Australia thanks the Independent Expert for his report on Gender Theory, and we reaffirm our strong, ongoing support for his mandate.

The international community has agreed that human rights are universal, indivisible, and inalienable. All people regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity or sex characteristics are entitled to comprehensive legal protections.

Australia is proud to have world-leading anti-discrimination legislation, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and intersex status in public life. Our policies also recognise that gender is an intersectional, multi-layered concept that can change over a person’s lifetime.

Australia is deeply concerned that LGBTI people in some States experience unacceptably high levels of discrimination and violence, and that this experience has been exacerbated by COVID-19.

We urge all states to remove discriminatory laws and put an end to hateful attitudes that perpetuate violence and exclusion on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or sexual characteristics.

We ask the Independent Expert: how can an intersectional gender analysis be further integrated into the Council’s work to ensure we continue to advance the human rights of LGBTI persons?

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