What's a nice girl like you doing in a war zone?

What's a nice girl like you doing in a war zone?

A TV producer who has worked in various Middle Eastern flash points bemoans the fact that women journalists are still considered an oddity in the field.

By Yael Lavie

Earlier this month, three female television correspondents - Alex Crawford of Sky News, Sara Sidner of CNN and Zeina Khodr of Al Jazeera - shared the "achievement of the year" prize awarded by the Women in Film and TV (WFTV ) media organization in London, for their coverage of the Arab Spring. The judges said the three had set an example for their colleagues, choosing to be out on the street with the rebels and reporting under fire, while others opted to report from the relative safety of hotel rooftops in Tripoli, for example.

Although female war correspondents had been around since World War I, it was only during the days of the Vietnam War that they broke into the collective consciousness in large numbers. Until then, however, war reportage was predominantly a business for "males only" - a rule adhered to by both the military and the news organizations during those earlier times.

But Vietnam was so chaotic that many female freelance reporters simply boarded planes armed with a press card, landed in Saigon and audaciously filed from the field without asking for permission. This was also, inevitably, a sign of the times, in the 1960s, with the advent of the feminist revolution and a transformation in social perceptions that allowed female correspondents to challenge the established news-reporting system and made it more acceptable for that system to use women in the field.

After the last decade, which included the launching of "Operation Enduring Freedom" in Afghanistan, the Iraq war and, recently, the monumental revolutions and bloody street battles seen across the Arab world - no one can ignore female correspondents on the front lines anymore. Or so we "gals" like to think. Unfortunately, parallel to the groundbreaking and award-winning reports women journalists filed from Egypt, Tripoli and Libya this year, the debate surrounding their presence in the field has reared its ugly head again.

"Hey lady, what are you doing here?" That was what an American G.I. asked Gloria Emerson - The New York Times reporter and one of the first women journalists who convinced her employer to send her to the war zone - upon her arrival in Vietnam in 1964. It is also a question I personally faced several times throughout my 17 years as a news producer for television networks in the field, including in Baghdad, circa 2003, and Tahrir Square last February. It is frequently asked by both civilians and military alike and is approximately as annoying, even if not as harmful, as being tear-gassed.

I am not an anomaly; more experienced and seasoned journalists, like Jackie Rowland of Al Jazeera English, have also been annoyed by this.

"I really don't understand all the brouhaha about 'female war correspondents' this time round," Rowland says. "I mean, haven't we already been there, done that? I remember 10 years ago, with Afghanistan after 9/11, all the magazines and newspapers were doing stories about women war correspondents. I was interviewed by Vanity Fair and various British newspapers. And now, it's like the woman war correspondent has only just been invented! This time round, there was the issue of sexual assault against female journalists in Cairo. Sexual violence against women in any situation is unacceptable. It's certainly not an argument for women not to be there."

But the argument against dispatching women to such areas was "reinforced" following the sexual assault on CBS' "60 Minutes" chief foreign correspondent, Lara Logan, in Tahrir Square the day Hosni Mubarak fell last February. It gained further momentum in recent months after two other journalists - Caroline Sinz of France and Canada's Mona Elthaway - were also attacked in Cairo. It was then that the French-based international organization Reporters Without Borders released a statement calling on news organizations to refrain from sending female correspondents to cover Egypt.

That statement encountered an immediate outcry from female journalist's worldwide, who decried it as a blatant violation of the principle of gender equality, prompting RWB to back down, but also to issue a caveat urging news organizations to assign extra security to its female reporters. Furthermore the original statement by the RWB had already reopened the door to a new slew of sexist, and some say even racist remarks online, joining those that became part of the discourse concerning women reporters in Tahrir Square the moment after Logan was assaulted.

Back in February, a prominent right-wing blogger from the American South who calls herself "Sister Toldjah" deemed the attack on Logan to be "a direct result of a religion and a culture that treats women as no better than chattel, as property to be used whenever a man wants."

Parallel to that, a variety of sexist remarks flooded the Web, one of which called Logan, for example, "a Western blond bombshell whose looks put her and her team in danger in countries like Egypt."

The best response to this holy trifecta of chauvinist, sexist and racist remarks came from Lara Logan herself, when she broke her silence in an interview to her own "60 Minutes" show. The interview was a courageous, singular attempt to dispel rumors and answer the critics who tried to "rape" her assault for the sake of their personal agenda. "In Egypt in particular, sexual harassment and violence are common. So many Egyptian men admit to sexual harassing women and think it's completely acceptable. In fact, blame the women for it," she said.

