National Laws & Policies

Improvements in this field are still not equal in every country and people in virtually every country of the world still face discrimination because of their sexuality, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and sex characteristics. In some countries, people still face persecution and criminalization on the basis of SOGIESC; some countries have put in place laws and policies to prohibit discrimination and/or engage in affirmative measures (marriage equality, gender identity laws, etc.); and still others have implemented inclusive public policies, even though their legislative framework does not provide for equality or protection from discrimination.

The coordination of States with each other, with civil society organisations, and with multilaterals and other key stakeholders is vital to progress domestic legislation and policy in Member and non-Member States. The Founding Principles of the ERC, as agreed by Member States, include commitments to share information between States on how best to advance the human rights of, and support inclusive development for, LGBTI persons, engaging all relevant stakeholders, including regional and multilateral organisations, civil society organisations, and the private sector, and consulting closely with civil society to ensure an environment in which LGBTI persons’ human rights can be respected, protected, and promoted.
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The National Laws & Policies Thematic Group works to share and promote good practices, experiences and regulations regarding sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and sex characteristics, with the goal of encouraging the development of progressive policies in other States. This allows the design and advancement of national and international policies for the protection, promotion and full access to human rights of the LGBTI population.
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The group identifies key working methods:

• Identifying domestic policies in States.
• Sharing briefings with ERC States, and working bilaterally with ERC members to determine in which area they could advance legislation/policies related to LGBTI rights.
• Holding regular sessions with ERC members to share lessons learned and best practices on specific topics.