November 20 – International Day of Transsexual Memory

November 20 – International Day of Transsexual Memory

“I am convinced that the engine of change is love.  The love we were denied
is our impetus to change the world.  All of the blows and slights
I suffered cannot compare with the infinite
love that surrounds me at this time.”
– Lohana Berkins (1965-2016), transvestite activist

On the International Day of Transsexual Memory, the International Institute on Race, Equality, and Human Rights honors the memory of transsexuals who have lost their lives as a result of acts of intolerance, hate, and discrimination due to their gender identity in Latin America and the Caribbean.  November 20 is also a day to celebrate the lives of transsexuals who, despite social exclusion, limits on exercising their rights, and the absence of social policies that address their basic needs, continue their fight to defend their rights and construct networks of social transformation starting from their local milieus.

Discrimination, violence, segregation against transsexuals, and diverse gender-based segregation constitute a structural aspect of society; therefore, throughout history, their rights have been subject to a vicious cycle of violence, degradation, and oppression that has made it harder for them to enjoy the guarantees of a decent and complete life.

Around the world, transsexuals are subject to mockery, blackmail, physical and sexual assault, and assassination due to their diverse identities.  In addition, they are denied the opportunity to decent employment, medical care in keeping with their needs, and to be seen as subjects worthy of respect and recognition in society.  The stigma to which transsexuals are subject leads to the ‘invisibilization’ of their realities and experiences, as well as ignorance regarding the multiple challenges, barriers, and human rights violations they face.  It is thus that in the majority of countries, data on violence against transsexuals and gender-diverse persons are not systematically produced; therefore, it becomes impossible to calculate the exact number of cases.

Race & Equality observes with concern how the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean continue to have the highest rates of homicides of transsexuals due to motives of prejudice and discrimination, as well as the rationale of machismo and fundamentalist ideas that ignore the diversity, freedom, and autonomy of individuals to identify and define themselves.

Notwithstanding these adverse contexts of violence, we see throughout Latin America experiences of solidarity and leadership that transcend the margins of social exclusion and make known the social demands of transsexuals.  Transsexual leaders are the ones who have been able to impact local public policies, build support networks that have evinced the violence they experience, and above all, generate creative responses for social change from spaces of exclusion.

Race & Equality, within the framework of this commemoration, calls on the States in the region to expand spaces for social dialogue with organizations of transsexuals [and] strengthen the mechanisms for investigating the violence of which this population has been the victim, so as to overcome impunity and jointly define with transsexual leaders social policies of transformation that truly impact their most immediate needs.  We are convinced that transsexuals should continue to be remembered for their transformative acts, rather than for the unpunished violence by which they are eliminated.

October 26: International Intersex Awareness Day

Within the framework of International Intersex Awareness Day, the International Institute on Race, Equality, and Human Rights (Race & Equality) calls for an end to the discrimination, exclusion, torture, patholization, unnecessary medicalization, and ‘invisibilization’ of intersex persons and their families in the region.  In this sense, Race & Equality reminds [people] that intersex persons are those whose sexual anatomy does not physically adjust to culturally-defined standards for the ‘feminine’ or ‘masculine’ body.  Having said that, what does that actually mean?  We set forth some questions and answers below so as to best approach this issue:

Is intersexuality the same as hermaphroditism?

No.  Although in the cultural imagination hermaphroditism is associated with the figure in Greek literature that has external sexual characteristics associated with the presence of a penis, a vulva, and breasts, in fact in botany and zoology hermaphroditism refers to the reproductive capacity of a plant or animal that can even self-inseminate.  When we refer to people, there is consensus in the scientific community that it is more appropriate to refer to intersexuality.  Some activists, such as Mauro Cabral, prefer to refer to themselves as intersex persons, thereby lending political value to this discussion beyond medical-legal discussions.

 Is intersexuality the same as transgenderism?

 No.  Although both concepts can converge, it is important to have a clear understanding that:

  1. Intersexuality is a biological characteristic that is associated with persons’ genetic and corporeal development (what we traditionally have called ‘sex’) and can be externally visible in the body of a person from the moment of his/her birth.
  2. Transgenderism is more associated with how a person constructs him/herself over the course of his/her life and how he/she presents him/herself to society (what we refer to as ‘gender identity’), although this process can include corporeal interventions to bring the body more into agreement with the [person’s] gender identity.

