Office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Turkey. Please check against delivery

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1 UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES Office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Turkey Please check against delivery International Conference on Gender, Diversity and Social Inclusion Opening Remarks by Kamal Malhotra United Nations Resident Coordinator, Turkey Resident Representative, UNDP Turkey 5 November 2015 Rixos Grand Hotel/Ankara

2 Excellencies, Distinguished Members of the Turkish and European Parliaments Members of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and the Press Colleagues Günaydın, Hoşgeldiniz It is a great pleasure and honor for me to be part of the inaugural panel of the International Conference on Gender, Diversity and Social Inclusion and to be together with all of you here today. I would like to start my remarks by quoting a key and well-known part of the UN Charter "We the peoples of the United Nations (are) determined to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person. This year, in September, 70 years after the adoption of the UN Charter, the international community agreed on a new Sustainable Development Agenda, with 17 sustainable development goals. All 17 goals are based on a single, guiding principle: to leave no one behind. Realizing this guiding principle will only be possible if we can reach all people regardless of their sexual orientation and gender identity. In most countries around the world, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people are among the most marginalized members of societies. We are together here today both to initiate a discussion on the barriers that prevent LGBTI people from exercising their full human rights and to identify ways to combat gender based exclusion and violence. At the UN, the rights of LGBTI people are a relatively new topic. The UN first began discussing LGBTI rights in This year, on 29 September 2015, 12 UN entities (ILO, 1

3 OHCHR, the UNAIDS Secretariat, UNDP, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNICEF, UNODC, UN Women, WFP and WHO) released the first-ever joint UN statement on combatting violence and discrimination against LGBTI people. As stated in their joint communique, Failure to uphold the human rights of LGBTI people and protect them against abuses such as violence and discriminatory laws and practices constitute serious violations of international human rights law and have a far-reaching impact on society contributing to increased vulnerability to ill health including HIV infection, social and economic exclusion, putting strain on families and communities, and impacting negatively on economic growth, decent work and progress towards achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. At the national level, acknowledging the need to combat gender based violence in a systematic and sustainable manner, the UN in Turkey has made Gender Equality and Empowerment one of the four main pillars of its forthcoming UN Development Cooperation Strategy ( ) with the Government of Turkey. One of the eight results we set to achieve by 2020 in cooperation with the Turkish Government is: Improved legislation, policies, implementation and accountability mechanisms (on prevention and protection) to promote gender equality and reduce all forms of Sexual and Gender Based Violence. It is important that Governments increase their efforts to protect the security and the right to life of persons regardless of their gender or sexual orientation. Acts of murder as well as death threats should be promptly and thoroughly investigated regardless of the sexual orientation of the victims. Measures should include policies and programs geared towards overcoming hatred and prejudice against homosexuals and sensitizing public officials and the general public to crimes and acts of violence directed against members of sexual minorities. Effective systems should be established for recording and reporting hate motivated acts of violence. 2

4 States should also uphold international human rights standards on non-discrimination through: Prohibiting discrimination against LGBTI adults, adolescents and children in all contexts including in education, employment, healthcare, housing, social protection, criminal justice and in asylum and detention settings; Combating prejudice against LGBTI people through dialogue, public education and training; Ensuring that LGBTI people are consulted and participate in the design, implementation and monitoring of laws, policies and programmes that affect them, including development and humanitarian initiatives. Advocacy for gender equality which is crucial for social inclusion and should be undertaken within the broad human rights framework and discourse. Ladies and Gentlemen, In this respect, I am pleased to note that Turkey has indicated that it is committed to fighting discrimination against LGBTIs. During theun Human Rights Council s Universal Periodic Review meetings in January 2015, Turkey accepted many of the recommendations related to LGBTI. For example, the recommendation related to ensuring that civil society actors, including marginalized groups such as those representing LGBTI persons should be included in the implementation and follow-up of human rights obligations enjoyed Turkey s support. CSO inclusion as partners, both of Governments and international organizations, is essential for the achievement of human rights based development. In this respect, the UN in Turkey welcomes Turkey s efforts and we are glad to support Turkey in its efforts to combat discrimination and violence based on gender identity and sexual orientation. 3

5 Ensuring the same rights to LGBTI persons as those enjoyed by everyone else is not as radical or as complicated as is often argued. It rests on two fundamental principles that underpin international human rights law: equality and non-discrimination. It is our obligation to ensure that everyone in society has equal access to resources, services and rights. Addressing inequalities of opportunity and influence requires action on all fronts, but first of all a change in the mindsets of governments and their commitment to securing the economic, social, environmental as well as democratic rights of all individuals. It is important to note that the investments we make in eliminating intolerance and hate will bring enormous benefits across the global agenda, not to mention the well-being of our societies. In today s world, we cannot afford to leave anyone behind. Only through such efforts will we be able to create a world where all people are free and equal, as stated in the UN s Free&Equal campaign against homophobia and transphobia. Ladies and Gentlemen, Discrimination can never be justified and should be eliminated. The joint efforts of the international community, Governments and Civil Society Organizations are essential if we are to achieve this goal. To quote the United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon: human rights are for everyone, no matter who you are and whom you love. I would like to thank the organizers, KAOS GL and the other supporters of this Conference for giving us the opportunity to reiterate our commitment to social inclusion, antidiscrimination and equality for all. Thank you. I wish you all a successful Conference over the next two days. 4

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