In addition to the years of experience she brings to her job at Al Jazeera, Jacky Rowland, a tall attractive blond woman, has taken it upon herself to study Arabic to better report from the world she is covering. She punctuates Logan's words: "I think experienced journalists are important to the coverage. Full stop. Whether any particular journalist is male or female is to me not pertinent. However, I think it can be useful for women to be there, sometimes because they are less prone to the whole 'toys for boys' phenomenon that sometimes afflicts male journalists' reporting of war: They get very into all the different types of missiles and maybe gloss over the impact these missiles have when they hit human flesh or buildings ...

"But also, in the Arab/Muslim world, being a woman can sometimes get you access - like, into people's homes - that is more difficult as a man. Local women find it much easier to speak with a female journalist than a male one."

From the moment Egyptians took to the square in Cairo, the world media took notice and touted the amount of female demonstrators that equaled and often surpassed the men in Tahrir. As Egyptian women stood protesting next to their men for the first time, they still apparently preferred speaking with female journalists about their hopes and wishes.

Social habits die hard in the Middle East. The irony of it is that while Arab women called for social and gender equality, the West opted to reexamine the necessity of female journalists covering that plight.

Alex Crawford, the British Sky News correspondent who covered the rebellion in Libya, and one of the three winners of the WFTV achievement award this month, "defeated" the criticism with her work: She wasn't just the only woman to join the rebels as they finally broke into Tripoli - she was the only journalist to report and broadcast that event live.

"War is ugly," says Crawford. "There cannot be very many female journalists - if any - who cover conflict zones who have not suffered some form of attack. You are groped, you are pushed, you are roughed up - and you may be sexually assaulted, God forbid, even raped though this is more rare. This is a war zone. You may also be killed or maimed. These are the dangers for all reporters, male or female, who report on the front line. But are we as females more vulnerable? The statistics from RWB don't bear this out.

"In the week in which Mona Eltahawy and Caroline Sinz were both attacked, there were more than 20 attacks on journalists. Only four of them were female. In one case a male journalist was robbed, forced to strip and then ridiculed before being freed. Each one of us risks his or her life. I don't think of myself as a female journalist. I think of myself as a journalist."

I should say that my acquaintance with Alex Crawford is from up close: I had the privilege of being one of her producers during the 2008 Mumbai, India terror attacks. I can attest that she is not only a highly ethical workaholic, an honestly brave woman and a task-juggling mother of four - she is what every good revolution needs: a very good reporter. Hence I was not surprised when Crawford - who reported at the beginning of the Libyan uprising from the bloody battles in the city of Zawiya - returned to the same Gadhafi stronghold to join the rebels' unit she reported on. This made her the only broadcast journalist to record and report the fall of Tripoli in real time, using a small satellite dish that she and her team managed to power thanks to a cigarette-lighter socket in a rebel convoy vehicle.

Crawford garnered much respect for those reports, yet at an Edinborough television conference she attended shortly after returning from Tripoli, she was asked the stock question she faces time and time again: Should she be doing that job as the mother of four?

She responded: "It's frankly really insulting and very sexist. I am today working alongside the chief correspondent [of Sky], who's a man with three children, yet there will be no one who says: 'What do you think you're doing, how awful, what are you doing to your children?'

In a phone interview, she elaborates: "I have four children who have seen me going off to report on terrible atrocities and injustices around the world. Three of them are daughters. I hope they see the value of their mother going into a battle zone, and giving a voice to people who would otherwise not have one. And if one day when they grow up one of them wants to be a combat reporter, I will be the first to say, 'I am proud of you. Go and try to make a difference.'"

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, and analysis from Israel and the Middle East.

INVITATION: Dialogue on USAID's Policy on Gender Equality and Female Empowerment


From: Dina Scippa [DScippa@onlineDTS.com]
Sent: Tuesday, December 13, 2011 6:03 PM
To: Kevin Rubio
Subject: INVITATION: Dialogue on USAID's Policy on Gender Equality and Female Empowerment

 

 

 

Having trouble viewing this email? Click here

  Policy Dialogue with USAID's Policy Team on Gender Equality  

 

 

 

Development & Training Services, Inc. (dTS)

 

invites you to a consultation with

 

USAID's Policy Task Team on Gender Equality and Female Empowerment

 

December 20, 2011

9:00am-10:30am

 

Hosted by:

International Organization for Migration (IOM)

1752 N Street, NW

Atrium/First Floor

Washington, DC 20036

 

Click here for a map of the location.

