Background information
Human rights principles, by definition, apply to all, simply by virtue of having been born human. That no human being or group of human beings are considered outside of the international treaties are the foundation of international human rights law. While lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) persons are no exception to this basic understanding of the application of human rights law they are in practice denied - either by law or practices - basic civil, political, social and economic rights. LGBTI persons’ struggle for the right to non-discrimination, the right to sexual freedom and the right to gender identity challenges the binary and heteronormative conception of sex and gender embedded in medicine, religion and law.
The aim of this conference is to explore how the conception of gender as social, plural and fluid is negotiated in international, regional and national legal discourses. Towards this aim it examines the legal status of LGBTI people, with focus on the right to non-discrimination, the right to gender identity and the right to sexual and reproductive autonomy under international, regional and national law.
Contributors
- Agnes Bolsø, Professor, Department of Interdisciplinary Cultural Studies, NTNU
- Alex Sharpe, Professor of Law, Keele University
- Anne Hellum, Professor of Law, Department of Public and International Law, University of Oslo
- Annika Rudman, Associate Professor of Law, University of Stellenbosch
- Anniken Sørlie, PhD Candidate in Law, University of Oslo
- Dianne Otto, Professor of Law, University of Melbourne
- Elena D'Angelo, Project Officer UN Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute
- Esben Esther Pirelli Benestad, Professor of Sexology, University of Agder
- Hans Ytterberg, Former Ombudsman against Discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation, Sweden
- Inger Kristin Haugsevje
- Ingunn Ikdahl, Associate Professor, Department of Public and International Law, University of Oslo
- Kirsten Sandberg, Chair of the Child Rights Committee, Professor of Law, University of Oslo
- Konstanze Plett, Professor of Law, University of Bremen
- Lene Løvdal, The Equality and Anti-discrimination Ombud
- Luca Dalen Espseth, Counselor on Gender Diversity: The National Association for lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender people (LLH)
- Mads Andenæs, Professor of Law, University of Oslo
- Malcolm Langford, Senior researcher CMI
- Marco Perolini, Amnesty International’s expert on discrimination
- May-Len Skilbrei, Professor IKRS, University of Oslo
- Mette Hartlev, Professor of Law, University of Copenhagen
- Michael O’Flaherty, Professor of Law, National University of Ireland
- Oddvar Thorbjørnsen Faltin, Legal advisor, The National Association for lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender people (LLH)
- Ragnhild Hennum, Professor and Pro-Rector of the University of Oslo
- Rikki Holtmaat, Professor of Law, Leiden University
- Ronald Craig, The Equality and Anti-discrimination Ombud
- Silvan Agius, Policy Coordinator (Human rights), Ministry for Social Dialogue, Consumer Affairs and civil Liberties, Malta
- Stein Wolff Frydenlund, TGEU Steering Committee member
- Theresia Mumbua Matheka, Magistrate Court in Kenya
- Tove Lundberg, PhD-fellow, Lund University
- Vibeke Blaker Strand, Associate Professor, The Norwegian Center of Human Rights, University of Oslo
- Vikram Kolmannskog, Dr. philos
- Violeta Neubauer, Vice-Chair of the CEDAW Committee
