LGBT rights and inclusion in Small Island Developing States (SIDS)

I. Idris

Summary: LGBT people in many small island developing states (SIDS) face numerous challenges, including with regard to rights under the law. In a large proportion of these countries, consensual same-sex sexual conduct has not been decriminalized, and none allow other rights such as for same-sex marriage or adoption. While laws criminalizing same-sex sexual conduct are rarely enforced, they create an environment which fosters discrimination and violence towards LGBT people. Overall, those in Caribbean SIDS fare worst. Approaches to promote LGBT rights through development programming include: support for legal reform; research on LGBT issues to inform policy-making; community mobilization and networking; capacity-building of LGBT groups; sensitisation of stakeholder groups such as parliamentarians; using HIV/AIDS programming to promote LGBT support; and mainstreaming LGBT into development cooperation. Given the sensitivities around LGBT issues (and perceived 'foreign interference') it is important to give local actors the lead in LGBT advocacy, and to frame global LGBT rights in terms that have local relevance. This review looks at the extent to which LGBT rights are provided for under law in a range of SIDS, and the record on implementation/enforcement, as well as approaches to promote LGBT rights and inclusion. SIDS covered are those in the Caribbean, Pacific, and Atlantic-Indian Ocean-South China Sea (AIS) regions. The review draws on a mixture of grey literature (largely from international development agencies/NGOs), academic literature and media reports. Whileinformation on the legal situation of LGBT people in SIDS was readily available, there was far less evidence on approaches/programmes to promote LGBT rights/inclusion in these countries. However, the review did find a number of reports with recommendations for international development cooperation generally on LGBT issues. Gender was mentioned in the literature largely in the context of transgender people, while nothing was found on people with disabilities.