UN Women Informal Reference Group on LGBTI Issues:

Terms of Reference

Introduction

UN Women’s Strategic Plan identifies as a founding principle, the promotion of inclusiveness, and the focus of its programming on the poorest and most excluded groups. UN Women is also fully committed to support the achievement of the SDGs, with focus on gender equality and on the commitment to leave no one behind.

UN Women’s engages on different levels to support the empowerment and realization of LGBTI people’s rights. UN Women participates in interagency initiatives such as the Joint UN Statement calling for an end to violence and discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people. We engage with the human rights mechanisms to advance LGBTI people’s rights and to contribute to ending discrimination and violence against people based on their sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics (SOGIESC). In programming, we support capacity development of LGBTI organizations. In partnership with LGBTI groups and activists, we do advocacy work towards the representation and participation of LGBTI people in national, regional and global policy development platforms and processes, including in UN Women Civil Society Advisory groups. We also support broader civil society partnerships on feminist movement building and movement protection, including the protection of Human Rights Defenders. We support research and awareness-raising ondiscrimination and violence against LGBTI people.

The needs and experiences of LGBTI people sometimes overlap but are also differentiated and vary in different country contexts. In line with UN Women’s convening role of civil society on specific areas of work, the ongoing difficulties faced in realising the rights of LGBTI people is an area of work where the establishment of an informal reference group is appropriate.

The Informal Reference Group is intended to channel the voices and experiences of LGBTI people towards strengthening the capacity of UN Women to work on these issues increasingly effectively. Deliberations may include how to mainstream and address LGBTI issues in advocacy and programming.

Goal

  • The Informal Refence Group on LGBTI rights will enable UN Women to
  • consult with LGBTI civil society leaders regularly and in a timely manner on issues of relevance, and
  • draw upon the rich and diverse expertise, experience, outreach and networks, perspective and knowledge of LGBTI civil society.

Role of the Group

The Policy Director and/or Chief of the Civil Society Section at UN Women Headquarters will convene the Informal Reference Group. It will:

•Provide strategic and intersectional perspectives on crucial LGBTI and gender equality issues and UN Women’s priorities;

•Provide input on current issues, including controversial or contentious ones where UN Women’s advocacy and leadership is important

•Assist in strengthening UN Women’s engagement with LGBTI civil society at all levels (global, regional and national/local), including through support to UN Women’s programming activities.

Membership of the Group

•The Reference Group will have8-10 members who are committed to the core values of the United Nations and will be reputed individuals with proven track record in their respective fields with strong credentials as LGBTI/gender justiceadvocates.

  • The Group shall have diverse geographic representation.
  • The reference group will serve for one year, at which point there will be a review of the group’s activities, membership and Terms of References

Scope of Work:

The Policy Director and the Chief of the Civil Society Section will convene the Reference Grouptwice a year. Given geographical diversity of the Reference Group, these meetings will be held virtually, e.g.via videoconferencing. In addition,UN Women mayseek to consult Reference group members individually or in smaller groups, as the situation may demand. Group members will also be at liberty to reach out to the UN Women leadership, as necessary, on issues that they would like to bring to UN Women’s attention.