Date: Fri, 08 Aug 1997 09:33:49 +0200 From: ILGA Secretaries General Subject: ILGA 98 Manifesto: Subscribe it! - AUGUST 8 1997. ILGA DAY. 19 years of ILGA. ILGA DAY. AUGUST 8 1997 - ILGA 98 Manifesto: Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. 1998 is the 20th anniversary of the International Lesbian and Gay Association and the 50th anniversary of the passage of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in the General Assembly of the United Nations. The anniversary of the Universal Declaration will give many opportunities to celebrate our achievements on human rights and look towards a better future with greater understanding of human diversity. 1. Project The "ILGA 98 Manifesto" sets the following goals for the next 18 months: - Raise consciousness in our societies and in national and international organizations of the importance of recognizing that gay and lesbian rights are human rights. - Encourage national governments and international institutions, in all future human rights instruments, to expressly prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual preference and give equal recognition to homosexual couples. - Increase the visibility of ILGA. 2. Strategies ILGA's Executive Board, meeting in Koln, Germany, in July, 1997, recognized that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as a basic historical document, will not be amended. ILGA seeks a recognition of gay and lesbian rights in all human rights instruments developed in the future. We are encouraged in this by the decision of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, meeting in Ottawa, in 1995, to condemn discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. There have been other achievements, in the European Parliament, in the United Nations Human Rights Committee, and other fora. The aim of the manifesto is both to highlight achievements and seek recognition of the human rights of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered people. 3 Actions A. Members of ILGA will distribute the "ILGA 98 Manifesto" to other gay and lesbian groups, to non-governmental organizations concerned with human rights, trade unions, organizations concerned with HIV/AIDS prevention, organizations of women and youth, and prominent individuals in the arts, sciences and culture. We will ask everyone to subscribe to the Manifesto. ILGA regions may do this within their regions. ILGA's Secretaries General will write to the leading non-governmental organizations, asking for their early endorsement. In this way, the campaign could be underway by January 98. Support will be particularly requested from ILGA members in cities where the headquarters of international NGOs are located. Campaign period: September, 1997 - May 1998. B. The release of the Manifeso to the public will begin in May, 1998, on dates and occasions considered appropriate by the organization(s) in charge. The Manifeso, with the list of supporters, will be sent to heads of government and of legislatures. The Manifesto and list of supporters should be published in the gay press, in the publications of NGOs, trade unions and in the mainstream press. C. Lists of supporters are to be sent to the ILGA headquarters in Brussels, with information identifying the supporters. With this information ILGA will issues a press release, listing the participating countries, total number of NGO subscribers and the names of well-known personalities. We must try to gather support from well-established and representative human rights and HIV/AIDS non-governmental organizations, as well as political and institutional figures. Campaign term: May 1998 - October 1998. D. ILGA will make the Manifesto and list of supporters known on the eve of the 50th anniversary celebration of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in December, 1998. It would be good to have supporters in 50 different countries, and to have a number of world celebrities on the lists. The release of the Manifesto and lists can be done in each country in whatever way each local group wishes. 3. "ILGA 98 Manifesto" Gay and lesbian rights are human rights. The individuals and organizations subscribing to this Manifesto, drafted by the International Lesbian and Gay Association, want to state to the peoples of the world and their governments: Mankind has been able to abolish slavery and establish certain basic rights of women in almost all parts of the world. We have developed democratic institutions and civil societies. Respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms is a condition for successful social and political life in all societies. We must recognize equality and respect diversity. On the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we bear witness to the strengthening concern of peoples and societies for human rights. A fundamental part of human rights in our time is the recognition of the right of individuals to develop their personalities, identities and sexuality, free from coercion or discrimination. We condemn the discrimination and oppression that continues in many States, including criminal sanctions and even the death penalty. In solidarity with ILGA, we demand full equality before the law for gay men, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered persons. We demand the end of criminal penalties. We seek laws prohibiting discrimination. We demand the full and equal recognition of relationships. We look forward to the inclusion of equality rights, irrespective of sexual orientation, in national laws and international human rights instruments. Together we can all make a better life for each other and for future generations. Gay and lesbian rights are human rights. ILGA 98 20th Anniversary Jordi Petit / Jennifer Wilson ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I L G A S e c r e t a r i e s G e n e r a l phone / fax: +32 2 502 2471 81 Kolenmarkt jordi@ilga.org B 1000 Brussels jennifer@ilga.org Belgium http://www.ilga.org/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ NOTE: ILGA MANIFESTO AND A FORM TO SUBSCRIBE IT ARE AVAILABLE AT Coordinadora Gai-Lesbiana WEB PAGES: http://www.pangea.org/org/cgl/ilga/