IDAHO-UK PRESS RELEASE. FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION.
London. 4th May 2009
INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON GAY RIGHTS WILL MARK IDAHO 2009.
An international congress on homophobia and transphobia has been organised by the French, Dutch and Norwegian governments. It will take place in Paris on May 15th and is part of a worldwide initiative to mark the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia. (IDAHO).
The congress is a follow up initiative to the United Nations declaration against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity which was signed by 66 countries last December. The declaration arose from negotiations between Louis Georges Tin, the President of the International Day against Homophobia, other LGBT and Human Rights Organisations and the French Government. The main objectives of the conference will be to organise a strategy to obtain more signatures and support from other States, to determine a strategy to campaign internationally around the aims of the UN declaration, and to coordinate this action with “civil society initiatives”. It is believed that the congress will also focus on the “right to health of LGBT people” and “Human Rights and Gender Identity”.
It is believed that Ministers or Secretary of States from the following countries have confirmed their attendance: Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Central African Republic, Mexico, the Netherlands, UK, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy, Norway and France. There will be about 40/50 civil society speakers on the various panels, coming from all global regions and from a large variety of organisations. (Anyone wishing to attend should send their name and date of birth to melinda.dufond@diplomatie.gouv.fr and Charlotte.bisutil@diplomatie.gouv.fr)
IDAHO embarked on a campaign to decriminalise homosexuality in 2006
Derek Lennard, IDAHO-UK Coordinator “I hope everyone involved in the IDAHO-UK campaign is proud of the part they have played in this international campaign to stop LGBT people around the world from being murdered, imprisoned or harassed simply because of their sexual orientation or gender identity”.
ENDS
Derek Lennard-IDAHO-UK Coordinator. Derek.lennard@idaho.org.uk 0792 1188329.
Tags: IDAHO 2009