UN Women welcomes new Human Rights Council Independent Expert on sexual orientation and gender identity
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UN Women welcomes the Human Rights Council’s decision to appoint an Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity and calls for full support to the new mandate.
The appointment of an Independent Expert is an important step forward in the provision of protection from violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. It reaffirms the universality of existing human rights standards for all people, irrespective of their sexual orientation and gender identity. Everyone, without exception, is equally entitled to protection under international human rights law.
People all over the world, including women, are facing widespread discrimination and other human rights violations because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. These violations range from extreme acts like killings, rape, torture and other forms of violence, to acts of discrimination in access to health care, housing and employment. UN Women believes that this new mandate will help to address these and other challenges, as well as provide a means by which to identify and learn from good practices.