ILGA World Database – a platform has been launched by ILGA World compiling laws, news, and references to human rights bodies and advocacy opportunities with the United Nations related to LGBTI people worldwide.
Accessible and easy to navigate website allows easy access to huge amount of data involving topics like current progress and backlash around sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and sex characteristics issues in 193 UN member States and 47 non-independent territories.
Just to give a few examples: 7 of UN member States now have introduced nationwide restrictions to unnecessary interventions on intersex minors; 20 allow for legal gender recognition based on self-determination; 11 of them ban so-called ‘conversion therapies’ at the national level. Marriage equality is now a reality in 33 UN member States. Laws that protect people from hate crimes on the grounds of their sexual orientation exist in 58 UN member States, but only 37 do so based on gender identity, 9 on gender expression, and 5 on sex characteristics.
“Accessing data about LGBTI populations – historically left out, uncounted, and unrepresented – has always been difficult. Building upon four decades of experience that our organisation has in compiling this kind of information, ILGA World is now sharing it with everyone, giving free access to a platform that is grounded in data and research, and that systematises 4,300 legal sources and more than 7,000 references from United Nations mechanisms.”
– ILGA World research coordinator Lucas Ramón Mendos.
Database is updated with information about laws affecting LGBTI communities worldwide divided into 18 legal categories and more than 100 topics, it is also visualised using interactive global and regional maps. It can help activists track developments in human rights situation among member States of the UN.
“Grassroots organisations often can only count on little resources to remain updated with global developments, or to find information that they can use in their advocacy or campaigning work. The ILGA World Database is a game-changing, powerful source of information in their hands.”
– Julia Ehrt, Executive Director at ILGA World.
It doesn’t take much time spent browsing ILGA’s database to realise that reaching true equality is still and distant goal – even more so for some. Take into account that 6 UN member States legally impose the death penalty for consensual same-sex sexual acts, and there is no legal certainty of its application in 5 more States. At least 51 countries have restrictions on freedom of expression related to sexual and gender diversity issues, including in educational settings.
“Simply put, this data speaks, and provides everyone accessing it with the missing pieces of evidence of how lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and intersex persons are still left behind in many areas of life. With the ILGA World Database, our lived realities can be documented, programmes and services can be advocated for. The Database brings to light valuable data that is missing in current LGBTI advocacy. Combining it with our stories and our activism is how we will make the world a better and more equal place for our LGBTI communities globally”.
– Luz Elena Aranda and Tuisina Ymania Brown, co-Secretaries General at ILGA World.
Make use of this amazing tool, we sure are going to. Staying informed about our community’s situation is crucial in efforts to make it better. In the upcoming months we will use our social media platforms to present some of the key figures and facts sourced from ILGA World Database.