Sexual orientation and gender identity have increasingly become critical issues in the discourse about migration and forced displacement. Individuals identifying as LGBTQ+ often face persecution, discrimination, and violence, prompting them to seek asylum or refugee status in other countries. This lecture will examine the intersection of sexual orientation, migration, and international human rights law, specifically focusing on the practical realities of seeking asylum, the implications of recent United States policies on transgender individuals, and the challenges faced by African LGBTQ+ refugees who are unwelcome in both first and third-world countries yet persecuted in their homelands. The theme for the lecture will be: “The Role of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in the Context of Migration and Forced Displacement.”
As part of the Moot, the Fifth Nelson Mandela Lecture took place on the evening of 17 July at the Maison de la Paix. The Geneva Human Rights Platform played a pivotal role in ensuring that this lecture took place.
On a momentous day in Geneva, Switzerland, the world witnessed the fourth annual Nelson Mandela Human Rights Lecture, an event that has become a beacon of inspiration and intellectual discourse. This year's lecture focused on a critical topic that continues to shape our global landscape: the intersection of refugees and climate change. In a world grappling with both environmental and humanitarian challenges, the lecture served as a platform to address the urgent need for collective action and empathetic response.
The Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria recently hosted the very successful celebrations of Nelson Mandela International Day in Geneva, Switzerland.
