LGBT + rights advance but 69 countries still penalize same-sex relationships
In many countries, relations between two people of the same sex are penalized.
Here, Taiwanese LGBT activist Chi Chia-wei, at Asia's biggest Pride March, in Taipei, October 31, 2020. REUTERS - Ann Wang
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4 min
The rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex people have made progress in 2020, said the International Association of LGBTI people in an annual report published on Tuesday, December 15.
But according to him, 69 countries continue to criminalize consensual same-sex relationships, six of which carry the death penalty.
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"
That figure has dropped by one point this year, as
Gabon backtracked
from the criminalizing provision it passed in 2019 - which has become the shortest-lived law of its kind in the world. modern history,
”noted Lucas Ramón Mendos, research coordinator at the International Association of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex People (ILGA) and lead
author of the annual report, released on Tuesday
.
"
In addition, last week the
Bhutan
parliament
approved a bill
to decriminalize same-sex consensual relations, which may soon be enacted,
" he added.
Among those 69 countries, at least 34 United Nations member states have enforced
punitive laws
in the past five years, according to the association, which believes, however, that the number is "
perhaps much higher
."
“
Wherever such provisions exist
,” explains Lucas Ramón Mendos, “
people can be denounced and arrested at any time, even if they are simply suspected of having sex with a person of the same sex.
The courts actively pursue them and sentence them to prison, public flogging or even death
”.
Situation "
worsened
" during the Covid-19 pandemic
The
Covid-19 pandemic
has also had deleterious effects.
“
In many places where laws were already a cause of inequality, things only got worse,
” said Julia Ehrt, ILGA World's director of programs.
And to cite the proliferation of what are called
"
LGBT-free zones
" in Poland
, Indonesia which has sought to give new impetus to "
conversion therapy
" and the cancellation of two bans on such practices in Florida. , in the United States, for example.
These “
therapies
” are believed to change sexual orientation and are extremely controversial, due to the psychological risks they present and the lack of evidence of any effectiveness.
►
Read also: Poland: the LGBT community must always fight for its rights
Good news “
against all odds
” in Sudan, Costa Rica and Europe
ILGA World has also found positive developments in 2020, by its own admission, “
against all odds
”.
Thus, notes the organization, Sudan in July 2020 repealed the death penalty for consensual sexual acts between people of the same sex.
In addition, Germany is now one of four member states of the United Nations that have banned "
conversion therapy
" nationally, and "
other jurisdictions in Australia, Canada, Mexico and the United States. followed this example
”.
ILGA World also welcomes the fact that marriage for all "
is now a reality in 28 member states of the United Nations
".
Costa Rica became the first Central American country to allow
equal marriage
and “
34 United Nations member states provide forms of partnership recognition for same-sex couples, as Monaco and Montenegro voted for their legal recognition. over the past twelve months
”, underlines the international organization based in Geneva.
As of December 2020, 81 United Nations member states have laws protecting against discrimination at work based on sexual orientation.
“
Twenty years ago, they were only fifteen,
” recalls ILGA World.
(With AFP)
►
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