Declaration of Montreal

For similarly named texts, see Declaration of Montreal (disambiguation).

The Declaration of Montreal on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Human Rights is a document adopted in Montreal, Quebec on July 29, 2006 by the International Conference on LGBT Human Rights which formed part of the first World Outgames. The Declaration outlines a number of rights and freedoms pertaining to LGBT people that it is proposed be universally guaranteed. Intended as a starting point in listing the demands of the international LGBT movement, it will ultimately be submitted to the United Nations.

Background

The Conference aimed to raise aware ness of LGBT rights issues before the international community. Held from July 26 to July 29 immediately prior to the Outgames themselves, more than 1500 deleguates from across the world attended the Conference to particpate in various workshops, making it the largest LGBT rights conference ever held. A number of international experts took part including distinguished jurists, academics, church leaders and human rights activists. The delegates unanimously approved the Declaration.^[1]

Among the keynote speakers to the Conference were:^[2]

Louise Arbour - United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Gene Robinson - Bishop of the Diocese of New Hampshire in the Episcopal Church in the United States of America
Claire L'Heureux-Dubé - Former justice on the Supreme Court of Canada
Mark Tewksbury - Canadian swimmer and Olympic gold medalist
Irshad Manji - Canadian author, journalist, and activist
Georgina Beyer - The world's first openly transsexual Member of Parliament, currently a list MP for the Labour Party in New Zealand.
Waheed Alli - Asian businessman and United Kingdom life peer
Martina Navratilova - Former World No. 1 tennis player
Gérald Tremblay - Mayor of Montreal

The Declaration aims to address UN failings in consistently applying its Universal Declaration of Human Rights. A number of fundamental freedoms, including the right to life, are violated in a number of member countries where homosexuality is criminalised. Homosexual acts are punishable by death in seven coutries: Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Nigeria, Mauritania, Sudan and Yemen. In 27 other countries they are punishable by imprisonment or corporal punishment.

Fundamental freedoms

Among the freedoms guaranteed by the Declaration are:

an end to criminalization of same-sex sexual activity;
government action against hate crimes and support for LGBT human rights defenders;
the end of morality-based restrictions and the thwarting of LGBT groups in the fight against HIV/AIDS;
the right to asylum for persecution based on sexual orientation or gender identity;
status for ILGA and other LGBT rights organizations on the UN Human Rights Council;
cooperation and coordination among LGBT rights movements in the Global North and Global South;
same-sex marriage and adoption rights;
access to health care for the specific needs of LGBT people;
funding for sex reassignment surgery.

Implementation

The borough of Ville-Marie and the Montreal city council became the first elected bodies in the world to officially adopt the Declaration, whilst the New Democratic Party became the first political party to do so^[3]; accordingly, on September 20, 2006, it presented a motion in the House of Commons calling on the Canadian government to abide by the Declaration.^[4]

The Declaration has been also been adopted by the City Councils of:^[5]

References

^ "More Light Montreal: International Conference on LGBT Human Rights, and the First World Outgames" (HTML). A2Mediagroup.com. 2006-08-08. Retrieved 2007-01-28. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
^ "Gay Games Montreal seen as 1st Class World Success" (HTML). More Light Presbyterians. 2006-08-13. Retrieved 2007-01-29. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
^ "NDP formally adopts Declaration of Montreal on LGBT rights" (HTML). billsiksay.ca. 2006-09-11. Retrieved 2007-01-28. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help); Check date values in: |date= (help)
^ "Siksay calls for LGBT rights to be adopted" (HTML). New Democratic Party. 2006-09-21. Retrieved 2007-01-28. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
^ "Declaration of Montreal - Support, endorsements etc" (HTML). Declaration of Montreal website. 2006-12-08. Retrieved 2007-01-29. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

External links

Website on the Declaration of Montreal
English version of the Declaration of Montreal (PDF)
L'ONU interpellée (Radio-Canada, 28 July - in French)

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[1] "More Light Montreal: International Conference on LGBT Human Rights, and the First World Outgames" (HTML). A2Mediagroup.com. 2006-08-08. Retrieved 2007-01-28. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

[2] "Gay Games Montreal seen as 1st Class World Success" (HTML). More Light Presbyterians. 2006-08-13. Retrieved 2007-01-29. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

[3] "NDP formally adopts Declaration of Montreal on LGBT rights" (HTML). billsiksay.ca. 2006-09-11. Retrieved 2007-01-28. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help); Check date values in: |date= (help)

[4] "Siksay calls for LGBT rights to be adopted" (HTML). New Democratic Party. 2006-09-21. Retrieved 2007-01-28. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

[5] "Declaration of Montreal - Support, endorsements etc" (HTML). Declaration of Montreal website. 2006-12-08. Retrieved 2007-01-29. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

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Background

Fundamental freedoms

Implementation

See also

References

External links