 

USAID will soon be adopting a new Agency-wide Policy on Gender Equality and Female Empowerment. You are invited to a consultation with the members of USAID's Policy Task Team to discuss the draft policy and provide feedback to the Policy Task Team.

 

 

Please RSVP to Dina Scippa at dscippa@onlinedts.com by COB, December 16, 2011.

 

Light breakfast and coffee will be served.

 

 

 

 

.

Posted by email

REMINDER: Consultation with USAID on Draft Gender Policy, Tuesday, 12/20, 1-2:30pm

Interesting panel next Tuesday, December 20th.

Michelle

From: Seema Jalan, Women Thrive Worldwide [mailto:Sjalan@womenthrive.org]
Sent: Thursday, December 15, 2011 1:10 PM
To: Michelle Paison
Subject: REMINDER: Consultation with USAID on Draft Gender Policy, Tuesday, 12/20, 1-2:30pm

Image001
    
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Women Thrive Worldwide and InterAction

invite you to a consultation with

USAID's Policy Task Team on Gender Equality and Female Empowerment 

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

InterAction
1400 16th St., N.W., Suite 210
Washington, D.C. 20036
  

USAID will soon be  adopting a new Agency-wide Policy on Gender Equality and Female  Empowerment. You are invited to a consultation with the members of USAID’s Policy Task Team on the draft policy.

  

  

If you have not done so already, please RSVP to Carrie Henderson at chenderson@interaction.org by COB Monday, December 19.

 

 If you no longer wish to receive e-mail from us, please click here.

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Apne Aap Update: Video - 20/20 on Gendercide in India

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Apne Aap Banner Logo Pictures

Greetings from Apne Aap!  

 

This month, Apne Aap invites you to join us in the global fight to end trafficking by making a donation in support of our work. Below are some of the latest stories from the field and updates on our advocacy initiatives.

Apne Aap Founder Featured on 20/20 Special on Gendercide

 

20/20 Gendercide Video 

Apne Aap Founder and President, Ruchira Gupta, was featured on ABC's 20/20 this Friday in their investigation on Gendercide in India. Coupled with the recent World Economic Forum's Gender Gap Report showing nearly no progress in India's treatment of women and girls, this segment paints a grim picture for the future of females in the country. As this year draws to a close, please make an investment in empowering women and girls and help Apne Aap turn this trend around -- donate today!  

Watch the Segment >

Donate in Support of Indian Girls >

 

Advocacy to End Sex Trafficking

Students Take on Trafficking

This past weekend, Apne Aap partners SHAPATH continued their campus advocacy to end sex trafficking at the three day long Neev celebration at Symbiosis College. Students
sold wristbands in support of the cause and collected signatures on our petition to amend the Indian anti-trafficking law. The events included a concert, panel discussion, documentary filmmaking contest, and a street play! Congratulations to SHAPATH for all their effort!
 

 

Civil Society Leadership  Karmaveer Award

Apne Aap Founder and President was awarded the Karmaveer Puraskaar Award for leadership in Civil Society by iCONGO and CtrlS. On receiving the award, Ruchira noted "it is because of the courage of women in prostitution today that we are able to make a difference against the traffickers, against the pimps, customers, brothel managers, transporters, recruiters, all who are constantly trying to prey upon these poor and low caste girls, selling them to brothels so that they can be raped repeatedly. It is because of their voices that I was able to get their story out; it is because of their courage that we were able to get their daughters into school; and it is because of their hard work that they are gaining the ability to access livelihoods, open bank accounts, demand legal protection, and testify against traffickers to get them put in jail."

 

Spreading our Message Globally 

Princeton talkRuchira Gupta and Apne Aap's US representative, Zoë Young spoke to student groups at Princeton and Temple Universities last month -- informing students about the issues of sex trafficking globally and what young people can do to end the trade. Apne Aap was invited to speak at Princeton by student group, PAST - Princeton Against Sex Trafficking - a newly formed student group who are campaigning tirelessly to raise awareness of sex trafficking. The group is working on a documentary, speaker series, line of survivor-made products and more. We can't wait to see what the future has in store!

