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
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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 Montreal borough of Ville-Marie was the first elected body in the world to officially adopt the Declaration in on August 1, 2006,[3] whilst the New Democratic Party became the first political party to do so on September 11, 2006.[4] Accordingly, it presented a motion in the Canadian House of Commons calling on the Canadian government to abide by the Declaration on September 20, 2006.[5]
The Declaration has also been adopted by the City Councils of:[6]
- Montreal, Canada
- Brighton, United Kingdom
- Barcelona, Spain
- San Fransisco, United States
- Denver, United States
See also
- LGBT rights
- Homosexuality laws of the world
- Hate crime
- Same-sex marriage
- LGBT adoption
- Legal aspects of transsexualism
References
- ^ "Gay Games Montreal seen as 1st Class World Success" (HTML). A2Mediagroup.com. 2006-08-08. Retrieved 2007-01-28.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "International Conference on LGBT Human Rights, and the First World Outgames" (HTML). More Light Presbyterians. 2006-08-13. Retrieved 2007-01-29.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Declaration of Montreal endorsed by Ville-Marie Borough!" (HTML). fugues.com. 2006-08-02. 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 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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