URGENT
IF YOU LIVE AND WORK IN A COMMONWEALTH MEMBER STATE PLEASE READ
Dear friends and colleagues,
As you may be aware, there has recently been some real movements towards
safeguarding the rights of LGBT in parts of the Commonwealth.
In India the Delhi High Court ruling passed the judgment to decriminalise
homosexuality. Around the same time, the British Government through its Foreign
and Commonwealth office is urging their diplomats to demonstrate their support
of LGBT issues even in many Commonwealth states that maintain laws
criminalising homosexuality.
We, as Civil Society representatives of the Commonwealth and
friends/allies/members of the LGBT communities need to act immediately to keep
up the momentum of such major developments and not miss key opportunities at
which our voices could be heard and our rights upheld.
The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) which takes place every
two years, is due to be held this year in November in Trinidad and Tobago in
the Caribbean. The Commonwealth Foundation which is an inter-governmental
organisation is mandated by the 53 Commonwealth countries to strengthen the
capacities of civil society/NGOs in these countries. They are responsible for
the convening of the Commonwealth People’s Forum (CPF) – which is held just
prior to the CHOGM in Trinidad. From this Forum, a civil society Statement
which calls on Commonwealth Governments to act upon key issues of importance to
the broader civil society is then presented to the Heads of Government. This
is an extremely important opportunity that WE MUST NOT MISS.
Attached is a civil society petition/request to the Director of the
Commonwealth Foundation. It calls on the Foundation to provide meaningful space
and a platform for civil society at the Commonwealth People’s Forum to
highlight the safeguarding of the rights of LGBT people to live with respect
and equality in a Commonwealth that is free from criminalization, stigma and
discrimination.
This petition needs to be signed by as many NGOs/Civil society organisations as
possible in Asia, Africa, the Pacific and the Caribbean plus our friend in
Canada!.
Since we have little time in order to prepare for the meeting in November, we
are kindly appealing to you to agree to sign this petition and send back to us
before Wednesday 22 July.
If you agree to sign the petition please send us the name of your organization
or Individual, country and address/email.
Looking forward to hearing back from you soon,
In Solidarity,
Sahran Abeysundara
Chairperson, EQUAL GROUND, SRI LANKA
Male Representative ASIA, ILGA WORLD BOARD
Regional Director ASIA, INTERPRIDE
