Background and Context
1. Thousands of Haitians today are at risk of violence and discrimination as a result of their actual or perceived sexual orientation, their gender identity, or nonconformist social behavior. The mere perception that individual may be LGBT can place their life directly at risk because extreme hostility and discriminatory attitudes toward LGBT members are so pervasive. They are deprived by of their human rights, marginalized, harassed, beaten and murdered with little action on the part of the State to prevent violence, or bring those responsible to justice.
2. Haiti’s Executive Branch has been considering penal code revisions that, if approved, would be a landmark in legislation addressing gender-based violence (“GBV”) in Haiti and would greatly advance Haiti towards meeting its obligations under international law to prevent and redress human rights violations.
3. This report documents various forms of violence and discrimination committed against Haitian women and Haitians because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. It outlines discrimination against LGBT people in the areas of law, access to justice, and healthcare.
Read the full report here.
This report first appeared on madre.org.