If intersexuality is biological and innate to a person, why is it necessary to have an intersex day?

  1. It is important to keep in mind that despite the fact that intersexuality if a biological reality, many people are not aware of this fact and by extension, of the existence of intersex persons.
  2. The denial of this biological reality in the educational arena (it is not taught from a young age) is also reflected in the legal sphere, which only recognizes ‘two biological sexes,’ even though the reality is much broader than that; this produces important consequences in the lives of intersex persons.
  3. The origin of this day dates back to 1996 when intersex activists protested in front of the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Pediatrics in Boston against the genital mutilations and hormonal treatments performed on intersex persons at an early age without their informed consent.

Are intersex persons the victims of human rights violations?

Yes.  Intersex persons have been the victims of multiple violations reflected in various spheres of their lives:

  1. Their existence is denied in the legal and medical arenas, given that in many countries only two sexes are legally recognized: male and female. Nonetheless, this is changing with the recognition of gender neutrality.
  2. As a result of the foregoing, surgical procedures are imposed on intersex persons from a very early age. Current protocols are applied to them, even though that means carrying out unnecessary surgical interventions with the intention of ‘normalizing’ their genitals, without the person first giving his/her informed consent.  It should be noted that these interventions give rise to irreversible consequences in the emotional, physical, and sexual life of those individuals, including sterilization and genital mutilation, without them being medically necessary in the great majority of the cases.
  3. Human rights protection entities – such as the United Nations and the Inter-American Commission – have documents grave violations of intersex persons’ human rights, above all with relation to discrimination, ‘invisibilization,’ the lack of official information, medical treatments they tend to receive since birth and throughout the course of their lives, barriers to accessing their medical charts, and even difficulty with obtaining recognition of their legal status in public identity registries.
  4. According to the testimonies of diverse intersex persons, the nature of the interventions oftentimes gives rise to the need for multiple surgeries at different times in their lives, producing chronic pain, possible health problems, and the need to carry out extremely invasive routine procedures comparable to cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment or torture.

For all of these reasons, Race & Equality condemns the patholization and childhood genital mutilation practices endured by some intersex persons, and calls on the States in the region to assume their international obligations without further delay to protect human rights and comprehensively recognize, guarantee, and protect, with no patholization and in consultation with intersex persons, their human rights.

Cuban Officials Disrupt Launch of the Campaign “Jailed for What?” in the ECOSOC Chamber of the United Nations

New York. October 16th 2018. Cuban officials disrupted the launch of the campaign “Jailed for What?” organized by the United States Mission to the United Nations and the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor at the United States Department of State. During the event, which took place at the United Nations building in New York, a large group supporting the Cuban regimen constantly interrupted the speakers by banging on tables, stomping their hands and feet, and yelling statements such as “Cuba Sí, bloqueo no” (Cuba Yes, embargo no) and “Fuera de la ONU” (Get out of UN). Although the noise prevents the speakers from being heard properly in the camera, the disrupt did not prevent your message from being heard.

The purpose of the event was to present the human rights situation of political prisoners in Cuba, as well as describe the systematic acts of repression used by the Cuban government to silence the voices of dissidents. Ambassador Kelley E. Currie, U.S. Representative in the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, gave opening remarks over the shouts of the Cuban officials noting that “Cuba’s political prisoners are a clear and unambiguous sign of the repressive nature of the regime. Their imprisonment represents a blatant affront to the fundamental freedoms enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.” The Secretary General of the Organization of American States, Luis Almagro, in spite of the disturbances caused by the Cuban officials, denounced the government’s use of prison sentences for political and unjustified reasons against those who speak out against its policies and politics.

Additionally, he described how Cuba has exported its repressive tactics throughout Latin American, referring to the cases of Nicaragua and Venezuela. These countries have progressively dismantled democracy within their borders, with Cuban support. Secretary General Almagro also described how activists are incarcerated as a means to keep them quiet and prevent the world from knowing about the difficult circumstances that political prisoners face, pointing out that Latin America is saying the price for not timely addressing these situations that put human rights at risk.

Ambassador Michael Kozak from the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor sarcastically thanked the demonstrators for giving an unequivocal showing of Cuba’s respect for freedom of expression and invited the audience to reflect on the worrying situation faced by oppressed Cubans: “You can imagine what it’s like in Cuba – if this is the way the government of Cuba behaves in the chambers of the United Nations, with security present…you can imagine what it would be like to be an individual Cuban citizen trying to speak their mind.”

