PUBLISHED: MAY 4, 2016

Despite a number of historic legal successes in recent years, organizations advocating for the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) individuals continue to face monumental challenges in their attempts to exercise their fundamental rights to assemble, associate and express themselves.1 Such challenges are particularly formidable when they come in the form of legislation, regulations and official policy prescriptions, many of which continue not only to prevent LGBTI individuals from achieving full equality, but also prevent civil society organizations (CSOs) from advocating on their behalf.

In this issue of Global Trends, we spotlight some of the legal challenges to the rights of association, assembly and expression faced by CSOs that advocate on behalf of the LGBTI community. After examining specific examples of key challenges, we highlight some of the legal successes achieved by LGBTI organizations, including the repeal of restrictive laws and the judicial reversals of decisions against LGBTI organizations. We conclude by briefly discussing some specific advocacy strategies used by CSOs with success, and the key lessons learned as a result of the fruitful dialogue among the Global Forum participants.

Global Trends in NGO Law is an online periodical published by ICNL, synthesizing key legal developments affecting CSOs around the world.

Click here to read the report.