UN Human Rights Council Adopts Historic TBLG Resolution

The United Nations Human Rights Council adopted today in Geneva a historic TBLG rights resolution proposed by South Africa, Brazil and 39 other co-sponsors that for the first time ever affirms the universality of human rights, and notes concern about acts of violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

It requests the High Commissioner for Human Rights prepare a study on violence and discrimination on these grounds.  It calls for a panel discussion to be held at the Human Rights Council to discuss the findings of the study in a constructive and transparent manner in addition to considering appropriate follow-up.

In its presentation to the Council, South Africa pointed out the UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights notes that “everyone is entitled to all rights and freedoms without distinction of any kind.”  Brazil called on the Council to “open the long closed doors of dialogue”.

The UN resolution passed with 23 countries voting in favor, 19 countries against and 3 countries abstaining

The nations voting YES were: Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Ecuador, France, Guatemala, Hungary, Japan, Mauritius, Mexico, Norway, Poland, Republic of Korea, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine, Thailand, UK, USA, Uruguay.

The nations voting NO were:  Angola, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Djibouti, Gabon, Ghana, Jordan, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Nigeria, Pakistan, Qatar, Moldova, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Uganda.


Abstentions: Burkina Faso, China, Zambia

Absent: Kyrgyzstan, Libya (suspended)

Why am I not surprised about seeing Malaysia, Russia, Nigeria and Uganda on the list of nations voting no?    The USA voting yes is another unmistakable indication that the Obama Administration is one that supports TBLG issues.  


Will be interested to see how this plays out over the next few years.

International Womens Day 2011-Where Do Transwomen Fit In?

Today is not only International Women's Day (IWD), but we're celebrating the centennial observance of it.

The first observance of International Womens day was on March 19, 1911 in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland .   Over one million women and men attended rallies in which they called for women to have the right to vote and hold public office.  They also demanded women's rights to work, to vocational training and to an end to discrimination on the job.

The IWD is marked with a message from the UN Secretary-General and hundreds of events occurring on this day and throughout March to mark the economic, political and social achievements of women.

Of course, you know the TransGriot had to ponder the significance of this day from a transwoman's perspective.

As the 100th observance of this day dawns, we are 50 plus years past the February 1953 date when Christine Jorgenson stepped off a plane from Denmark and into the flashbulb popping glare of the world's consciousness as the first transwoman to garner widespread media attention. 

As of IWF 2011, we transwomen around the globe have had a mixed bag of progress and pushback that in many ways mirrors our cissisters, but in other instances pales in comparison.    

We have been fortunate to have had a long list of transwomen around the world who have been willing to do and are eminently capable of doing the education about our issues to their nation's citizens.and in some cases to international bodies such as the United Nations.  They have tirelessly pointed out our shared humanity and the intersectionality of our concerns with our cissisters and anyone else who would listen.

But we do have a long hard road to travel as we take a snapshot of where international transwomen stand as we celebrate the centennial IWF anniversary.   


In terms of our economic status, while there are transwomen that do well economically, others depending where they reside aren't so fortunate.  Far too many of us are unemployed or underemployed thanks to the discrimination we face.   Still more are forced to engage in sex work with all the inherent risks involved just to survive.

Politically since Georgina Beyer and Vladimir Luxuria left the New Zealand and Italian parliaments, we currently don't have any out transwomen in national legislative making bodies.

There has been some slight progress in local or regional lawmaking bodies.   We have had increasing numbers of transpeople running for public office.  We have in the United States one elected and one appointed judge, and one transperson was reelected to serve on the Hawaii State Board of Education..

We've also had a transwoman receive a historic presidential appointment from President Barack Obama as well. 

Legislation addressing our various issues in several nations has either passed or is progressing in the various levels of government.   But sadly, there are instances where trans friendly legislation is stalled, delayed, or doesn't address the ills it purports to cure because of flawed crafting by allies unfamiliar with or insensitive to our concerns..

Socially we continue to fight across the globe to have our human rights in our various nations respected and protected.   We continue to have to battle in court for basic human rights cispeople take for granted.   We continue to deal with police brutality issues and cope with anti-transgender violence directed at us as the yearly TDOR ceremonies painfully remind us every November of the people we lose to it .

The centennial IWD 2011 theme is 'Equal access to education, training and science and technology: Pathway to decent work for women'

We definitely need that in the trans community    Access to education and training in science and technology would go a long way toward providing that decent pathway to meaningful work for transwomen.

But at the same time we need laws on the books to protect our human rights so that we can get that education without being harassed.   We need legislation with enforcement teeth in our various nations so that we can confidently enter the workforce and compete for, get and hold whatever job we acquire without interference from the transbigots who would seek to impede our social and economic progress.


And yes, we need more transwomen willing to fight for our human rights as spelled out in the Yogyakarta Principles and the UN Charter. .  We need transwomen tough minded enough to run for public office in our various nations to help craft those laws that will help our transsisters get that employment to improve their lives..

And where do we transwomen fit in on this International Womens Day 2011?   Alongside our cissisters as allies ready, willing and able to do our share to help them out, and we hope they feel the same way about us as well..

What's The Universal Declaration Of Human Rights?

Now, Therefore THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY proclaims THIS UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the end that every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance, both among the peoples of Member States themselves and among the peoples of territories under their jurisdiction.

 If you peruse international newscasts or international social justice blogs, you will from time to time hear people make references not only to the Yogyakarta Principles, but to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

So what's the Universal Declaration of Human Rights?   It's a visionary document that was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 10, 1948.


The anniversary of its adoption is celebrated at UN headquarters every December 10 as Human Rights Day..

It's a document that all UN member nations pledge to uphold, but some nations do better jobs of it than others in incorporating those principles into the laws that they govern their nations by  

And for you folks living in the States, you have another insight into why the conservafool movement has a bitterly intense hatred for the United Nations.
  
Well, hopefully one day we'll see a world in which these principles enshrined in this document are rigorously adhered to by all nations on this planet.
 
I'll close this post out with the Preamble from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

***

Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world,

Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people,


Whereas it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law,

Whereas it is essential to promote the development of friendly relations between nations,

Whereas the peoples of the United Nations have in the Charter reaffirmed their faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women and have determined to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom,

Whereas Member States have pledged themselves to achieve, in co-operation with the United Nations, the promotion of universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms,

Whereas a common understanding of these rights and freedoms is of the greatest importance for the full realization of this pledge,

Now, Therefore THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY proclaims THIS UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the end that every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance, both among the peoples of Member States themselves and among the peoples of territories under their jurisdiction.