Against the wishes of the demonstrators, the event was able to continue with the remarks of Carlos Quesada of the International Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights (Race and Equality), who described how the Cuban governments uses various aspects of its domestic law to criminalize human rights defenders, journalists, and another who expresses opinions against the government. He also expressed that Cuba should respect the right to freedom of opinion and expression and free the 139 political prisoners that are currently suffering in poor conditions and are subject to long hours of forced labor as well punishments that violate fundamental human rights.

Alejandro Gonzalez Raga, a former Cuban political prisoner, described his experience during his time in prison and called for solidarity with current political prisoners. He also indicated the need to urge the Cuban government to allow international human rights organizations to enter the country to monitor the difficult situation. Finally, Miriam Cardet Concepcion, sister of political prisoner Dr. Eduardo Cardet Concepcion, presented remarks via a video. She was unable to speak at the event in person because the Cuban government would not let her leave the island.

Race and Equality firmly rejects the acts of intolerance demonstrated today in the ECOSOC Chamber of the United Nations and strongly condemns the constant violations of the rights to freedom of expression, press, movement, and assembly that Cubans are constantly submitted to, especially activists, journalists, and human rights defenders. Additionally, we demand that the Cuban state free the 139 political prisoners that are victims of multiple offenses against their personal integrity. We insist on the need for Cuba to reform its Penal Code and Criminal Procedure Law to eliminate the criminalization of expression and ensure that the right to due process of all Cubans is respected.

We urge the international community to increase efforts to defend and recognize the rights of all Cubans. We reaffirm our commitment to the defense of the rights of every citizen in Cuba and our will to continue fighting for the freedom of all political prisoners.

Watch the event online here: http://webtv.un.org/meetings-events/watch/jailed-for-what-plight-of-cubas-political-prisoners-meeting-called-by-the-united-states/5849574028001

Cuban civil society activists denounce the practice of criminalization by the Cuban State during the 169th Period of Public Sessions of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights

Boulder, Colorado, USA, October 2, 2018. Cuban journalists and human rights defenders participated in the public hearings of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), held on October 1 during its 169th Period of Sessions. The hearings provided an opportunity for victims of violence, repression, criminalization and harassment, to describe to the IACHR Commissioners the repressive tactics utilized by the Cuban State to silence their voices.

According to information gathered by Cuban civil society, approximately 1,633 cases of arbitrary detention have been registered during the current calendar year, up until August, of which 1,129 cases reported excess use of force against women and 504 cases against men. The government continues to use repressive tactics such as beatings, public denigration, travel restrictions and intimidation.

 

During the hearing, the activists revealed that the Cuban authorities use the Criminal Code and Criminal Procedure Code to sanction the opposition without needing to provide sufficient justification, meaning that, in the majority of cases, detentions are carried out without judicial orders backed by a legal argument. Furthermore, many of the crimes described in the Criminal Code are loosely defined, which allows for open interpretation of its contents to be used to discourage freedom of expression and/or opinion which goes against that of the government.

Although Cuban activists have addressed allegations of excessive force, arbitrary detention and intimation of civil society to many international human rights protection mechanisms on previous occasions, the situation in Cuba continues to be precarious and has worsened. Such is the case of the Ladies in White – a group of women who are heavily criminalized and attacked for their participation in public protests which demand the liberation of an estimated 140 political prisoners, throughout Cuba’s prisons.

Commissioner Joel Hernández, Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons Deprived of Liberty, responded to the information by, first, applauding the courage of the activists, and then stated that the conditions that Cuban political prisoners find themselves in violate the basic human rights of any individual. Currently, five Ladies in White are detained in prison, and may others continue to be threatened to be jailed at any moment – according to Blanca Reyes, representative of the Ladies in White, and one of its founding members.

 

In addition, the director of independent media outlet Diario de Cuba Pablo Díaz denounced the Cuban government’s repression of the media, which, according to him, has increased in recent months due to the process of transition of power from Raúl Castro to Miguel Díaz-Canel and the recent constitutional reforms, as well as from an increase in international attention to the country stemming from this summer’s Summit of the Americas, and the UN’s Universal Periodic Review – the resulting increase in reports and denunciations by independent media sources destabilize the “national order” which the government seeks to maintain. In addition, the representative of the Cuban media outlet conveyed that new patterns of repression against journalists in the island seek to leave no “judicial footprint” as opposed to previous periods of time. This results in illegal judicial processes which silence the opposition, but that do not jeopardize Cuba’s international reputation. “It is a repression that often violates even the basic norms of the government, which are already abusive in their nature,” signaled Díaz. The video below shows journalists showing different examples of violations committed by the authorities against those who practice journalism not aligned with the views of the national government.

