COVID-19 and the Human Rights of LGBTI People

As governments respond to the novel coronavirus, the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex (LGBTI) people are under increasing threat. Some face increased risks from stay-at-home orders when home is not a safe environment or when health care discrimination deters LGBTI people from seeking COVID-19 treatment. Discriminatory measures that stigmatize and blame LGBTI people for outbreaks as well as governments' crackdown on LGBTI rights defenders, heighten vulnerabilities and violence. Instead, solutions must be found that center the rights of LGBTI people, including through economic measures to mitigate the adverse impacts of the crisis, as well as ongoing support services. Join us for a talk with Ymania Brown (ILGA World/PHRI), Gloria Careaga (UNAM), Victor Madrigal-Borloz (U.N. Independent Expert), Danilo da Silva (LAMBDA), and Larry Helfer (Duke Law). To view the program, visit tinyurl.com/COVID19JusticeSeries for instructions. Sponsored by Duke Law International Human Rights Clinic, Columbia Law School Human Rights Institute, Columbia Law School Center for Gender & Sexuality Law, and Just Security. For more information, contact Balfour Smith (bsmith@law.duke.edu).