Before ILGA-Europe and the Danish and German federations, LBL and LSVD were granted ECOSOC status last November 2006, only two other groups, two lesbianadjective/noun to describe a woman whose enduring physical, romantic, and/or emotional attraction is to other women. Women and non-binary people may use this term to describe themselves. More organisations, enjoyed the right to enter 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 forums. We’ve interviewed members of both the Coalition of Activist Lesbians (COAL) in Australia and the International Wages Due Lesbians WDL) to learn more about the way they’ve used this right in the past and what has been their experience of UN work.
The Coalition of Activist Lesbians (COAL) in Australia was formed in 1994 to work towards the end of 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 against lesbians. COAL lobbies the Australian Commonwealth and State Governments to remove discrimination against lesbians. The organization produces research papers about lesbian health, violence against lesbians, lesbophobiafear, unreasonable anger, intolerance or/and hatred directed towards women attracted to other women. More and lesbian domestic violence. It has participated at various national and international gathering on women related issues.
Why did you decide to apply for UN consultative status a few years ago?
The Coalition of Activist Lesbians (COAL) in Australia first gained UN accreditation to CEDAW (the women’s convention) in about 1994 for the 1995 4th World Conference on Women held in Beijing. The Beijing government had claimed it would not provide visas for lesbians. Many of our Australian women’s organisations were run by lesbians working for the human rights of other women, e.g., refugees and young women; and we realized we needed a specific lesbian feminist voice. Most mixed LGBT organisations were dominated by men’s issues, and lesbian rights rarely rated an agenda item. COAL consulted across Australia, received government funding, provided training, spoke at conferences, e.g., during the Sydney Gayadjective to describe people whose enduring physical, romantic, and/ or emotional
attractions are to people of the same gender. Men, women and non-binary people may use this
term to describe themselves. More Games, participated in Sydney Mardi Gras and wrote several position papers. Our ECOSOC status was granted as a part of the Beijing process.
When you received the UN consultative status a few years ago, was it as difficult as it has been for the three new LGBT organisations which obtained it in 2006?
Our status had been granted earlier, but COAL had to provide evidence that we were not a group including paedophiles and that we represented Australian lesbians. It was not a difficult process.
Why is it only in December 2006 that most LGBT organisations got to know that you had received the ECOSOC status? Do we have to consider that is again linked to the invisibility and invisibilisation of lesbian issues, even within the LGBT movements?
Despite COAL providing reports to CEDAW regularly, including the Beijing +5 Review and the 10 Year Review and our having representatives at those meetings, we have not been widely acknowledged for our work. I guess that reflects the feminist base of our organisation and our concentration on working with the CEDAW Convention alongside our sister organisations. It also highlights the invisibility of lesbian feminist work within mixed LGBT organisations. We have not received any funding since the Liberal Coalition Government came to power in 1997 in Australia and have continued to exist using volunteer energy.
Interview to Jack Draper by Patricia Curzi, ILGA
Kim Vance, Arc International, gave a speech on behalf of the lesbian group COAL
Watch the speech at the United Nations 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, Geneva, October 2006.
Watch the speech at the United Nations Human Rights Council, Geneva, October 2006.