 

In her intervention, Commissioner Esmeralda Arosemena lamented the absence of the Cuban State at the hearing as it would have represented an important step in recognizing the rights of journalists and human rights defenders by the government. To this date and in other spaces of dialogue, the Cuban government and its representatives view those individuals who oppose the views of the national government as “mercenaries” of foreign entities that seek to break the socio-political dynamics of the State; as such their actions/declarations, according to the country’s Criminal Code, are against the law. Similarly, the Rapporteur for Cuba, Commissioner Antonia Urrejola, inquired about the possibility of new spaces of dialogue to form ahead of the State’s electoral and constitutional reforms, to which Mr. Díaz responded, “We can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel, because what is happening now is a transfer of power between fingers (of the same hand). As such, our views are no more than a suit fitted to justify their interests.” Finally, the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression, Edison Lanza, expressed his admiration for the work carried out by independent media outlets and journalists in Cuba, despite the State’s blocking of independent media, and he expressed his interest in creating a detailed report on the situation freedom of expression on the island, despite the conditions of the government not allowing this to happen to this date.

Among the recommendations proposed by the group of Cuban civil society activists at the hearing, they recommended that the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights urge the Cuban State to guarantee the freedom of movement to those who try to leave the island, as well as requesting that the government allow its citizens free access to the internet and to remove the ban on independent media. Furthermore, the Rapporteurship on Rights of Persons Deprived of Liberty was asked to issue a public communication on the political prisoners in Cuba, and the Rapporteurship on the Rights of Women was asked to do the same with the situation of the Ladies in White. Finally, the petitioners urged the Commission to adopt the term “criminalization of journalistic work” to denominate acts of repressions by which the State impedes the work of distributing information, and that the Commission develop strategies of advocacy in collaboration with Cuban activists, that promote Cuba’s participation in the Inter-American System.

You can see a video of the complete public hearing here (in Spanish): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNkdElQwPNM&feature=youtu.be 

Race & Equality Participates in the 169th Period of Public Hearings of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights with Organizations from Colombia, Cuba, and Nicaragua

Washington, D.C. September 24. Together with more than 20 organizations, the International Institute on Race, Equality, and Human Rights will participate October 1-5 in the 169th Period of Public Hearings held by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) at the University of Colorado in the city of Boulder in the United States.

During the period of sessions, Race & Equality will participate in three (3) public hearings requested by organizations from Colombia, Cuba, and Nicaragua by speaking on the state of human rights in each of these countries to rapporteurs of the IACHR and international community.  In the case of Cuba and Nicaragua, the hearings are aimed at presenting cases of criminalization and repression of activists, journalists, [and] human rights defenders by the national governments of their countries in the midst of the political crises unleashed [and ongoing] to date.  In the case of Colombia, the hearing is aimed at describing and denouncing the state of human rights of the Afro-Colombian people.

The Inter-American Commission holds several periods of sessions each year, in which hundreds of human rights defenders from the region participate, along with delegations from the States comprised of high-level authorities in the field of human rights [and] academics, among others.  In accordance with what is established by Article 68 of IACHR Regulations, the hearings are public and interested parties can freely attend without the need to register beforehand.  The hearings are broadcast online in several languages on the official IACHR website.

Below we present the schedule of the public hearings on Colombia, Cuba, and Nicaragua in which Race & Equality will participate.

Cuba denies existence of racial discrimination to the UN CERD Commitee

Washington. Sept 16. 2018. On August 16, Cuba categorically denied the existence of racial discrimination in Cuba to the group of independent experts of the United Nations (UN) that form the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) during the review of Cuba under the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. The purpose of the review is for Cuba to present information on how it has implemented action plans to combat racial discrimination.

