Anjali Sharma
GG News Bureau
UNITED NATIONS, 12th May. UN human rights expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity Victor Madrigal-Borloz, on Thursday said that the abusive rhetoric by politicians, the media and social commentators has created a culture of increasingly abusive and hateful speech against LGBT persons in the United Kingdom.
The expert on sexual orientation and gender identity warned that “I am deeply concerned about increased bias-motivated incidents of harassment, threats, and violence against LGBT people, including a rampant surge in hate crimes in the UK.”
Victor Madrigal-Borloz completed an official visit to the country on 5 May.
“All of this is attributed – by a wide range of stakeholders – to the toxic nature of the public debate surrounding sexual orientation and gender identity,” he said.
Mr. Madrigal-Borloz warned that these developments could endanger very significant achievements, built over decades, to address violence and discrimination in the country.
He lauded achievements in data gathering and said the UK was poised to take transformational public policy steps, on the basis of solid evidence, in a statement issued after his trip..
Mr. Borloz said that the data makes it possible to determine social exclusion against LGBT persons but, equally importantly, the way factors such as race, ethnic background, and socio-economic status interact with sexual orientation and gender identity to exacerbate the risk of violence and discrimination.
He noted the progress made through strategies, plans of action and public policies, which are evident in all four nations of the UK.
The expert encouraged by the actions of national governments and civil services in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland in relation to devolved competencies in health, education, housing, and employment.
He acknowledged achievements in health and education, he expressed concern at the overrepresentation of LGBT persons among the homeless population in homelessness and relatively scarce data in relation to employment.
“Waiting lists for gender affirming treatment at the National Health Service continue to be years-long, and current initiatives risk erosion of achievements in comprehensive sex education,” he stated
He expressed grave concern about delays in long-promised legislation to ban the practice of “conversion” of sexual orientation and gender identity.
Mr. Madrigal-Borloz said that “The vicissitudes of this and other necessary public policies appear to be connected to political discourse concerning gender-diverse persons and refugees and asylum seekers, two areas in which recent State actions are cause for concern.”
He cited the example of the Illegal Migration Bill, and blanket policy decisions in relation to trans persons deprived of liberty.
He discussed the issue with UK Equalities and Human Rights Commission to the Government in Westminster, that promoted the reduction in human rights protections for trans persons with legal recognition of their gender.
Mr. Madrigal-Borloz said “These actions were admittedly with the objective of withdrawing trans women from legal protections to which they are entitled under the Equality Act,”.
He urged all stakeholders to recognize that democracies benefit from healthy debate, in an environment that includes protection of free speech, and accountability for hate speech, yet reminded them that they must keep the objective of human rights protection at the centre of State and non-State action.
“Politicians must carry out evidence-based evaluations, free from stigma and preconception,” he concluded.