Apne Aap Communications Officer, 

UNFPAAnindita Roy, represented Apne Aap at the "No to Domestic Violence" conference hosted by UNFPA and Hurriyet Newspaper in Turkey last month. Speaking before an audience of Turkish Government officials, practitioners, activists, journalists, lawyers and academics, Anindita discussed the exploitation of women in India and the intersection of violence against women and trafficking. The audience was astounded to hear about the scope and impunity of the trafficking network in India, and Turkish government officials committed to taking steps to end violence against women.

Voices from the Field

Excerpted from the Red Light Despatch - Apne Aap's newspaper by and for the women and girls of India's red light districts.

 

 

If My Mother Were Educated...

 By Karishma Khatoon

 

Forbesganj, Bihar: My name is Karishma Khatoon and I am 13 years old. I am in 7th standard and I stay in the residential school, KGBV, managed by Apne Aap Women Worldwide. We celebrated International Literacy Day this year at our school and I participated in activities like elocution and drawing competitions. When I was taking part I realised that if my mother was also educated and had received these opportunities then she would not have been forced to live in a red light area. She would not have become addicted to drugs and alcohol.

 

Instead, she fell ill and today is nearing death at a young age. If she could have had an education she would have led a life of her choosing rather than be forced to obey others. If she was educated she would have had her own earnings and married an educated man with a good job. We would have had our own house, clean clothes and good food to eat. I would have been living with my parents, my family and playing with my brother at home. We would have been at school together. Our parents would take us for outings and if my mother ever fell sick she would be taken to good doctors. If my mother would have been educated our neighbours would have respected her and would talk to us nicely rather than fight with us and abuse us. If she was educated she could read and write, she could file complaints to the police in cases of emergency and the police officer wouldn't scold her and send her back home. If my mother was educated the ration dealer would not fool her by saying that her name is not on the list. If my mother was educated she would have been respected by the principal and teachers of my school, she would have been given a chair to sit and told about my progress at school. Life would have been beautiful and easy if my mother was educated. All of this is a dream but I can make it a reality for myself. I have an opportunity to live a different life and do things my mother could not.

Read the Red Light Despatch Online >

 


 

Thank you so much for joining us. We are truly grateful for your continued support -- the fight to end sex trafficking relies on the activism and compassion of engaged individuals just like you. Help spread the word and together we can demand an end to commercial sexual exploitation!

 

Sincerely,
Zoë Young
Apne Aap International

 

Apne Aap does not distribute your information to any third party source. If you were added to this email list in error, just hit "unsubscribe" at the bottom of the page. We'll be sorry to see you go!

In This Issue

> 20/20 Feature

> Advocacy Update

> Voices from the Field

> Cool Men Petition

> Field Update

> Hiring

> Volunteer

Demand Change!

Petition imageApne Aap's petition to the President of India to amend and strengthen the country's anti-trafficking legislation is now up on change.org. The petition calls on India to protect the victims of trafficking -- the women and girls trapped in prostitution -- and punish the johns and pimps who fuel the industry. Please sign the petition, post it to Facebook, email it to friends, and help us get the word out! 

Sign the petition NOW! > 

 

Field Update   

Art Therapy Workshop

Engagement is happening quickly at our new outreach center in Dharampura. Art therapy sessions with daughters of women in prostitution and those at risk (pictured above) are in full swing; a new livelihood teacher has joined the team; and the handicrafts created by our vocational training graduates are being showcased at Dilli Haat Market in New Delhi!

 

Apne Aap would also like to congratulate our Kolkata team on the impactful leadership trainings held over the past month with women at risk and victims of trafficking. We look forward to seeing more survivor-leaders in the fight against trafficking as a result of everyone's hard work!

 

We're Hiring 

 

Apne Aap Women Worldwide is hiring a variety of positions in Delhi, Kolkata and Bihar. Check them out here.

 

We are also recruiting interns for our head office in Delhi. Look through our available positions and apply here

 

Apply for Jobs >  

Apply for an Internship >  

 

Volunteer!

Interested in joining the fight against human trafficking? Sign up for our Volunteers mailing list! We'll send out emails periodically with tasks, projects, calls to action, and ideas for fundraisers and advocacy events you can host in your own community. Just click the "Join Our Mailing List" button below and follow the directions to update your account settings.

