LGBTIQ+ people
Everyone deserves equal rights, freedom from violence, persecution, discrimination, harassment, and stigma – including LGBTIQ+ individuals.
Working as one, we must push to repeal discriminatory laws, combat violence and harmful practices, and end the scapegoating of marginalized communities.”
Equal rights
Ensuring the full spectrum of human rights and freedoms for all individuals lies at the core of the United Nations' mission. It's crucial for progress in development, peace, security, and humanitarian efforts, aligning with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international agreements. All persons have an equal right to live free from violence, persecution, discrimination, harassment and stigma, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ+) persons.
In the outcome of the 1993 World Conference on Human Rights titled Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, Member States unanimously agreed that “all human rights are universal, indivisible and interdependent and interrelated.” The global community should treat human rights “globally in a fair and equal manner, on the same footing, and with the same emphasis.”
Member States also unanimously agreed that “while the significance of national and regional particularities and various historical, cultural and religious backgrounds must be borne in mind, it is the duty of States, regardless of their political, economic and cultural systems, to promote and protect all human rights and fundamental freedoms.”
The UN System has a long history of working to tackle exclusion, violence, stigma and discrimination against all persons and marginalized groups – including LGBTIQ+ people – in line with existing international law and globally agreed commitments such as Agenda 2030.
UN agencies in 2015 joined forces to condemn violence and discrimination against LGBTIQ+ people. The joint statement urges governments to act and reflects the UN's commitment to supporting progress on these issues.
In 2024, the UN Secretariat adopted a strategy on the protection from violence and discrimination of LGBTIQ+ persons.
Highlights of work across the UN System
UN Secretariat LGBTIQ+ Strategy
In 2024, the UN Secretariat adopted a strategy on the protection from violence and discrimination of LGBTIQ+ persons. The strategy reaffirms internal commitments to providing a safe, enabling, welcoming and supportive environment that values all United Nations personnel, irrespective of gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation or sex characteristics, to advance equal opportunities, non-discrimination, zero tolerance for prohibited conduct, respect for dignity and rights and effective participation. It also reaffirms external commitments, in line with respective UN mandates, international law, norms and standards and other globally agreed commitments including the 2030 Agenda, to prevent, mitigate and address exclusion, violence, stigma and discrimination, and to advance the protection and realization of the human rights, of LGBTIQ+ persons, as part of efforts to leave no one behind.