Comments on legislation and policy

In this page, the UN Independent Expert shares all comments provided by the mandate to States on national laws, regulations and policies. The mandate regularly provides comments on the adequacy of normative and policy developments with international standards on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

See below a list of letters concerning national norms sent since 2017 by the UN Independent Expert and the responses from Government to these communications.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

• 23 October 2024 – Observations concerning the Bill entitled the Law on Amendments of the Criminal Code of Republika Srpska – JOL BIH 1/2024

Bulgaria

• 14 October 2024 – Observations concerning the Law on Amendments and Supplements to the Law on Preschool and School Education – JOL BGR 1/2024

Georgia

• 16 September 2024 – Observations concerning the Bill entitled The Law of Georgia on Family Values and Protection of Minors – JOL GEO 3/2024 (Press release)

Liberia

• 09 September 2024- Information received concerning a draft Bill entitled Anti-Homosexuality Law of Liberia 2024 tabled as an individual MP's Bill and dated 4 July 2024 – JOL LBR 1/2024

Kazakhstan

• 29 Août 2024 – Information received concerning certain developments in the country that infringe on the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals in Kazakhstan – JAL KAZ 3/2024

Tunisia

• 30 May 2024 – Informations reçues concernant des actes de harcèlement à l’encontre de l’Association tunisienne pour la justice et l’égalité (Damj) – JAL TUN 3/2024

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

• 19 July 2023 - Letter from the Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity to the Chair of the EHRC (NHRI)
• 13 December 2022 - Other Letter in relation to the “Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill

European Union

• 20 October 2022 – Comments on the draft proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on combating violence against women and domestic violence

Other

• 21 April 2022 – Position on the International Criminal Court policy on gender-related prosecutions

Ghana

• 9 August 2021 - Other Letter in relation to the "Ghana Family Bill" (Press release)

Brunei

• 1 April 2019 - Comments Regarding the Implementation of Syariah Penal Code Order
  Government response

Other

• 30 November 2018 - Comments Regarding the Persecutory Grounds in the Draft Crimes Against Humanity Convention
• 30 November 2018 - Comments Regarding the Definition of Gender in the Draft Crimes Against Humanity Convention

Kazakhstan

• 7 November 2018 – “Comment on draft by-laws” – OL KAZ 5/2018

Republic of Korea

• 5 April 2018 – “Attempts to challenge and weaken the protection from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity” – OL KOR 1/2018
  Government response

Haiti

• 22 September 2017 – “Propositions de lois portant sur la réputation et le certificat de bonnes vie et mœurs et sur le renforcement des dispositions du Code civil relatives au mariage et à la protection de la famille” – JOL HTI 4/2017

Chile

• 23 August 2017 – “Del derecho a la identidad de género” - JOL CHL 2/2017
  Government response

Peru

• 7 April 2017 – “Decreto Legislativo N° 1323” - OL PER 3/2017