The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing inequalities faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender diverse (LGBT) persons around the globe and has also exposed new vulnerabilities for the LGBT population. In recognition of Pride month, the UN Independent Expert on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (IE SOGI), Mr. Victor Madrigal-Borloz, will be launching new guidelines for states to ensure a COVID-19 response free from violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Guided by a unique mnemonic, ASPIRE, these guidelines will help ensure protection for LGBT persons who face direct and indirect risks from COVID-19 while working to include LGBT perspectives in building back better. Mr. Madrigal-Borloz will be joined in conversation with a number of representatives from civil society organizations as well as UN member states.
The ASPIRE guidelines build off a series of online consultations conducted by the Mandate earlier this spring with participation from civil society representatives, including over 400 people from all regions of the world. The input collected was used as the basis for the Mandate’s 2020 International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOBIT) statement to shed light on the different implications of the current pandemic on the LGBT community. These impacts were discussed during a previous webinar co-hosted by the UN Foundation in May and will be used as a building block for this discussion on concrete actions states should take to guide their COVID-19 response measures with the LGBT community in mind.
The IE SOGI is aware of the global nature of the damage inflicted by the pandemic. At the same time, the crafting of efficient and effective solutions is connected to evidence-based understanding of the reasons why certain persons, communities or populations are at a disadvantage when facing its fallout and the impact of response or recovery measures taken by the State. Through the lens of established international human rights frameworks, the IE SOGI issues these guidelines, based on six fundamental actions identified as good practice in the design, implementation and the evaluation of measures of pandemic response and recovery:
Acknowledgement
Support
Protection
Indirect discrimination avoidance
Representation
Evidence-gathering
Acknowledge that LGBT persons are everywhere (and that they are hard-hit by the pandemic)
Support the work of LGBT civil society and human rights defenders (and learn from their significant achievements)
Protect LGBT persons from violence and discrimination in the pandemic context (and prosecute perpetrators)
Indirect discrimination is a real and significant risk (and exacerbates stigmatization against LGBT persons)
Representation of LGBT persons in the process of design, implementation and evaluation of COVID-19 specific measures is key (and reflect their voices)
Evidence concerning the impact of COVID-19 on LGBT persons must be gathered (and States must follow good practices)