Importance of the Civil and Political Inclusion Indicator Set

Importance of the Civil and Political Inclusion Indicator Set

Discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity limits sexual and gender minorities’ ability to participate in public discourse and influence decision-making, affecting the full spectrum of political inclusion. Governments should integrate sexual and gender minorities into the social fabric and allow them to exercise rights on an equal basis with everyone else (UNGA 2019, para. 69). Equal participation in political and civil life covers a broad range of issues, including political participation, parental equality, gender equality, ability to change gender without stigmatization, protection of intersex babies and children from invasive surgeries, and prohibition of persecution of sexual and gender minorities seeking asylum. Civil society organizations (CSOs) can play a fundamental role in promoting these principles and raising awareness of the issues faced by sexual and gender minorities. An active civil society can also be seen as a legitimate conveyor of public participation, in both public and private life. Conversely, the constriction of CSOs can amount to the “shrinking of civil society space” (Daly 2018). Despite their important role in protecting sexual and gender minorities, in many countries around the world, sexual and gender minority CSOs face legal hurdles in registering and operating. Such legal limitations, whether explicit or implicit, can hamper the effectiveness of their work.

“In no other field do respect or stigma manifest themselves more clearly than in the political arena.”

—UNGA (2019, para. 33)

The civil and political inclusion indicator set examines issues relating to sexual and gender minorities’ civil and political inclusion by analyzing the existence of SOGI-inclusive national human rights institutions (NHRIs),1 national action plans, and the freedom of CSOs to operate without fear of persecution. The indicator set measures societal inclusiveness by reporting the number of politicians who openly self-identify as a sexual or gender minority in each country’s legislature, the legality of same-sex civil unions, same-sex couples’ ability to marry and adopt children, and legal protections for intersex children. The section also focuses on laws that allow changes in gender markers in official documents without pathologizing requirements and discrimination against sexual and gender minorities in obtaining identity documents. Finally, this indicator set delves into whether relevant countries have abolished conversion therapy and whether persecuted sexual and gender minorities can seek asylum under the countries’ asylum laws.

“All over the world, in instances too frequent to cite, political campaigns, referendums, policy and parliamentary debates, and public manifestations outside courthouses reveal