U.N. Human Rights Council Renews LGBT Expert Mandate
Graeme Reid will continue as the U.N.'s expert on LGBT rights for another three years, as 29 nations back the mandate despite opposition from China, Pakistan, and others.
The U.N. Human Rights Council has voted to extend the mandate of its LGBT rights expert, ensuring continued global oversight of anti-LGBTQ human rights violations for another three years.
Under the mandate, the U.N.’s Independent Expert on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity is tasked with identifying the root causes of anti-LGBTQ violence and discrimination, and advising U.N. member states on how to better protect LGBTQ communities.
The current independent expert, South African scholar Graeme Reid, will continue in the role for another three years. Reid is the third person to hold the position since it was established in 2016.
The office of the independent expert has previously urged countries to align their laws with the U.N.’s human rights framework, called for the repeal of statutes criminalizing homosexuality, and condemned conversion therapy as “degrading and discriminatory.”
“The renewal of this mandate is a spark of hope in a time when reactionary powers worldwide are trying to dismantle progress that our communities fought so hard to achieve,” Julia Ehrt, executive director of the campaign group ILGA World, said in a statement.
The resolution to renew the independent expert’s mandate passed with 29 countries — including Albania, Brazil, Cuba, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, South Africa, and Thailand — voting to approve it for another three years.
Fifteen countries — including China, Indonesia, Morocco, Qatar, and Sudan — voted against renewing the mandate. Benin, Ghana, and Kyrgyzstan abstained.
Ahead of the vote, Pakistan voiced opposition to the mandate on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, arguing that the independent expert promotes “controversial views” that conflict with laws criminalizing homosexuality or gender nonconformity, according to NBC News.
The United States did not vote on the resolution, having withdrawn from the Human Rights Council in February. U.S. officials cited what they called a persistent bias against Israel, accusing the council of disproportionately criticizing Israel over alleged human rights violations while ignoring abuses by other member states.
President Donald Trump also withdrew the United States from the Human Rights Council during his first term, citing similar concerns. The U.S. later regained its seat under President Joe Biden.
The most recent withdrawal aligns with Trump’s current executive orders, which refuse to recognize transgender identity, eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion policies in federal agencies and institutions receiving government funding, and pressure private companies that maintain such initiatives.
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