguments can be legitimized and justified. Read More