President Obama and US Organizations Commemorate IDAHOT May 17

May 17, 2015, Posted by OblogdeeOblogda,

IDAHOT was created in 2004 to draw attention to the violence and discrimination experienced by LGBTI people internationally. In under a decade, it has established itself as an important annual occasion celebrated in more than 130 countries, with 1600 events reported from 1280 organizations in 2014.

AFRICAN HRC:
Screen Shot 2015-05-17 at 12.01.29 PMToday, May 17th is the day millions of people around the world commemorate IDAHOT, a special day, to raise awareness and commit further to impact the right to liberty, equality, justice and happiness for LGBTI people around the globe. However violence and discrimination still plagues LGBTI people around the world. African Human Rights Coalition on International Day Against Transphobia and Homophobia,  IDAHOT We ask that you read this article to see the direct messages sent from people in Africa here at African HRC. #IDAHOT @AfricanHRC @Melanienathan1:

Melanie Nathan, Executive Director, African Human Rights Coalition:
Today at African HRC we are imploring upon all people around the world, especially those in leadership positions such as presidents, parliamentarians and religious leaders, those promoting violence and discrimination through state sanctioned homophobia and transphobia, to immediately act to stop the ferocious injustice against gays, lesbians, bisexual, transgender and intersex people.

African HRC is currently working with several hundred members of the LGBTI community in Africa who are in hiding, seeking shelter, all trying to escape such persecution and violence. We are one of the few international organizations providing direct assistance to individuals seeking safe-shelter and in extreme cases, exile. This past week we received a record number of pleas for help.

TLDEF:
Commemorates International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia:

New York, NY – The Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund joins activists around the world in marking Sunday’s International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia, a day to bring attention to the ongoing discrimination and violence that LGBT people face around the world. The global event, which began in 2004, aims to persuade policymakers, thought leaders, and the media to take notice and help create a world where LGBT people are protected and treated equally. It is commemorated in 130 countries, including in places where it is illegal to be openly LGBT.

Statement from TLDEF Executive Director Michael Silverman

“We are proud to join millions around the world in commemorating the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia. It is vitally important for all of us to stand together and speak out against the inequalities our community faces. TLDEF has spent the last decade working to ensure transgender people are treated equally under the law and with dignity and respect in their daily lives. On this important day, we recommit ourselves to fighting discrimination and elevating the voices of our clients to promote understanding and attain justice.”

USAID:

USAID seeks to improve the lives of LGBTI citizens around the world, empowering them to secure better lives for themselves, their families and their communities. We aspire to improve lives by making our development efforts more inclusive, elevating attention to LGBTI issues, and working in partnership with local and global actors. These efforts ensure that LGBTI persons have equal access to and reap the benefits of our development work, and are instrumental in the transformation of their own societies.

President Obama’s Statement on IDAHOT:

President Barack Obama made the following statement on the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT):
Michelle and I join our fellow Americans and others around the world in commemorating the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia tomorrow, May 17.  We take this opportunity to reaffirm that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights are human rights, to celebrate the dignity of every person, and to underscore that all people deserve to live free from fear, violence, and discrimination, regardless of who they are or whom they love.
We work toward this goal every day. Here at home, we are working to end bias-motivated violence, combat discrimination in the workplace, and address the specific needs of transgender persons.  Overseas, I am proud of the steps that the United States has taken to prioritize the protection and promotion of LGBT rights in our diplomacy and global outreach.
There is much more to do, and this fight for equality will not be won in a day.  But we will keep working, at home and abroad, and we will keep fighting, for however long it takes until we are all able to live free and equal in dignity and rights.

Last but most importantly a few comments from the several hundred African HRC receives each month from LGBTI people who are currently being persecuted in Africa:

Quotes -( note we did not correct spelling):
Liberian: “Of recent all the religious leaders said Ebola came into our country because God is angry on homosexuality.”

Cameroonian: “I have been scared to go to a gay association after the assacination of my friend in Yaounde. Am really afraid and so much scared.”

Ugandan refugee in Kenya: “”I have lost all my dignity. I do not feel like I am a human being. I have lost my home, my job, my family and my country, which I always loved.”

Gambian: “I am in Senegal for refugee but UNHCR is not helping us here”

Ugandan Lesbian Refugee:  “Greetings madam nathan I dnt know how am going to get thruogh all this now  I had to use my clothes as sanitary towels for this month,I dnt know if anyone can understand what am going through right now,should I give up though I fear death but I dnt see any way out madam nathan this is not ok at all,please help me.”

Trans Refugee: “I just dont know mum,am just stranded,i sleep empty stomach.alot of threats in the community i feel i hate my self now.”

AFRICAN HRC CALL TO ACTION: Please support us by donating to our tax deductible fund here: DONATE and/or spread the word!
[email protected]


3 thoughts on “President Obama and US Organizations Commemorate IDAHOT May 17

  1. Reblogged this on JerBear's Queer World News, Views & More From The City Different – Santa Fe, NM and commented:
    More about today’s International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia commemorations…

  2. Reblogged this on It Is What It Is and commented:
    Calling attention to a very important day …. IDAHOT!!

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