Rodolfo Reyes Rodríguez represented Cuba at the review and stressed during his presentation on behalf of the Cuban state that Cuba does not have a structural or institutional racism problem. He also emphasized that in Cuba, racial and ethnic minorities do not experience any difference in treatment legally, politically, or socially and that the concepts of “Afro-Cuban” or “Afro-descendant” do not exist in Cuba because this population is not regarded as any different from the rest of the population. He stated that according to the results of the 2012 population census, 9.3% of the population identified as Afro-descendant because of the mixed heritage of the population. He explained that all citizens self-identify themselves as white, mixed or black just based on the color of their skin, but all are considered Cuban citizens with the same inherent rights and responsibilities. (You can read the full presentation of the Cuban representative here)

In response to the information presented, the CERD Committee issued its report of recommendations on August 31. In the report, the Committee finds that, contrary to the information presented by the Cuban state, the Afro-descendant population in Cuba continues to suffer from racism and structural discrimination as a result of the historical legacy of slavery. The report also concludes that this discrimination is demonstrated by and results in this population being unable to exercise economic, social, and cultural rights to the same extent as other Cubans. According to the report, the Committee is concerned about the challenges the Afro-descendant population faces in accessing the labor market; the low levels of Afro-descendants in decision-making positions, both in the public and private sector; and the disproportionate levels of poverty affecting this population.

In its list of recommendations, the CERD Committee also expresses great concern that the methodology used in the census does not result in objective information that accurately presents the racial composition of the country. In this regard, the Committee calls on the Cuban State to review its methodology for collecting demographic data in the census in order to design questions and strategies with the input of the Afro-descendant population that will result in their self-identification and generate more accurate results.

The CERD Committee report calls on the Cuban State to include a clear and explicit definition of racial discrimination in its Constitution, which is currently being updated.

The Committee also recommends that the State include a gender focus in its policies and strategies to combat racial discrimination in order to address the many forms of discrimination affect women, particularly Afro-descendant women, who face greater obstacles in accessing the labor market. The Committee also stressed the need to create as opportunities for women to participate in politics and to hold decision-making roles.

The CERD Committee condemned allegations of harassment, intimidation, and hostility against those who defend the rights of Afro-descendants.

Specifically, the CERD Committee’s Rapporteur for Cuba, Silvio Albuquerque, mentioned violations of the right to freedom of movement. Juan Antonio Madrazo, Coordinator of the Citizen’s Committee for Racial Integration (Comité Ciudadano por la Integración Racial), was prevented from leaving Cuba to participate in the review, and Roberto Mesa, Coordinator of the Black Brotherhood (Cofradia de la Negritud) was arbitrarily detained a few days before he was scheduled to travel. The representative for Cuban denied any acts of repression taking place against human rights defenders, instead asserting that these individuals pass themselves as human rights defenders but are mercenaries of the United States, paid to make false allegations of human rights violations. In its report, the CERD Committee laments the Cuban government’s denial of these violations and their failure to take measures necessary to investigate them and prevent them from occurring.

Race and Equality observes the statements presented by the Cuban government to the UN CERD Committee with great concern. The lack of specific and conclusive information provided by the government as well as its flat denial of the discrimination and human rights violations suffered by Afro-Cubans is further evidence that discrimination and structural racism are alive and well in the country.

Race and Equality thanks the CERD Committee for the recommendations offered to the Cuban government, which are to be implemented into the laws and policies of the country in order to effectively guarantee the protection of the human rights of all Afro-descendants in Cuba.

International Bisexuality Day: A Day to Remember the Sexual Diversity that Comprises and Complements Our Society

Washington, September 22, 2018 – Each year since 1999, International Sexuality Day is commemorated on September 23rd: a day to remember the sexual diversity that comprises and complements our society, as well as the urgent need to continue working for the recognition of the rights to individual liberty, autonomy, and identity of all persons, regardless of their sexual orientation, and especially the assertion and recognition of the rights of bisexual persons.

To that end, we applaud with appreciation the recent press communiqué on International Bisexuality Day issued jointly by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and experts from the United Nations: we believe that these types of statements are essential in the fight against the ‘invisibilization’ of the barriers and discrimination that impact bisexual persons and provide concrete data that help to eradicate misconceptions that are permeated by stigmas surrounding bisexuality.  To that end, the authors state in the communiqué that bisexuality refers to “the capacity for emotional, romantic, and/or physical attraction to more than one sex or gender.”  From our work with our counterparts in the region, we note with concern the frequency with which the sexual orientation of bisexual persons causes them to experience significant discrimination, in that socially they are categorized as ‘indecisive,’ ‘undefined,’ or ‘promiscuous,’ in this manner alluding to an as-yet ‘undecided’ sexual orientation which needs to be ‘defined’ as heterosexual or homosexual.  The stigmas to which bisexual persons are subject result in the ‘invisibilization’ of their realities and experiences, as well as the lack of awareness regarding the multiple challenges [and] barriers [they face], as well as the violations of their human rights.

