The organised lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, represented by the national Joint Working Group*, states as follows:

On Friday, 20 July, the South African delegation to the UN Economic and Social Council [ECOSOC] will vote on whether to recognise two international NGOs (non-governmental organisations) to represent lesbian and gay interests on this international forum.

As such, South Africa will have an opportunity to cast a significant vote that will impact on international human rights, specifically for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

In July 2006 we were deeply disappointed that South Africa voted against these applications, and then abstained when the issues was up for vote in December of the same year. It would contradict the core values of the South African constitution to remain silent on this matter. As such, we urge South African to vote in favour of the applicants. This would signal our continued and consistent support for principles of fairness and non-discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and Gender identity.

The two organisations under consideration are as follows:

• The Coalition gaie et lesbainne du Quebec, and 
• The Swedish Federation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights.

These NGOs address important human rights issues and it is critical that they have a voice at the United Nations. This is even more pressing given the ongoing human rights violations committed against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, often facilitated through State sponsored homophobia, across the world. The applicant NGOs play a vital role in addressing serious human rights abuses relevant to the work of the UN. 

We understand that no reasons were provided for denying consultative status to the NGOs thusfar, other than their work on issues of sexual orientation and gender identity. Furthermore we are of the opinion that ECOSOC has an obligation to ensure the process is both fair and non-discriminatory.

For South Africa, a YES vote in favour of the applications is a matter of access, fairness and most importantly, principle. South Africa has led the way in its legislative reform in support of the rights of LGBT people. Moreover our constitutional mandate requires us, as a country, to take a position against all forms of discrimination including that on the basis of sexual orientation and gender.
We urge the Government to act as a beacon for human rights to other countries who continue to persecute, imprison, torture and execute lesbian and gay people purely on the basis of their sexual orientation.

The *Joint Working Group is a national network of LGBTI organizations and partners. Our vision is to strengthen the organized LGBTI sector and to maximize our response to LGBTI people’s needs through partnerships, collective use of resources, and by drawing on the strengths of participating organizations in contributing towards social justice and the reconstruction and development of South African society.

* Members of the Joint Working Group:

Activate WITS
Behind the Mask
Durban Lesbian and Gay Community and Health Centre
Centre for the Study of AIDS
Durban Gay and Lesbian Centre
Forum for the Empowerment of Women
Gay and Lesbian Archives
Gender DynamiX
Glorious Light Metropolitan Community Church
Good Hope Metropolitan Community Church
Hope and Unity Metropolitan Community Church
Jewish OUTlook
LEGBO Northern Cape
Nelspruit Gay & Lesbians Unite
Pietermaritzberg Gay and Lesbian Network
OUT LGBT Well-being
Out In Africa South African Gay & Lesbian Film Festival
Rainbow UCT
SAYLO
The Inner Circle
The Lesbian And Gay Equality Project
Triangle Project
XX/Y FLAME
UNISA Centre for Applied Psychology

For more information contact:

Nonhlanhla Mkhize on 083 748 9565
Glenn de Swardt on 021 448 3812

---