THE RIGHTS AND THE EXPERIENCES OF LGBTIQ+ CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE: BUILDING AN ARGUMENT FOR CHANGE
The need for We Are The Rainbow is clear - LGBTIQ+ children and young people across the world experience family rejection, discrimination, violence, homelessness, exploitation and a range of other challenges at significantly higher rates than their peers. That’s in spite of most countries around the world having signed the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and enacted laws to protect the rights of children and young people.
In your community you may know of many examples of school bullying, family rejection, sexual exploitation and violence against LGBTIQ+ young people. The same outdated prejudices that lead to these problems also stop research into the experiences and needs of LGBTIQ+ children and young people being conducted, but in recent years a growing body of research has begun to be developed, and more and more LGBTIQ+ young people have spoken out about their experiences.
The links below will take you to three short papers that together build an argument that LGBTIQ+ children and young people have rights, that in many countries these rights are not recognised and that as a result they experience discrimination, violence, abuse and exclusion which has significant and long term impacts on their lives. Together, these resources can help you to develop an argument for change in your community.
LGBTIQ+ CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE RIGHTS
All children, regardless of their sexuality, gender or sex characteristics, have the same rights. These include, but are not limited to, the right to identity, to education, to privacy, to have their opinions respected in decision making about their lives and to freedom from all forms of discrimination, persecution and violence.
Governments, schools, organisations and services are failing in their obligations if they aren’t working to ensure that these rights and recognised and upheld.
Read the attached paper to become familiar with what various UN Conventions and committees say about the rights of LGBTIQ+ children and young people globally. You can use it to consider how your country, community, schools and services either uphold or ignore these rights. You can also use it to create training materials and to share with key stakeholders in your community.
This paper is being reviewed - please come back soon!
OTHER USEFUL LINKS
IS YOUR COUNTRY A SIGNATORY TO THE UN CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD? CHECK HERE
IS YOUR COUNTRY A SIGNATORY TO THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS? CLICK HERE
IS YOUR COUNTRY A SIGNATORY TO THE INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS? CLICK HERE
THE YOGYAKARTA PRINCIPLES
THE DARLINGTON STATEMENT
LGBTIQ+ CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE EXPERIENCE DISCRIMINATION AND VIOLENCE
In spite of all the conventions that countries have agreed to and laws they’ve implemented, LGBTIQ+ children and young people experience discrimination, violence, rejection, exploitation and many other challenges, because their rights are not enforced by governments, community leaders and other duty bearers, or in schools, services and society.
Discrimination and prejudice can exist in laws, in families, in schools, in communities and anywhere that LGBTIQ+ young people exist. To improve the lives of LGBTIQ+ children and young people we must challenge and remove discrimination and prejudice in the places they live, learn and play – their social environments.
Use this section to become familiar with research into the experiences of LGBTIQA+ children and young people, to create training materials and to share with key stakeholders in your community.
This paper is being reviewed - please come back soon!
DISCRIMINATION, VIOLENCE AND REJECTION HAVE SIGNIFICANT AND LONG-LASTING IMPACTS ON THE HEALTH, WELLBEING AND LIFE OPPORTUNITIES OF LGBTIQ+ CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE
LGBTIQA+ children and young people are not the problem. Their problems are grounded in discrimination and prejudice. These problems make it harder for LGBTIQ+ young people to complete education, to stay healthy, to find work and to live a good life.
Use this section to understand how family rejection and neglect, school bullying and other challenges impact on the lives and opportunities of LGBTIQ+ children and young people everywhere.
This paper is being reviewed - please come back soon!