Conference October 30, 2012 at Fællessalen, Christiansborg:
SEXUAL MINORITY DISCRIMINATION AND DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION
- THE IMPORTANCE OF INTEGRATING LGBT RIGHTS INTO DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS
Time
Speaker
Contents
Why are LGBT rights suddenly so important?
Tania Dethlefsen
12.00-12.10
International Director,
Sex & Samfund
The welcome answers the question of why it is becoming
increasingly important to address the issue of discrimination against
LGBT persons by providing examples of the present political
tendencies in many countries to restrict LGBT rights. And argues
that the fight against discrimination cannot be fought by local LGBT
organisations alone, as these in most cases – to put it mildly – are
marginalized.
It further draws perspectives to the struggle for women’s and
children’s rights recalling that the point of departure for these
struggles resembles the present status of LGBT rights
The indivisibility of human rights and the principle of nondiscrimination
Christian Friis Bach
12.10-12.30
The Danish Minister
for Development
Cooperation
The Danish Minister for Development Cooperation places the issue
of discrimination against LGBT persons in the context of the new
official Danish development cooperation strategy. He further recalls
the universality, indivisibility and interdependence of all human
rights, which the international community has declared to treat in a
fair and equal matter on the same footing and with the same
emphasis along with the inherit human rights principle of nondiscrimination
The importance of northern NGOs addressing discrimination
against LGBT persons in all aspects of social development
Bjarke Oxlund
12.30-12.50
Vice Chairman, Sex &
Samfund
Bjarke Oxlund elaborates the point on why local LGBT organisations
in the South need assistance in securing the non-discrimination of
LGBT persons and exemplifies how discrimination against LGBT
persons often lead to social deprivation due to restrictions in access
to educational and health care facilities and the labor market
Resources and tools for addressing LGBT aspects
Julie Breinegaard
12.50-13.00
13.00-13.30
Project Coordinator,
LGBT Denmark
Julie Breinegaard introduces the newly published website
LGBTnet.dk, which is a resource site for NGOs where information
and tools to addressing LGBT issues in development cooperation
are available
Lunch and individual
reflection
The lunch break presents the opportunity of getting your hands on
the freshly published miniguide for NGOs curious about LGBT rights
in development
LGBT rights in the South – the broader picture
Fergus Kerrigan
13.30-13.50
Head of ‘Access to
Justice Programme’,
The Danish Institute
for Human Rights
Fergus Kerrigan provides an overview of the status on LGBT rights
legislation in the South and discusses how both national and
international human rights systems can be used to promote the
rights of LGBT persons. He further introduces the dilemma facing
northern NGOs of risking a political backlash when raising
awareness of violations against LGBT persons and puts the
legitimacy of a more subtle approach up for discussion.
Working with LGBT rights in Uganda
Frank Mugisha
13.50-14.15
Executive Director,
Sexual Minorities
Uganda
14.15-14.30
Coffee break
Frank Mugisha introduces the activities of Sexual Minorities Uganda
(SMUG) and describes the discrimination that LGBT persons face in
Uganda. He further provides an analysis of the legislative situation
with focus on the recent national anti-gay bill and concludes by
discussing the role of international support and development
cooperation.
Homosexuality = 100 whiplashes or stoning to death
Video message from
Qasim Iqbal
14.30-14.40
Executive Director,
Naz Pakistan
The video is introduced by Fahad Saeed from Sabaah and presents
Qasim Iqbal who is the founder and executive director of the first
LGBT organisation in Pakistan. Qasim Iqbal describes how it is
possible to work with LGBT rights in a country where homosexuality
is punishable under both national legislation and Islamic ruling by
10 years in prison, 100 whiplashes or stoning to death.
Challenges and achievements in Nepal
Sunil Pant
14.40-15.00
Member of
Parliament and head
of Blue Diamond
Society, Nepal
Sunil Pant departs from the Nepalese culture describing how a
more diverse understanding of gender and sexuality can be derived
from the Hindu tradition and texts. From there he moves on to
present the work and achievements of Blue Diamond Society, which
include the legalization of same-sex marriage and the recognition of
the third gender.
Turning good intentions into action
The panel discusses how good intentions can be converted into
actual change by addressing the role of the different actors in
Danish development cooperation.
15.05-15.50
Panel debate
Panelists
Lisbeth Bech Poulsen (MP), Jakob Ellemann-Jensen (MP),
Ib Petersen (State Secretary for Development Policy), Lars Normann
Jørgensen (Secretary General, Amnesty Int.), Vagn Berthelsen
(Secretary General, Ibis), Frank Mugisha and Sunil Pant
15.50-16.00
Sex & Samfund and
LGBT Denmark
How do we proceed from here?