APPG Chair, Nick Herbert, met with Midnight Poonkasetwattana, the Executive Director of APCOM, an HIV-prevention NGO, that also acts as a coordinating body for LGBT issues around the Asia-Pacific. Midnight briefed the APPG on LGBT issues in the region and discussed how the UK coordinate international action to protect global LGBT rights.
APPG Chair, Nick Herbert, attended the International LGBT Leaders' Conference in Washington DC on 9 December, at which he moderated a panel of elected officials from Australia, Guatemala, Ireland and Peru who discussed the lessons learned from successful marriage equality campaigns around the world.
Officers of the APPG met with the then-Equalities Minister, Nick Gibb, on Tuesday 28 November 2017 to follow up on the Government’s response to the 26 October Backbench Debate. Also discussed in the meeting were the recommendations from the APPG’s report on the UK’s response to international breaches of LGBT Rights, which can be read here.
Following the APPG's Officers raising the issue of the Tanzania arrests with Ministers both in the 25 October Commons Debate and in follow-up correspondence, the Government confirmed that it had raised Britain's strong concerns about the situation.
APPG held a meeting on Tuesday 31 with Charles Radcliffe, Chief of Equality & Non-Discrimination in the UN’s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Charles discussed the UN’s recently launched ‘Standards of Conduct for Business on Tackling Discrimination against LGBTI People’.
The APPG secured a Commons Backbench Business debate on global LGBT rights, focusing on recent abuses in Egypt, Azerbaijan & more, on Thursday 26 October, in which over twenty MPs from all parties spoke, and many more attended.
On Wednesday 25 October, APPG Chair, Nick Herbert, met with Ruth Hunt, the Chief Executive of Stonewall, to discuss areas of cooperation in protecting LGBT Rights internationally.
APPG Chair, Nick Herbert, met with Leilah Zadeh, Executive Director of the UK Gay & Lesbian Immigration Group, to discuss how the Government can better support LGBT refugees through the asylum-seeking process.
The APPG has raised its concern about the abuse of LGBT people in Azerbaijan and Egypt. Officers of the APPG have contacted Ministers at the Foreign Office to urge that they make their concerns known to the respective governments.
At the annual PinkNews awards, the Prime Minister affirmed the Government's commitment to promoting LGBT rights globally. Her remarks -which came ahead of next year's Commonwealth Head's of Government meeting - included a recognition that anti-gay laws in much of the Commonwealth are a "legacy of Britain's colonial past", which entailed a "special responsibility to help change hearts and minds".
On 10 October, Mark Bromley, the Chair of the Council for Global Equality, met with the APPG to discuss potential areas of cooperation and to share briefings on the US and UK Governments' actions in support of LGBT Rights internationally.
The APPG on Global LGBT Rights will hold its AGM at the House of Commons on Wednesday 13 September. As well as electing Officers, there will be a discussion on current issues and the APPG's plans for the year ahead, including in the run-up to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting next year. For further information please contact the APPG.
The APPG has raised its concern about the forced cancellation of Uganda Pride. The continuing oppression of LGBT activists and the infringement of freedom of expression, in clear breach of the Commonwealth Charter, is deeply disturbing.
The APPG is delighted that LGBT rights NGOs have joined forces to launch the UK Alliance for Global Equality. APPG Chair Nick Herbert MP spoke at the launch of the Alliance on Wednesday 5 July at J P Morgan's Great Hall and committed to give the Alliance the strongest possible voice in Parliament. The event was also addressed by Foreign Office Minister Lord Ahmad and LGBT rights activists, and attended by APPG Vice Chair Baroness Liz Barker.
The APPG LGBT has expressed its deep concern about the persecution and detention of gay men in Chechnya. Information about this issue can be found in briefings from Stonewall, the Human Dignity Trust and Pride in London.
The APPG for LGBT Rights held its Annual General Meeting on Tuesday 22 November at which the Officers of the Group were re-elected. Foreign Office Minister Baroness Anelay addressed the AGM and responded positively to the APPG's first report into breaches of LGBT rights worldwide, setting out the Government's programme and confirming its ongoing commitment to promoting LGBT Rights.
