April – In a landmark decision, Indian Supreme Court allowed transgender people to identify as a third gender and directed the central and state governments to give full legal recognition to them.
In May/June – SPW highlighted the inspiring decision by the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights that published resolution in its 55th Ordinary Session condemning human rights violations based on gender identity and sexual orientation commited by state and non-state actors.
July – In Uganda the Constitutional Court stroke down the anti-homosexuality law because the legislative process of approval did not fill the necessary requirements.
Also in July VI BRICS Summit has taken the presidents of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa to Fortaleza in Brazil. SPW participated in the parallel Civil Society Dialogue, to examine how sexuality and human rights are being addressed in discussions on the emerging powers.
August –Trans persons have achieved a victory, albeit not definitive. The ICD (International Classification of Diseases), published by the World Health Organization – which is a set of guidelines that define diseases and pathologies – is under review. In the draft guideline of the 11th edition, all definitions related to transgender conditions were excluded from the chapter on “Mental and behavioral disorders” to be placed in a new section on conditions of sexual health.
September –Egyptian human rights groups called for demonstrations to take place in front of Egyptian Embassies everywhere to protest against violations perpetrated by the regime of General Sissi against LGBT person.
In Geneva, the UN Human Rights Council, in its 27th session, adopted a resolution recognizing the effects of human rights violations perpetrated on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity and calling for the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights to report on these violations.
The politics of abortion was once again under the spotlight in Brazil, as the deaths of two women caused by illegal and unsafe abortions gained the first pages and the screens. Despite this prominence in the national press the topic was not addressed by the main competitors for the presidency in the elections. SPW commented and collected information on the Brazilian scenario.
October – SPW highlighted the excellent interview of Dawn Cavenagh, coordinator of the Coalition of African Lesbian (CAL), in which she analyzes the politics and potential effects of the Human Rights Council September Resolution on Human Rights, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity.
November – SPW highlighted the Men Engage Symposium, held in Delhi, in which SPW was present with the participation of our members, Gloria Careaga, and our working partner Akshay Khana. Click here to watch the sessions.
December – SPW calls attention to the investigation report produced by U.S Senate on the human rights violations and torture carried out worldwide by the CIA on the scope of “War against terrorism” and the Brazilian Truth Comission that examined repression and violations perpetrated during the military dictatorship (1965-1985). Both reports, it should be noted, critically illuminate how repressive and torturing practices always intersect with gender and sexuality.
SPW main publications in 2014:
Newsletter nº 14 – Putting the Law in its place – analyses of recent developments in law relating to same-sex desire in India and Uganda
E-books: Sexuality and Politics: Regional Dialogues from the Global South
Article: Emerging Powers: Can it Be that Sexuality and Human Rights is a Lateral Issue? By Sonia Corrêa. In SUR Journal Commemorative Editions, October, 2014.
SPW Working Paper n. 9, authored by Justin Perez (University of California, Irvine).