 

Sign up to receive monthly updates or to be added the volunteer mailing list. Click here:

Join Our Mailing List

Stay in Touch 

 

Find us on Facebook

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View our videos on YouTube

Send us an email - click here

Zoe Young / Apne Aap International / 250 W 57th St, Suite 1527 / New York, New York 10107

Apne Aap Women Worldwide / D-56 Anand Niketan, 3rd Floor / Delhi, Delhi 110021

This email was sent to krubio@irex.org by zoe@apneaap.org |  

Apne Aap International | 250 W 57th St | Suite 1527 | New York | NY | 10107

Posted by email

Reminder: Gender Salon Breakfast: Bridenapping in Kyrgyzstan

Hi all,

Mark your calendars for a breakfast discussion with the IREX/Kyrgyzstan office on Tuesday, December 13th at 9:00am in conference room A, B, and C. Bridenapping remains prevalent in Kyrgyzstan—it is a reality that has affected the IREX community directly, with a staff member in our country office taken on her second day of work. Join us as we delve into the mounting issue of bridenapping and its effect on Kyrgyz communities and men and women worldwide.  

In advance of the salon, feel free to read the article “Bride-napping Drama Engages Boys in Gender Discussion by Anne Johnson, and preview the short film we’ll be viewing at the beginning of the session: http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/kyrgyzstan/thestory.html.The topic has recently gotten more coverage through CNN and VICE: http://www.cnn.com/2011/12/07/world/asia/vice-bride-kidnapping/

Bagels and coffee will be served. Please email me to RSVP if you have not already. 

-----

Erin Murrock

Program Associate, IREX

2121 K Street, NW Suite 700

Washington, DC 20037

TEL:  (202) 628-8188 x142

FAX:  (202) 628-8189
E-MAIL:  emurrock@irex.org
Skype:  erin.murrock

Posted by email

Inclusive Security and UN Women host the South Sudan Gender Symposium

Click here to download:
1865_gender_symposia_during_donor_conferences.pdf (1.75 MB)
(download)

Gender Symposia During Donor Conferences: A Model to Guarantee Women Leaders A Voice in Setting Priorities for Reconstruction

Donor conferences are critical for focusing global attention on a country’s post-conflict priorities. Key decision mak­ers representing the post-conflict country as well as bilateral and multilateral donors from around the world gather to define a path to peace and prosperity for a war-torn society. Sector experts present long-term needs assessments for analysis and discussion. Aid agencies announce pledges of financial and technical assistance.

Women are essential partners in rebuilding after war. Often the majority of the post-conflict population, women regularly maintain their communities through years of violence. They possess critical knowledge of local priorities and needs. Frequently, they are better trusted by conflict survivors and less tainted by the conflict than men. Along with their dependent children, women are also usually the majority of the displaced and most vulnerable.

Despite women’s central importance to reconstruction, they are regularly marginalized by the donor assistance pledging process. Women and other civil society leaders are only sporadically consulted in determining reconstruc­tion priorities and needs. Male government representatives dominate donor conference delegations.

A gender symposium held in conjunction with an international donor conference can help provide women and civil society with a voice in reconstruction. Such a parallel conference enables women from the aid-receiving country to highlight priorities to donors. It provides a venue for policymakers from around the world to consult with women representing diverse constituencies. It also offers female leaders from the conflict zone the opportunity to build relationships with key decision makers.

In conjunction with recent donor conferences for Liberia and Sudan, The Institute for Inclusive Security organized gender symposia that focused attention on female leaders and on women’s needs and priorities in reconstruction.

2040 S Street NW, Suite 2

Washington, DC 20009

Posted by email

U.S. to Use Foreign Aid to Promote Gay Rights Abroad

U.S. to Use Foreign Aid to Promote Gay Rights Abroad

By HELENE COOPER and BRIAN KNOWLTON

WASHINGTON — The United States will begin using American foreign aid to promote gay rights abroad, Obama administration officials said on Tuesday.

President Obama issued a memorandum directing American agencies to look for ways to combat efforts by foreign governments to criminalize homosexuality.

The new initiative holds the potential to irritate relations with some close American allies that ban homosexuality, including Saudi Arabia.

But Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton underscored Mr. Obama’s remarks, in a speech delivered in Geneva in connection with International Human Rights Day on Dec. 10.

