Background:

The Legal Department began receiving an increased number of complaints dealing directly and indirectly with issues of sexual orientation.  While as is required by our mandate and the establishing Act to refer complaints outside our jurisdiction to more appropriate bodies, the Legal Department also began receiving referrals from the South African Human Rights Commission that reflected a convergence of gender and sexual orientation issues. 

To better understand the issues being raised, to gain a better picture of the community based and non-governmental organizations and to raise the sensitivity within the CGE to issues of sexual orientation, a meeting was held on 17 November 2005 between the CGE and various LGBTI organizations.  While not representative of all organizations in South Africa, the Legal Department made use of a Joint Working Group within this sector as a first step in building relationships.  Next steps include a joint meeting with the SAHRC on 24 November 2005 to discuss complaint specific issues.