On 27th October 2017, Professor Vitit Muntarbhorn, the United Nations (UN) Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, presented his first report to the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly. Despite rumoured threats of a mass walk out, a significant number of African States and members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) were notably in the room. The interactive dialogue saw significant cross-regional expressions of support for the independent expert and his mandate. 23 statements were made in total and included voices from every UN regional group as well as the European Union.

The visibility and legitimacy of the human rights of lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people within the UN was pronounced as all six of the independent expert’s stated areas of focus were addressed collectively by the statements, with the majority of comments and questions addressing three of these areas: the decriminalization of consensual same-sex relations, the adoption of anti-discrimination measures and the need for an early human rights education. Gaps in both global and national recognition of LGBTI human rights were evident in relation to gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics. Inclusion of these issues were limited, with just four States acknowledging the unique vulnerability of transgender individuals and only one speaking to intersex rights. On a similar note, South Africa was the only State to draw attention to the intersectionality between sexual orientation and gender identity and broader structural barriers like racism and poverty.

Despite these gaps, discussions did extend beyond the scope of the Independent Expert’s report. The work of LGBTI human rights inter-governmental coalitions was repeatedly brought to the fore, with States from the Asia Pacific, Latin American and Caribbean (GRULAC), and Western European and Others (WEOG) groups all drawing attention to the role of the UN LGBTI Core Group and the Equal Rights Coalition. It is worth noting that it was the LAC States who took charge of representing the LGBTI Core Group, while WEOG States noticeably abstained from identifying as members (Israel being the only exception).