Criminalising Homosexuality is a Breach
of Human Rights

As of 2013, over 80 countries – including about 80% of the 54 Commonwealth countries – have laws criminalising private, consensual sexual conduct between adults of the same sex, making the expression of their identity illegal and punishable by imprisonment or even death.

Criminalising someone on the basis of their identity – whether that is gender, ethnic or sexual identity – is a breach of human rights.

The Guarantee of an Identity Requires Decriminalisation of Homosexuality

The Human Dignity Trust works for the decriminalisation of consensual, private same-sex sexual conduct between adults through the application of settled, existing human rights law.

The criminalisation of identity is a violation of the rights to privacy, dignity and equality protected in international human rights and constitutional law. The Trust seeks to have these laws upheld and respected.

Supporting Legal Challenges to Decriminalise Homosexuality

The Human Dignity Trust works alongside local and regional partners to support people affected by criminalisation by assisting them and their lawyers bring cases which will challenge a country’s criminal laws. This litigation will take place before national and, if necessary, international courts and tribunals.

Learn how you can support the Trust´s human rights work.

IDAHO: HDT commemorates IDAHO by releasing a powerful video testimony of Gareth Henry, the persecuted former co-chair and lead advocate of Jamaica's J-FLAG

2013-05-17

Gareth Henry, speaking at a workshop during the December 2012 ILGA World Conference, discusses the persecution he faced in Jamaica and the prospects, possibilities and pitfalls of strategic litigation in the context decriminalisation of homosexuality. Gareth now lives in Canada where he was forced to claim asylum. Watch: http://youtu.be/6G72vFYVzkM