According to the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Intersex Association (ILGA), bisexuality and bisexual persons are marginalized in all parts of the world, generating alarming figures of depression, isolation, health problems, and high rates of suicide within this population.  In addition, they indicate that the indices of domestic and psychological violence perpetrated against bisexual persons are much higher in comparison with what is experienced by homosexual or heterosexual groups.  In this same study, ILGA points out that “the reality of bisexual persons is unknown by social organizations and even by groups defending the rights of the LGBTI community” – the reason why there are few or no data from social and governmental organizations regarding the health, education, and access to reproductive rights of this population.  Likewise, the actions implemented by State organizations do not respond to the realities of persons with a bisexual sexual orientation.

In Latin America and the Caribbean, the social reality of bisexual persons is completely unknown.  It is as if they do not exist, given that people tend to feel such persons are “going through a phase or presenting a deviation from [normal] sexual conduct”; as such, no statistics or official data exist on the situation of this community, either at the level of the States in the region or at the level of civil society organizations, as the latter tend to address the situations of bisexual persons to a lesser degree.  In addition to this, the lack of knowledge, research, and comprehension of bisexuality becomes a worrisome limiting factor in identifying or defining barriers faced by bisexual persons.

Bisexuality is highly invisible in human rights practice and discourse; it is thus that this day becomes an opportunity to raise the visibility of the voices, stories, and experiences of bisexual persons, demand protection of the rights of all persons, demand research that will identify their needs throughout the world, and develop pedagogy regarding their reality.

Race & Equality calls on the States in the region, governmental institutions, and the LGBTI movement to fight against all types of discrimination and violence against the bisexual population.  We urge them to consider developing public policies that include bisexuality within [the larger topic of] sexual orientation and consequently, collect official data to internally counteract the violence and discrimination faced by bisexual persons.  Biphobia, as well as any type of expression of hatred or violence against the diverse forms of gender, identity, or sexual orientation are acts that diminish the possibility for constructing societies that are more inclusive, just, and respectful of diversity.

 

SO THAT OUR VOICES ARE HEARD AND INCLUDED! Today We Commemorate the International Day for Afro-Latino, Afro-Caribbean, and Diaspora Women

July 25 marks the International Day for Afro-Latino, Afro-Caribbean, and Diaspora Women. The commemorative date was established in 1992 after a meeting in the Dominican Republic of more than 400 women from diverse Latin American countries, where they analyzed the consequences of racism and sexism in the region. The meeting also provided a space for attendees to articulate joint actions and remember historic struggles to combat these issues.

On this day we remember that the fight to bring down the humiliations caused by discrimination, poverty, and violence is ongoing. Participatory spaces are closed off because of racist and discriminatory logic against women and Afro-descendants which prevail. Women from the region continue to be the victims of a hostile war committed to condemn their voices and their chants, to violate their bodies, and take away their children.

It is important to remember that Afro-descendant women’s organizations have undertaken a lot of efforts to achieve recognition and participation in decision-making spaces. Because of this, we urge all states to promote affirmative actions in favor of including Afro-Latino, Afro-Caribbean, and Diaspora voices in spaces that will permit the promotion of effective public policies that guarantee rights and severely condemn all types of ethnic or racial discrimination.

Today we rise up in resistance for the women suffering the war and apathy in Nicaragua, for the harassment and repression against women in Colombia, especially those who are persecuted for leading life in the territories. We rise up for those women who are not recognized and who are discriminated against in Peru; for the violence and harassment against trans women in Brazil; for the voices of the women in Panama; for the recognition of the rights of all women in the region. We will continue fighting so that our voices are heard, included.

The Human Rights Situation of Afro-descendants in Latin America Presents a Scenario Full of Discrimination and Collective Violence

On June 4, The Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights (Race and Equality) and the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) held a panel conversation on the “Human Rights Situation of Afro-descendants in Latin America” as a side event to the 48th General Assembly of the Organization of American States. The dialogue featured Afro-descendant leaders and experts from Brazil, Cuba, Colombia, Guatemala and Peru, and sought to present the circumstances of Afro-descendant populations’ rights in the region, and the collaborative work that each country has been doing on these situations.

