Summary
The appointment went through today at the United Nationsan international organisation comprising 193 member States. It has the mission of maintaining peace and security, protecting human rights, providing humanitarian aid and ensuring economic and social development across the globe. It is a network of many different bodies and agencies, each of which has a particular role and responsibility. More Human Rights Councilan inter-governmental body within the United Nations which has the responsibility to promote and protect human rights. It is comprised of 47 member States, each elected to 3-year terms by the 193 member States of the United Nations. More, after his nomination was proposed last week by the president of the 47 government member world body charged with overseeing human rights around the globe.
“While focusing his work on torture prevention and accountability, Mr. Madrigal-Borloz witnessed the multiple layers of violence and discriminationunequal or unfair treatment which can be based on a range of grounds - such as age, ethnic background, disability, and diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions or sex characteristics, amongst others. More faced by LGBTIacronym for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex people. Although this is not the acronym available to describe people of diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, and sex characteristics, it is the most commonly used in United Nations spaces and advocacy. More persons worldwide, maintaining an intersectional approach in his analysis that deeply matters to our communities,” commented Ruth Baldacchino and Helen Kennedy, co-secretaries general of ILGA. “The expertise that he has in navigating international human rights fora, always listening to the voices of civil society, is particularly fitting for the role that he will take on.”
Mr. Madrigal-Borloz currently serves as the Secretary-General of the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT), and spent many years in the Inter-American Court and Commission of Human Rights. While at the Organisation of American States, he led process of consultation and preparation of the Action Plan of the Commission’s work in relation to the rights of LGBTI persons.
“We celebrate the appointment of Victor Madrigal in this international space. It is a highly relevant moment in the rights of our community,” commented Luz Aranda and Darío Arias, co-secretaries general of ILGALAC. “We know his work and his career very well, because he is from our region. We believe he will do a great job, and that the voice of civil society will play an important role in his mandate.”
Mr. Madrigal-Borloz also served as Member of the UN Sub-Committee for the Prevention of Torture, where he was responsible for drafting the policy on LGBTI persons leading to the text that was eventually adopted. He is also one of the signatories to the recently adopted “Additional Principles and State Obligations of the Yogyakarta Principles Plus 10”, adopted in November 2017 in Geneva – a statement of the human rights of persons of ‘diverse sexual orientations and genderrefers to a social construct which places cultural and social expectations on individuals based on their assigned sex. More identities’.
Appointed for an initial but renewable three-year period, Mr. Madrigal-Borloz will be tasked with assessing the implementation of existing international human rights lawa legal system laying down obligations which States are bound to respect. By becoming parties to international treaties, States assume obligations and duties under international law to respect, protect and fulfil human rights – including by putting into place domestic measures and legislation. Where domestic legal proceedings fail to address human rights abuses, mechanisms and procedures for individual complaints or communications are available at the regional and international levels to help ensure that international human rights standards are respected. More on sexual orientationrefers to a person’s capacity for profound emotional, affectional and sexual attraction to - and intimate and sexual relations with - individuals of a different gender or the same gender or more than one gender. More and gender identityrefers to a person’s deeply felt internal and individual experience of gender, which may or may not correspond with the sex assigned at birth. More, raising awareness of violence and discrimination suffered by rainbow communities, engaging in dialogue and cooperating with States to implement measures, and providing advice and technical assistance where needed.
His work will build on the efforts of Vitit Muntarbhorn, the Thai international law professor who was appointed as the first Independent Expert on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identityabbreviated form to refer to the IESOGI – a UN Special Procedures mandate specifically dedicated to addressing violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. More in September 2016. In his one year of holding the position before tendering his resignation for health reasons, Professor Muntarbhorn produced two initial reports, conducted a country visit to Argentina, engaged in consultations with governments, civil society and business, and responded to several specific human rights situations of concern.
While excited about the appointment, there is also disappointment and concern amongst groups regarding the lack of gender diversity amongst the candidates who applied for this position: only one woman out of 11 candidates, with no one Transadjective/umbrella term to describe a person whose gender identity does not match the sex they were assigned at birth. More or gender non-binarya person who does not identify exclusively as a man or a woman. While many also identify as trans, not all non-binary people do. Non-binary can also be used as an umbrella term encompassing identities such as agender, bigender, genderqueer or gender-fluid. More persons. The President of the Human Rights Council pointed out the lack of women candidates in his public letter proposing Mr. Madrigal-Borloz.
(photo: Twitter / @victor_madrigal)