BETA


2011/2821(RSP) Resolution on human rights, sexual orientation and gender identity at the United Nations

Progress: Procedure completed

Legal Basis:
RoP 132-p2

Events

2011/09/28
   EP - Results of vote in Parliament
2011/09/28
   EP - Decision by Parliament
Details

Following the debate which took place on 27 September, the European Parliament adopted by 442 votes to 104 with 40 abstentions a resolution on human rights, sexual orientation and gender identity at the United Nations.

The resolution was tabled by the EPP, S&D, Greens/EFA, ALDE, ECR and GUE/NGL groups.

It welcomes the adoption of UNHRC resolution A/HRC/17/19 of 17 June 2011 on human rights, sexual orientation and gender identity, which is the first resolution, adopted at the United Nations dealing specifically with sexual orientation and gender identity and was supported by states from all regions and sponsored by 21 EU Member States. Whilst acknowledging the work already undertaken by the Human Rights Council, the UN Secretary-General, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, UN human rights treaty bodies, special rapporteurs and other UN agencies, Parliament reiterates its concern regarding the numerous human rights violations and widespread discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, both in the EU and in third countries. It supports the organisation of a panel discussion during the 19th session of the Human Rights Council in spring 2012 to have a dialogue on the issue of discriminatory laws and acts of violence against individuals based on their sexual orientation and gender identity, stating that holding a respectful and open dialogue among UN Member States from all regions is indispensable.

Parliament roundly condemns the fact that homosexuality, bisexuality and transsexuality are still regarded as mental illnesses by some countries, including within the EU, and it calls on states to combat this, stressing the need for the de-psychiatrisation of the transsexual, transgender, journey, for free choice of care providers, for changing identity to be simplified, and for costs to be met by social security schemes. It also calls on the Commission and the World Health Organisation to withdraw gender identity disorders from the list of mental and behavioural disorders , and to ensure a non-pathologising reclassification in the negotiations on the 11th version of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11).

Members take the view that the High Representative, all EU institutions and Member States should uphold the key priorities mentioned by the Council Working Party’s Toolkit to Promote and Protect the Enjoyment of all Human Rights by LGBT, these being the decriminalisation of homosexuality in the world, equality and non-discrimination, and the protection of human rights defenders. They call on the High Representative and Member States:

systematically to promote the respect of human rights in relation to sexual orientation and gender identity at the United Nations and in other multilateral fora, and bilaterally in their human rights dialogues, as well as through the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) and other external financial instruments; to ensure consistency between the EU's external and internal action in the field of human rights, and asks Member States to engage constructively with the Universal Periodic Review and treaty body procedures to ensure that human rights in relation to sexual orientation and gender identity are fully upheld in the EU and in third countries.

Parliament goes on to recall Member States' obligation to protect or grant asylum to third country nationals escaping or risking persecution in their country of origin on the basis of their sexual orientation, as laid down in Directive 2004/83/EC. It regrets that the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people are not yet always fully upheld in the EU, including the right to bodily integrity, the right to private and family life, the right to freedom of opinion and expression, the right to freedom of assembly, the right to non-discrimination, the right to freedom of movement, including the right to free movement for same-sex couples and their families, the right of access to preventive health care, the right to medical treatment and the right to asylum

Lastly, Parliament reiterates its request that the Commission produce a comprehensive roadmap against homophobia, transphobia and discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity.

Documents
2011/09/28
   EP - End of procedure in Parliament
2011/09/27
   EP - Debate in Parliament
2011/09/21
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents

Documents

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)

