International Lesbian and Gay Association
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The International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA) is an international organization bringing together more than 400 lesbian and gay groups from around the world. It continues to be active in campaigning for gay rights on the international human rights and civil rights scene and regularly petitions the United Nations and governments. ILGA is represented in around 90 countries across the world.
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Organisation
ILGA is divided into the following regional branches:
- ILGA-Africa (The African Region of the International Lesbian and Gay Association)
- ILGA-Asia (The Asian Region of the International Lesbian and Gay Association)
- ILGA-ANZAPI (The Australia, New Zealand, Aotearoa and Pacific Islands Region of the International Lesbian and Gay Association))
- ILGA-Europe (The European Region of the International Lesbian and Gay Association)
- ILGA-North America (The North American Region of the International Lesbian and Gay Association)
- ILTGA-LAC (The Latin America and Caribbean Region of the International Lesbian, Transgender and Gay Association)
History
The ILGA was founded on 8 August 1978 during the conference of the Campaign for Homosexual Equality in Coventry, England, at a meeting attended by 30 men representing 17 organisations from 14 countries. It was first called the International Gay Association (IGA) but changed its name to ILGA in 1986.
The Coventry conference also called upon Amnesty International (AI) to take up the issue of persecution of lesbians and gays. After a campaign that lasted 13 years AI in 1991 made the human rights of lesbians and gays part of its mandate and today is a passionate advocate for LGBT rights on the international level.[1] (http://www.brazilianresolution.com/4706/5137.html)
ILGA was also instrumental in getting the World Health Organisation to drop homosexuality from its list of illnesses.
ILGA was the first lesbian and gay rights organisation to gain "consultative status" as a non-governmental organisation at the United Nations. Statements were made in the name of ILGA in the 1993 and 1994 sessions of the United Nations Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities and in the 1994 session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. ILGA’s NGO status was suspended in September 1994. The Council of Europe responded to ILGA's long standing request for consultative status with an inquiry about the reasons for the suspension by the United Nations. The Council of Europe granted consultative status in late 1997. The United Nations Aids Program, UNAIDS, indicated that it would not give funding to any project linked to ILGA because of the controversy. [2] (http://www.ilga.info/Information/international/finding_a_place_in_international.htm#The%20United%20Nations)
Currently, the only gay rights NGO at ECOSOC is the Australian Coalition of Activist Lesbians, which gained consultative status in 1999.
Controversy and loss of UN consultative status
In the summer of 1993 the ILGA gained consultative status on the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) as a Non-Governmental-Organization, joining 3,000 organisations throughout the world. However, that status was suspended in 1994 after a campaign led by Jesse Helms focussing on NAMBLA's membership of ILGA. ILGA members voted 214-30 to expel three pedophile groups but despite this was not able to convince the UN that it had no member organisations that promoted pedophilia.[3] (http://www.mask.org.za/sections/AfricaPerCountry/africaabr/inter1_news.html) The UN removed ILGA's consultative status "based on concerns raised about its member organizations or subsidiaries that promoted or condoned paedophilia" [4] (http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2002/ECOSOC6004.doc.htm) ILGA applied to have its consultative status reinstated in 2000, [5] (http://www.glbtq.com/social-sciences/int_lesbian_gay,2.html) but on 30 April 2002 the United Nations' Economic & Social Council voted 29-17 not to grant this application.[6] (http://www.mask.org.za/sections/AfricaPerCountry/africaabr/inter1_news.html) The Washington Times reported that opponents blocked ILGA's attempt to regain consultative status because the association had not provided sufficient evidence that it had eliminated NAMBLA and the other pedophile groups from its membership roster, ILGA having refused to provide UN officials with a list of its member organizations. ILGA justified keeping its membership secret on the grounds that, in many countries, homosexual activity is still criminalised and such a list would identify its groups and put them in danger.[7] (http://www.mask.org.za/sections/AfricaPerCountry/africaabr/inter1_news.html)
On 3 May 2003, ECOSOC voted to again decline consultative status to ILGA. ILGA may re-apply in 2005.
Having purged all three pro-paedophilia groups from its 400-group membership, the ILGA continues its work promoting equal rights for lesbian and gay people across the world. Much is still made of the NAMBLA scandal and it is commonly used as an argument against gay rights by various groups, particularly of the right wing.
References
- United Nations press release, 5 July 2001: Non-Governmental Organization discusses ILGA membership (http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2001/ngo405.doc.htm)
External links
- International Lesbian and Gay Association (http://www.ilga.org/)
- The European Region (http://www.ilga-europe.org)fr:International Lesbian and Gay Association
pt:Associação Internacional de Gays e Lésbicas zh:国际男女同性恋联合会