“I am not saying that gay people can’t or don’t commit crimes,” she said. “They can and they do. Just like straight people. And when they do, they should be held accountable. But it should never be a crime to be gay.”

The directive comes after the Parliament in Uganda decided to reopen a debate on a controversial bill that seeks to outlaw homosexuality, a move that could be expanded to include the death penalty for gay men and lesbians. That bill had been shelved earlier this year amid widespread international condemnation.

“I am deeply concerned by the violence and discrimination targeting L.G.B.T. persons around the world,” Mr. Obama said in the memorandum, referring to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, “whether it is passing laws that criminalize L.G.B.T. status, beating citizens simply for joining peaceful L.G.B.T. pride celebrations, or killing men, women and children for their perceived sexual orientation.”

Specifically, Mr. Obama said in the memorandum that the State Department would lead other federal agencies to help ensure that the government provides a “swift and meaningful response to serious incidents that threaten the human rights” of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people abroad.

It was not immediately clear whether that would mean a cut-off of American aid to countries that target the gay community, but it suggests that American agencies will have expanded tools to press foreign countries that are found to abuse the rights of gays, lesbians and others.

Based on findings in the State Department’s latest annual human rights report, several countries, including several vital American allies, could face increased pressure over their treatment of gays and others.

The report said that in Saudi Arabia, under Sharia law as interpreted in the country, “sexual activity between two persons of the same gender is punishable by death or flogging. It is illegal for men ‘to behave like women’ or to wear women’s clothes and vice versa.”

The law in Afghanistan “criminalizes homosexual activity, but authorities only sporadically enforced the prohibition,” the report said. And in Pakistan, homosexual intercourse is a criminal offense, though rarely prosecuted.

Homosexuality is accepted in most of Europe. In India, the law permits consensual sexual activities between adults. In China, according to the report, “no laws criminalize private homosexual activity between consenting adults,” and “homosexuality was decriminalized in 1997 and removed from the official list of mental disorders in 2001.”

The annual State Department rights reports already provide one tool for influencing foreign treatment of gays and lesbians, through the “shaming” function of those reports. Mr. Obama’s memorandum called for similar, separate annual reports on treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

With the 2012 presidential campaign already under way, Mr. Obama’s action was bound to be viewed through a political lens, and it drew fire almost immediately from one Republican candidate, Gov. Rick Perry of Texas. Saying he had seen news reports that the Obama administration “wants to make foreign aid decisions based on gay rights,” Mr. Perry said in a statement, “This administration’s war on traditional American values must stop.”

He added: “President Obama has again mistaken America’s tolerance for different lifestyles with an endorsement of those lifestyles. I will not make that mistake.”

Gay people tend to vote Democratic more than Republican, and have generally been supportive of Mr. Obama, with many praising his move to repeal the ban on gay people serving openly in the military. But he has faced criticism for failing to clearly support a right of same-sex couples to marry.

The presidential memorandum said that federal agencies engaged abroad had been directed to “combat the criminalization of L.G.B.T. status or conduct abroad; protect vulnerable L.G.B.T. refugees and asylum seekers; leverage foreign assistance to protect human rights and advance nondiscrimination; ensure swift and meaningful U.S. response to human rights abuses of L.G.B.T. persons abroad; engage international organizations in the fight against L.G.B.T. discrimination.”

Mr. Obama has frequently made use of presidential directives to protect the rights of gays and lesbians, particularly when political sensitivities might have made legislative action impractical.

Brian Knowlton contributed reporting.

Posted by email

The Department of State's Accomplishments Promoting the Human Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender People

12/06/2011 12:27 PM EST

The Department of State's Accomplishments Promoting the Human Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender People

Fact Sheet

Office of the Spokesperson

Washington, DC

December 6, 2011


“Gay rights are human rights, and human rights are gay rights, once and for all.”

--Secretary Hillary Clinton, June 2010, Washington, D.C.

Human rights are inalienable and belong to every person, no matter who that person is or whom that person loves. Since January 2009, Secretary Clinton has directed the Department to champion a comprehensive human rights agenda—one that includes the protection of the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. The Department uses its full range of diplomatic and development tools to press for the elimination of violence and discrimination against LGBT people worldwide, particularly those forced to flee their homes or countries.

The Department continues to counter efforts globally that discriminate against, criminalize, and penalize members of the LGBT community. The United States recognizes the unflagging efforts and courage of advocates and organizations fighting to promote equality and justice around the world, especially in countries where doing so puts their lives and their families at risk. At the same time, U.S. personnel policies must protect the human rights of all LGBT people, and consular and other tools must be used to provide equal access and equal rights to LGBT people.

