Letter to the UN regarding SOGI replacement

We’ve written to the United Nations about the replacement of Victor Madrigal-Borloz, Special Rapporteur for SOGI (Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity) who is due to stand down in September 2023.

To  

Volker Türk, High Commissioner for Human Rights 
(OHCHR) 
Palais Wilson 
52 rue des Pâquis 
CH-1201 Geneva, Switzerland 
 
C.C. 

Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary-General  
Václav Bálek, President of the UN Human Rights Council, 
Ambassador Barbara Woodward, Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom 
Mitch Fifield, Permanent Representative of Australia 
Ambassador Bob Rae, Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Canada 
Ambassador Antje Leendertse , Permanent Representative of Germany 
Einar Gunnarsson, Permanent Representative of Iceland 
Ruchira Kamboj, Permanent Representative of India 
Juan Ramón de la Fuente, Permanent Representative of Mexico 
Mona Juul, Permanent Representative of Norway 
Ambassador Adam Hałaciński, Permanent Representative of Poland 
Nemanja Stevanovic, Permanent Representative of Serbia 
Agustín Santos Maraver, Permanent Representative of Spain 
Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Permanent Representative of USA 
Head of UN Women Sima Sami Bahous 
 

19 June 2023 

Dear Sir, we write to you regarding the replacement of Victor Madrigal-Borloz, UN Independent Expert on Protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI).  
 
We have written previously to H.E. Ambassador Václav Bálek, President of the UN Human Rights Council, January 10, 2023 , regarding our concerns that Mr Madrigal-Borloz has not adequately fulfilled his mandate in terms of representing the rights of people of same-sex sexual orientation (the SO part of SOGI). 
 
We have detailed our concerns in the above mentioned letter which you can read in detail here. 
LGB Alliance managed to get a meeting with Mr Madrigal-Borloz and it is evident from this meeting that he has no interest in working towards the betterment of LGB peoples’ rights. Infact, we would go so far as to say that he’s working against us. You can read about details of the meeting here. 

Mr. Madrigal-Borloz may have fulfilled his mandate on gender identity, but he has not fulfilled his mandate on sexual orientation. Same-sex relations are still illegal in 69 countries around the world. Lesbians are targeted in horrendous crimes such as murder and “corrective rape”, and gay men too are tortured and murdered by violent homophobes, and in some cases the by the state itself. Uganda being a case in point here where LGB people will be put to death by the state for homosexual acts. 

We are calling on you to please review the mandate before the next UN Independent Expert on Protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity is appointed. Infact, we would go so far as to say that there needs to be two experts;  one to represent sexual orientation and one to represent gender identity because there is a decided conflict between the two and it is unworkable – and harmful to same-sex attracted people – to have a mandate that embraces both. 

We thank you for your consideration of this. 

Signed:  

Coalition of Activist Lesbians  
https://coal.org.au/ 
LGB Alliance UK  
https://lgballiance.org.uk/ 
LGB Alliance Australia  
https://www.lgballiance.org.au/ 
LGB Alliance Canada  
https://www.lgballiance.ca/ 
LGB Alliance Germany 
https://lgballiance.de/ 
LGB Alliance Iceland 
LGB Alliance India  
https://twitter.com/LGBAlliance_IND 
LGB Alliance Ireland 
https://twitter.com/ire_lgballiance?lang=en 
LGB Alliance Mexico 
LGB Alliance New Zealand 
https://www.lgballiance.nz/ 
LGB Alliance Norway 
LGB Alliance Poland 
LGB Alliance Serbia 
LGB Alliance Spain 
LGB Alliance Wales  
https://lgballiancecymru.wales/ 
LGB Alliance USA  
https://lgbausa.org/