docs/0/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/B-7-2011-0523_EN.html
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https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/B-7-2011-0523_EN.html
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http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20110927&type=CRE
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https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/CRE-7-2011-09-27-TOC_EN.html
events/2
date
2011-09-28T00:00:00
type
Decision by Parliament
body
EP
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-7-2011-0427_EN.html title: T7-0427/2011
summary
events/2
date
2011-09-28T00:00:00
type
Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
body
EP
docs
url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-7-2011-0427_EN.html title: T7-0427/2011
summary
procedure/legal_basis/0
Rules of Procedure EP 132-p2
procedure/legal_basis/0
Rules of Procedure EP 123-p2
docs/0/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=MOTION&reference=B7-2011-523&language=EN
New
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/B-7-2011-0523_EN.html
events/2/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P7-TA-2011-427
New
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-7-2011-0427_EN.html
activities
  • date: 2011-09-27T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20110927&type=CRE type: Debate in Parliament title: Debate in Parliament body: EP type: Debate in Parliament
  • date: 2011-09-28T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=20602&l=en type: Results of vote in Parliament title: Results of vote in Parliament url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P7-TA-2011-427 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading title: T7-0427/2011 body: EP type: Results of vote in Parliament
commission
  • body: EC dg: Justice and Consumers commissioner: REDING Viviane
committees
    docs
    • date: 2011-09-21T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=MOTION&reference=B7-2011-523&language=EN title: B7-0523/2011 type: Motion for a resolution body: EP
    events
    • date: 2011-09-27T00:00:00 type: Debate in Parliament body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20110927&type=CRE title: Debate in Parliament
    • date: 2011-09-28T00:00:00 type: Results of vote in Parliament body: EP docs: url: https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=20602&l=en title: Results of vote in Parliament
    • date: 2011-09-28T00:00:00 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P7-TA-2011-427 title: T7-0427/2011 summary: Following the debate which took place on 27 September, the European Parliament adopted by 442 votes to 104 with 40 abstentions a resolution on human rights, sexual orientation and gender identity at the United Nations. The resolution was tabled by the EPP, S&D, Greens/EFA, ALDE, ECR and GUE/NGL groups. It welcomes the adoption of UNHRC resolution A/HRC/17/19 of 17 June 2011 on human rights, sexual orientation and gender identity, which is the first resolution, adopted at the United Nations dealing specifically with sexual orientation and gender identity and was supported by states from all regions and sponsored by 21 EU Member States. Whilst acknowledging the work already undertaken by the Human Rights Council, the UN Secretary-General, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, UN human rights treaty bodies, special rapporteurs and other UN agencies, Parliament reiterates its concern regarding the numerous human rights violations and widespread discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, both in the EU and in third countries. It supports the organisation of a panel discussion during the 19th session of the Human Rights Council in spring 2012 to have a dialogue on the issue of discriminatory laws and acts of violence against individuals based on their sexual orientation and gender identity, stating that holding a respectful and open dialogue among UN Member States from all regions is indispensable. Parliament roundly condemns the fact that homosexuality, bisexuality and transsexuality are still regarded as mental illnesses by some countries, including within the EU, and it calls on states to combat this, stressing the need for the de-psychiatrisation of the transsexual, transgender, journey, for free choice of care providers, for changing identity to be simplified, and for costs to be met by social security schemes. It also calls on the Commission and the World Health Organisation to withdraw gender identity disorders from the list of mental and behavioural disorders , and to ensure a non-pathologising reclassification in the negotiations on the 11th version of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). Members take the view that the High Representative, all EU institutions and Member States should uphold the key priorities mentioned by the Council Working Party’s Toolkit to Promote and Protect the Enjoyment of all Human Rights by LGBT, these being the decriminalisation of homosexuality in the world, equality and non-discrimination, and the protection of human rights defenders. They call on the High Representative and Member States: systematically to promote the respect of human rights in relation to sexual orientation and gender identity at the United Nations and in other multilateral fora, and bilaterally in their human rights dialogues, as well as through the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) and other external financial instruments; to ensure consistency between the EU's external and internal action in the field of human rights, and asks Member States to engage constructively with the Universal Periodic Review and treaty body procedures to ensure that human rights in relation to sexual orientation and gender identity are fully upheld in the EU and in third countries. Parliament goes on to recall Member States' obligation to protect or grant asylum to third country nationals escaping or risking persecution in their country of origin on the basis of their sexual orientation, as laid down in Directive 2004/83/EC. It regrets that the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people are not yet always fully upheld in the EU, including the right to bodily integrity, the right to private and family life, the right to freedom of opinion and expression, the right to freedom of assembly, the right to non-discrimination, the right to freedom of movement, including the right to free movement for same-sex couples and their families, the right of access to preventive health care, the right to medical treatment and the right to asylum Lastly, Parliament reiterates its request that the Commission produce a comprehensive roadmap against homophobia, transphobia and discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity.
    • date: 2011-09-28T00:00:00 type: End of procedure in Parliament body: EP
    links
    other
    • body: EC dg: url: http://ec.europa.eu/justice/ title: Justice commissioner: REDING Viviane
    procedure/legal_basis/0
    Rules of Procedure EP 123-p2
    procedure/legal_basis/0
    Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 123-p2
    procedure/subject
    Old
    • 4.10.08 Equal treatment between persons, non-discrimination
    • 6.10.09 Human rights situation in the world
    • 6.40.13 Relations with/in the context of international organisations: UN, OSCE, OECD, Council of Europe, EBRD
    New
    4.10.08
    Equal treatment of persons, non-discrimination
    6.10.09
    Human rights situation in the world
    6.40.13
    Relations with/in the context of international organisations: UN, OSCE, OECD, Council of Europe, EBRD
    procedure/subtype
    Old
    Resolution on statements
    New
    Resolution on statement
    activities
    • date: 2011-09-27T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20110927&type=CRE type: Debate in Parliament title: Debate in Parliament body: EP type: Debate in Parliament
    • date: 2011-09-28T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=20602&l=en type: Results of vote in Parliament title: Results of vote in Parliament url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P7-TA-2011-427 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading title: T7-0427/2011 body: EP type: Results of vote in Parliament
    committees
      links
      other
      • body: EC dg: url: http://ec.europa.eu/justice/ title: Justice commissioner: REDING Viviane
      procedure
      reference
      2011/2821(RSP)
      title
      Resolution on human rights, sexual orientation and gender identity at the United Nations
      legal_basis
      Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 123-p2
      stage_reached
      Procedure completed
      subtype
      Resolution on statements
      type
      RSP - Resolutions on topical subjects
      subject