Loading…
Wednesday November 27, 2024 11:40am - 1:00pm CET
Session co-organized by the Working Group on business and human rights, ILGA World and PGLE


Brief Description of the Session:

LGBTI+ persons are disproportionately affected by business activities, facing discrimination and violence that impact their rights to equality and non-discrimination and lead to compounding violations of other human rights. Discrimination and attacks occur in various forms, including harassment in the workplace, stigmatization on social media, biased representation in advertising, and exclusion in sports. These risks are exacerbated by intersectional discrimination involving factors such as race, ethnicity, disability, age, migratory status, and more. Hostile cultural, social, and legal environments further restrict the corporate respect for human rights of LGBTI+ persons.

This session will explore different measures implemented by States, businesses and other stakeholders to address gaps in protecting and respecting the rights of LGBTI+ persons in the context of business activities. Drawing on the recent report to the General Assembly by the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights, titled “Protecting and respecting the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons in the context of business activities: fulfilling obligations and responsibilities under the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights”, the session aims to identify effective strategies and share good practices in this field by fostering dialogue among diverse stakeholders.

Key Specific Objectives of the Session:

· Identify the key challenges for the respect of LGBTI+ rights in the context of business activities.
· Discuss the "smart mix of measures" necessary from States to adequately protect the rights of LGBTI+ persons against business abuses, highlighting emerging regulatory initiatives, policies and adjudications at the national, regional, and international levels.
· Exchange on business actions to prevent and redress human rights abuses against LGBTI+ persons in the workplace, marketplace, supply chain and communities where they operate, including when operating in jurisdictions that criminalize consensual same sex relationships.
· Explore how meaningful engagement with LGBTI+ persons, organisations defending LGBTI+ rights, and trade unions can be fostered to enhance the respect of the rights of LGBTI+ persons.
· Promote collaboration among stakeholders, including governments, businesses, civil society, and LGBTI+ persons.

Key Discussion Questions:
1. What are the most pressing challenges faced by LGBTI+ persons in the context of business activities?
2. What measures should States take to include consideration on LGBTI+ persons in NAP, mandatory human rights due diligence and to repel or amend any regulations that would hamper business respect of the rights of LGBTI+ persons?
3. How does policy coherence look like with regards to guaranteeing the rights of all in the context of business activities?
4. How could the UN Standards of Conduct for Business in Tackling Discrimination Against LGBTI People be effectively implemented to guide businesses in progressing beyond merely respecting the rights of their LGBTI employees in countries with established legal protections, to actively promoting and defending these rights in regions where such protections are limited or non-existent?
5. How could businesses address backlashes and legal risks when respecting the rights of LGBTI+ persons in their operations and value chains?
6. How can State-based judicial and non-judicial mechanisms, as well as operational-level grievance mechanisms be strengthened to address rights violations against LGBTI+ persons?
7. What role can stakeholders play in fostering collaboration and sharing good practices to advance LGBTI+ rights in the business sector?

Background reading:
· Protecting and respecting the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons in the context of business activities: fulfilling obligations and responsibilities under the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights –Working Group report A/79/178
· UN Standards of Conduct for Business Tackling Discrimination Against Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans, & Intersex People, · Gender Dimensions of the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights – Working Group report A/HRC/41/43

Moderators
avatar for Fernanda Hopenhaym

Fernanda Hopenhaym

Chairperson, UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights
Ms. Fernanda Hopenhaym is Co-Executive Director at Project on Organizing, Development, Education and Research (PODER), an organization in Latin America dedicated to corporate accountability. For twenty years, Ms. Hopenhaym has worked on economic, social and gender justice. Since 2006... Read More →
Speakers
avatar for Gurchaten Sandhu

Gurchaten Sandhu

Director of Programmes, ILGA World
Born to Panjabi Sikh working-class migrant parents in the UK, Gurchaten is a widely respected LGBTI changemaker and community leader, joining ILGA World to further strengthen and build on the organisation’s programmatic work and manage its growing Programmes team.Before their time... Read More →
avatar for Ari Vera

Ari Vera

Presidenta, Federación Mexicana de Empresarios LGBT+
Ari Vera es defensora de derechos humanos, presidenta de la Federacion Mexicana de Empresarios LGBT+ y fundadora de la asociación Almas Cautivas que trabaja a favor de la comunidad trans privada de libertad en los centros penitenciarios de la Ciudad de México.Cuenta con una Maestría... Read More →
avatar for Beck Bailey

Beck Bailey

Chief Diversity Officer, Accenture
avatar for Christophe Payot

Christophe Payot

Ambassador, Permanent Mission of Belgium to the United Nations Office and specialized institutions in Geneva
CareerAfter his studies, Christophe Payot joined the Belgian Foreign Service as a diplomat in 2000. After a traineeship at our Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York in 2001, he was posted to Pakistan in 2002 as Deputy Head of Mission and was in charge of our Diplomatic... Read More →
Wednesday November 27, 2024 11:40am - 1:00pm CET
Room XX

Sign up or log in to save this to your schedule, view media, leave feedback and see who's attending!

Share Modal

Share this link via

Or copy link