U.S. leadership on advancing human rights for LGBT people is consistent with the Obama Administration’s policy of principled engagement with the world and our commitment to uphold universal standards that apply to everyone. By supporting the inherent dignity of each person we help to foster a just world for all people and we lead by example, enhancing U.S. strategic interests as we advance our values.

Under the Secretary’s leadership, the Department’s recent accomplishments include:

Bilateral and Regional Engagement:

  • The Department has included the status of the human rights of LGBT people in each country included in the Department’s annual Human Rights Report.
  • The State Department works with U.S. embassies, civil society, and multilateral mechanisms, agencies, and forums to encourage countries to repeal or reform laws that criminalize LGBT status.
  • Alongside Ugandan civil society’s strong and sustained outreach to parliamentarians and the Uganda Human Rights Commission, and advocacy of other governments, U.S. Government advocacy against Uganda’s proposed Anti-Homosexuality Bill established a precedent for the United States, the international donor community and civil society to collaborate to counter efforts to criminalize same-sex conduct.
  • The U.S. Ambassador called on the Honduran government to investigate a rise in violence and the unsolved murders of over 30 LGBT individuals. With U.S. Government support, Honduras created a special unit to investigate crimes against vulnerable groups, including women, LGBT people, and journalists. A U.S. prosecutor and senior detective collaborated with the unit to prosecute the perpetrators of these crimes.
  • The Bureau of African Affairs compiled a complete analysis of the LGBT environment for every country on the continent, which includes comprehensive information on discriminatory laws, NGOs, societal attitudes, and prosecutions of LGBT individuals. This analysis will guide U.S. diplomatic efforts to promote the human rights of LGBT persons across the continent.
  • In the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, Chiefs of Mission are speaking publicly on behalf of human rights of LGBT people, engaging with local media on LGBT issues, and building strong partnerships with NGOs. When many European countries celebrated the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia in May and LGBT Pride Month in June, U.S. embassies engaged robustly, with Ambassadors marching in Pride parades and Embassy staff securing high-profile speakers and advocates for LGBT Pride events.
  • The Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs (WHA) authored the Department’s first regional strategy on LGBT engagement after analyzing criminalization of and discrimination against LGBT persons. The strategy promotes expanding public outreach, and awareness of human rights of LGBT people, by creating and leveraging partnerships and utilizing multilateral venues like the United Nations and the Organization of American States. WHA holds regular roundtables with LGBT groups and civil society organizations and, in March, hosted the first interagency conference on LGBT communities. The U.S. Ambassador to Jamaica constantly raises LGBT issues in conversations with Jamaican officials and media. During Pride Month, the Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs met in San Salvador with LGBT civil society organizations from 21 countries.
  • The Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs continues to promote LGBT issues through advocacy, outreach, and high-level engagement. Embassy Jakarta organized a meeting between LGBT rights groups and Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs Maria Otero in July 2011.

Successfully Promoting LGBT Human Rights In Multilateral Forums

  • At the UN Human Rights Council’s (HRC) June 2011 session, the United States, South Africa, and Latin American and European Union countries led efforts to pass the first-ever UN resolution on the human rights of LGBT persons.
  • At the HRC’s March 2011 session, the United States co-chaired efforts of a core group of countries to issue a statement entitled “Ending Acts of Violence and Related Human Rights Violations Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity.” The statement garnered the support of 85 countries, including 20 that had never before supported similar statements on the promotion of LGBT persons’ rights.
  • In December 2010, the State Department led efforts at the UN General Assembly to reinsert language on sexual orientation into a resolution on extrajudicial, summary, and arbitrary executions, after the language’s removal in committee. The amendment was approved by a 93-55 margin.
  • The State Department is working to establish a special rapporteur on the protection of the human rights of LGBT people within the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights, after President Obama raised the importance of LGBT issues in a meeting with Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff earlier this year.
  • The United States also partnered with Brazil and others to secure adoption of a resolution on human rights, sexual orientation, and gender identity at the Organization of American States General Assembly in June.

