OHCHR and the human rights of LGBTI people

About LGBTI people and human rights

This page is about the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people. The LGBTI acronym is commonly used to refer to people who are attracted to people of the same gender, people with gender identities that differ from the sex assigned to them at birth, people with nonbinary identities and people whose sex characteristics do not fit typical definitions of female or male. While this acronym has universal recognition, different people in different contexts identify with other terms including hijra, meti, lala, skesana, motsoalle, mithli, kuchu, kawein, travesty, muxé, fa’afafine, fakaleiti, hamjensgara and Two-Spirit. Learn more about key LGBTI concepts by taking the open OHCHR introductory electronic course.

LGBTI people are exposed to various types of violence and discrimination, including:

• Discrimination in education, employment, health care, housing, etc.
• Physical attacks and extreme violence — beatings, sexual assaults, torture, killings
• Harmful practices, including in medical and detention settings

More on LGBTI persons, discriminations they face, and obligations of States to protect and promote their human rights

OHCHR’s work on the rights of LGBTI people

OHCHR is committed to working with all stakeholders, including States, UN and other international organizations, national human rights institutions, civil society, human rights defenders and the private sector to advance the protection, respect and fulfilment of the human rights of LGBTI people, on an equal basis with others.

See the full list of activities of our office