Washington Office on Latin America President Matthew Clausen opened the dialogue with some introductory remarks. WOLA has been carrying out international efforts with other Afro-descendant organizations seeking to protect Afro-descendant rights in the Americas and has also recently been lobbying the US Congress for the adoption of Resolution 713, which urges the United States Government to support the goals and objectives of the International Decade for People of African Descent by way of establishing global strategies that promote these goals. WOLA’s President took the opportunity to condemn all the recent attacks, killings and acts of intimidation against social leaders in the region and expressed his and WOLA’s support to do all that they can to remedy the situation.

The dialogue also featured the distinguished presence and participation of Epsy Campbell Barr, Vice-President of Costa Rica, and the first Afro-descendant woman in the region to be elected to a high political position – a major political achievement for all Afro-descendant populations in the region. In her speech, Vice-President Campbell reflected that the Afro-descendant movement in the region is not experiencing its greatest moment of progress, due to regressions in the political agendas of countries which have historically achieved spaces for advocacy. Likewise, she stressed that the movement’s advocacy actions have received little political backing in recent years. These conditions are contrary to the necessary conditions and agreements needed to achieve the goals of the International Decade, particularly of encouraging the connection between the goals of the Decade and those of sustainable development. Facing this, Vice-President Campbell stated that “a 2030 (Afro-descendant) agenda should be our aim for the next ten to twelve years. Therefore, it’s of vital importance to use the next five or so years left in the International Decade to achieve more commitments from States.”

Likewise, Epsy Campbell urged better working strategies to tackle poverty, discrimination and criminalization of Afro-descendants, and also the exclusion of Afro-descendants from political participation, as these continue to be realities in our countries, she declared. In conclusion, she stated that the greatest challenge for Afro-descendants in the region lies in aligning national agendas of each State in the region with a commitment towards inclusion of Afro-descendant communities and people.

In relation to the above, Carlos Quesada, Executive Director of the Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights, pointed out that the situation of the rights of people of African descent in the region has many parallels to police violence, poverty, inequality, unemployment and limited access to health and education. However, he stressed that the work carried out by various organizations in each of the countries shows signs of fight and hope for all of Latin America.

Cecilia Ramírez, Executive Director of the Center for the Development of Black Peruvian Women (CEDEMUNEP), shared with the audience the work that the Afro-Peruvian movement has developed in order to participate in the recent national census, and be properly counted for the first time since 1940. The work was a success for the recognition of the Afro-Peruvian people, as it promotes greater advocacy opportunities, participation and expression. This was achieved by working with various social sectors in order to develop the ethnic self-identification question, as well as allowing organizations to report and visualize the accurate living conditions of the Afro-descendant community in Peru. Ms. Ramírez also made mention of the challenges of carrying out a media campaign in favor of the ethnic self-identification question, in a country riddled with discrimination and racism. However, she stressed that such advocacy campaigns are crucial to bring awareness about what it means to identify as Afro-Peruvian. For 2017, the number of Peruvians who identify themselves as Afro-Peruvians totaled 4% of the population.

Norberto Mesa Carbonell, Director of the Cuban organization Cofradía de la Negritud, presented to the audience the human rights situation of exclusion facing Afro-Cubans. “The reality of the situation of Afro-Cubans has been a taboo subject since the Revolution. Although the issue of discrimination was an important topic to work on—of vital importance—it was enough for just a few years to go by until the Cuban State “automatically” closed the issue. As a result, everything related to access and participation of the Afro-Cuban movement, as well as the formation of public policies that benefit and recognize the Afro-descendant movement, were put on hold and were completely delayed. For this reason, and since the decision by the government, any advocacy work and presentation of human rights violations towards Afro-descendants in Cuba has been criminalized. We currently don’t have freedom of association; thus, it becomes a great challenge to work for the inclusion of this population sector in public policies regarding economic and social growth,” explained Norberto.