Protecting LGBT Refugees, Asylum Seekers, and Migrants

  • The Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) is working to improve the security of LGBT refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants by implementing a comprehensive LGBT refugee protection strategy developed in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Health and Human Services, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and NGOs.
  • Progress includes additional funding to UNHCR in places such as Turkey to help with resettlement of LGBT refugees, training for staff working on refugee protection, and the expansion of PRM’s NGO guidelines to ensure partners know that LGBT refugees and asylum seekers are a priority population of concern.
  • PRM is also funding new programs in this area, including research to develop best practices for serving LGBT refugees in urban areas and a pilot initiative in Costa Rica on the needs of LGBT migrants.

Supporting LGBT Human Rights Defenders and Civil Society Groups

  • To strengthen civil society groups, support advocates, and increase public dialogue, the Department of State is launching the Secretary’s Global Equality Fund, a public-private partnership initiative to advance the human rights of LGBT people. The State Department is contributing more than $3 million to this important effort, and will seek partnership commitments from donor governments, corporations, and foundations.
  • The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) will support programming through the Global Equality Fund in the following priority areas:
    • Advance Justice: Support programs that document violations of the human rights of LGBT individuals, provide legal assistance, and enhance NGO capacity to advocate before host governments and in multilateral forums to ensure policy and practice conform to international human rights standards.
    • Support Advocates: Provide emergency assistance to NGOs and human rights defenders facing governmental or societal threats, and increase organizational capacity to respond to security concerns.
    • Increase Public Dialogue: Support programs that enhance public awareness and further positive dialogue, such as inclusive civic education and cultural activities, and build diverse human rights coalitions around public messaging.
    • The Fund will complement DRL’s existing programs, which include a project in Sierra Leone to increase the capacity of the LGBT community and a regional documentation project in Eastern and Southern Africa to monitor, document, and address human rights violations and abuses in their communities.
    • The personal security of LGBT human rights defenders remains a top priority for the Department. The Fund will enhance the Department’s efforts to provide human rights defenders with legal representation, security, and, when necessary, relocation support. Since 2010, the Department has provided emergency assistance to over 40 LGBT advocates in 11 countries throughout Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.

    Championing Human Rights through Public Diplomacy

    • U.S. Embassies worldwide are declaring support for the human rights of LGBT people through innovative public diplomacy.
    • In Slovakia, where the 2010 Pride parade ended in violence, Embassy staff brought together more than 20 Ambassadors from other nations to sign a public statement of support for the march and hosted a debate. The U.S. Ambassador marched in the 2011 parade next to the mayor of Bratislava, Slovakia’s capital.
    • U.S. Embassy staff efforts helped convince pop artist and LGBT advocate Lady Gaga to perform at EuroPride Rome in June 2011. Secretary Clinton’s quote, “Gay rights are human rights and human rights are gay rights,” was included in the event’s opening remarks and seen throughout the crowd on tee shirts and stickers.
    • In Guinea, the U.S. Embassy hosted a public screening of the Guinean film Dakan, the first known film on LGBT themes made in Africa.
    • In Serbia, the U.S. Ambassador published an op-ed in the high-circulation publication Blic, writing, “[I]f you are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender, know that the United States stands with you, and we are unwavering in our commitment.”
    • In India, the U.S. Embassy hosted a public discussion with Mayur Suresh, one of the lawyers who successfully challenged the section of the Indian Penal Code that made homosexuality a punishable offense.
    • In Jamaica, El Salvador and Panama, local media widely published U.S. Ambassadors’ op-eds on the rights of LGBT persons.

    Strengthening The Department’s Personnel and Consular Policies

    • As one of her first acts in office, Secretary Clinton directed a review of whether the State Department could extend additional benefits to domestic partners. Following President Obama’s 2009 memorandum on same-sex domestic partners’ benefits, the State Department announced extension of the full range of legally available benefits and allowances to same-sex domestic partners of Foreign Service staff serving abroad.
    • In June 2010, Secretary Clinton revised State Department equal employment opportunity policy. As the previous policy prohibited discrimination based on sexual orientation, the new policy explicitly added protection against discriminatory treatment of employees and job applicants based on gender identity.
    • The State Department revised its Foreign Affairs Manual to allow same-sex couples to obtain passports under the names recognized by their state through their marriages or civil unions.
    • In June 2010, the Bureau of Consular Affairs announced new procedures for changing the sex listed on a transgender American’s passport, streamlining the process and simplifying requirements to ensure greater dignity and privacy for the applicant.

PRN: 2011/2070


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