Cesar Gomes, a Brazilian social leader, presented another element of the conversation by describing the situation of the Afro-descendant LGBTI populations as one of the worst in the world. Cesar shared that Brazil has one of the highest numbers of murders of trans women because of their gender identity, and in particular Afro-descendant trans women. He also revealed that the country has no public policies specifically for Afro-LGBTI individuals, and in recent years, the Ministries of Women, Racial Equality, and Human Rights within the government have been dissolved, which has weakened the participation of social movements demanding respect for the rights of trans men and women who are also Afro-descendants. Likewise, he pointed out that rates of murder and violence against LGBTI men and women are increasing alarmingly, particularly at the hands of local and/or municipal authorities. Finally, Cesar mentioned the critical situation of young Afro-LGBTI people, as they are the ones who report the highest rates of suicide due to social and family harassment, in addition to being victimized again due to their socio-economic condition, and lack of access to education and health.

On the other hand, Ingrid Gamboa, an Afro-Guatemalan Garifuna leader, stressed that the lack of economic resources represents a major hurdle for the Afro-descendant movement in its efforts to achieve the implementation of an action plan with regard to the International Decade of People of African Descent. Historically, Afro-descendants have been characterized as one of the ethnic groups with the largest inequality gaps in the world. Therefore, the lack of States’ commitment to guarantee the necessary resources for the implementation of said Decade limits the possibilities of participation and the formation of recognition of guarantees for the rights of the Afro-descendant people.

Finally, Association of Displaced Afro-Colombians (AFRODES) Vice-President Erlendy Cuero Bravo voiced her profound concern about the lack of visibility of the situation of Afro-descendant populations, which continues to be obscured by State representatives throughout the region, in particular related to assassinations, persecutions, harassment and intimidation which affects social leaders in various countries. Likewise, she declared that many states have abandoned the Afro-descendant population and are unaware of the structural issues related to poverty, discrimination and violation of human rights. “In Colombia, the Afro-descendant population was the group that supported the Peace Agreement the most, because we have suffered the most deaths, but yet the State has abandoned us. We are being killed each day, and yet it seems like the Colombian state has no eyes or ears to recognize our situation, or that the harassment of our people represents a systematic phenomenon. So far nothing has been done to guarantee the life of our men, women and children. Not because of a lack of public policies, because there are many, but rather because of a lack of political will. Today, my people are scared and confined because when someone kills one of our political leaders, they are also killing the entire Afro-descendant movement.”

DID CUBA TELL THE WHOLE TRUTH TO THE HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL DURING THE UNIVERSAL PERIODIC REVIEW – UPR?

Several human rights defenders from Cuba considered a Country Report presented to the United Nations’ Human Rights Council as “false” after hearing the presentation of Cuba’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bruno Rodriguez. The report, once again, fails to paint an accurate picture of the existing situation of repression and violation of fundamental rights experienced by members of civil society in the island (watch a recording of the Cuba UPR review here).

On Wednesday, May 16, the Cuban state underwent its third Universal Periodic Review process – a mechanism of the UN Human Rights Council, in which Member States weight in on the country’s human rights situation and offer recommendations to the State, such as the ratification of treaties like the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights signed by Cuba in 2008. The Member States strongly denounced repeated attacks, acts of hostility, and intimidation against human rights defenders and expressed their concern at the lack of freedoms of opinion, expression, and association afforded to the Cuban population. The States also condemned the travel restrictions placed on human rights defenders, some of whom were scheduled to participate in the UPR (both the review and the Pre-Session).

The following infographic lists some of the recommendations of the different member states to the Cuban government.

According to reports by the independent Cuban newspaper “Diario de Cuba”, in response to the recommendations by member states, the Cuban government dismissed demands to respect fundamental freedoms. They also denied that persons who speak out against the government are being prohibited from traveling or that reprisals are being carried out against human rights activists. Instead, the State’s representatives argued that only individuals who fight in favor of a Communist revolution are worthy of being called human rights defenders in Cuba. “Agents of a foreign government” serving an external agenda that seeks to undermine the legal and political order that Cubans have “freely elected” are not considered human rights defenders. The State also stressed that as a sovereign entity, it has the right to determine its own interpretation of human rights and that existing US sanctions will not be allowed to interfere with the social and economic development of the island.

At Race and Equality, we observe with concern the lack of visibility of the actual situation of human rights in Cuba as we are witnesses to the harassment, retaliation and persecution that many human rights defenders in Cuba are forced to endure. We strongly condemn the Cuban State’s denial of its constant attacks against freedom of speech, opinion and association, and of movement, which are aimed at opposition members of Cuban civil society.  We also denounce the arbitrary travel restrictions the State has placed on dozens of human rights activists.

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