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***SAVE THE DATE: 46th PGA Annual Forum and 4th Consultative Assembly of Parliamentarians for the Oceans, 26 - 27 March 2026, Mexico City.***


Sexual Orientation and Gender Inclusivity (SOGI) Campaign

The Challenge: The Situation of LGBTI People

Stigma, violence and discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people contribute significantly to their exclusion from society, limit their access to health and other critical services and hinder social and economic development.

Although many important gains have been made, homophobic and transphobic attitudes, often combined with punitive laws and/or lack of effective legal protection against discrimination, continue to expose many LGBTI people around the world to serious violations of their human rights.

According to ILGA’s latest ‘State-sponsored Homophobia’ report, 70 countries still criminalize same-sex sexual acts between consenting adults and in 12 countries it is allowed to punish such acts with death sentence.

The Response: The SOGI Campaign

The Sexual Orientation and Gender Inclusivity (SOGI) Campaign was launched in 2013. It seeks to mobilize parliamentarians as human rights champions, taking action to guarantee that every individual has equal value, lives with dignity and is able to achieve their highest potential free from all forms of violence and discrimination, including on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression and sex characteristics (SOGIESC). This is in line with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16: To promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies; including target 16.b. on promoting and enforcing non-discriminatory laws and policies for sustainable development.

In order to achieve this goal, the SOGI Campaign pursues the following outcomes:

  • Sensitize and raise awareness among parliamentarians about equality and non-discrimination on the basis of SOGIESC in accordance with regional and international human rights instruments;
  • Strengthen communication and cooperation between parliamentarians and LGBTI civil society;
  • Introduce anti-discrimination legislation on the basis of SOGIESC; and
  • Decriminalize homosexuality in target countries where the law penalizes same-sex consensual relations in contravention of international human rights standards.
ILGA’s latest map on sexual orientation laws in the world
activist

Advancing the Human Rights and Inclusion of LGBTI People

A Handbook for Parliamentarians

screenshot of the Podcast LGBT Stories
The Podcast LGBT Stories documents the struggles, hardships, questions, joys, eye-openers and more, that many in the LGBTQI community have faced as they've opened up about their true identity »
  2025 Calendar of Activities
  Campaign Resources for Parliamentarians
  Contact the Secretariat
Valerie Woods
Listen here! Valerie Woods (Belize) shares her first experience with PGA during a meeting in Uruguay between MPs and LGBTI representatives »

SOGI Campaign Achievements

New Resource for Parliamentarians Aims to Build More Inclusive Communities in the Pacific

New Resource for Parliamentarians Aims to Build More Inclusive Communities in the Pacific

It addresses the specific challenges parliamentarians face when navigating complex social, religious, and political landscapes while working toward inclusive governance.

Parliamentarians for Global Action is pleased to announce the publication of "Promoting Inclusion for People of Diverse Sexual Orientations, Gender Identities and Expressions, and Sex Characteristics: A Toolkit for Legislators in the Pacific Region.” This resource is designed to support elected leaders across the Pacific with the knowledge, strategies, and legislative tools needed to advance greater inclusion and equality for Pacific Islanders with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, and sex characteristics (PIDSOGIESC+). The toolkit guides parliamentarians in how to take concrete action to shape more equitable communities, providing them with approaches to policy development, coalition building, and oversight that can transform how their governments serve all members of their communities. “Our goal is to support Pacific leaders with practical, respectful guidance tailored to their national contexts,” said Melissa Verpile, program director for Democracy, Gender, and Inclusion at Parliamentarians for Global Action. “This resource gives them the tools to lead with courage, compassion, and conviction.” Developed in close collaboration with civil society leaders, parliamentarians, and human rights experts, the resource reflects both international human rights standards and the lived experiences of PIDSOGIESC+ individuals in the region. It addresses the specific challenges parliamentarians face when navigating complex social, religious, and political landscapes while working toward inclusive governance. From Tuvalu to Aotearoa to Papua New Guinea, Pacific cultures have long recognized diverse gender and sexual identities — like binabinaaine, takatāpui, and palopa. The laws that criminalize their expressions of intimacy are not our own — they are colonial imports. Decriminalization is not just a legal reform; it is a collective act of reclaiming our shared Pacific identity and values. Ms. Louisa Wall (New Zealand), former MP and current Women’s Chair of ILGA Oceania The toolkit emphasizes the intersectional nature of inclusion work, particularly highlighting how PIDSOGIESC+ individuals face heightened vulnerabilities during climate-related disasters — a critical consideration for Pacific Island nations on the frontlines of climate change. The resource also explores the economic benefits of inclusion, demonstrating how non-discrimination policies contribute to stronger, more prosperous Pacific Island economies. How You Can Use the Toolkit? As a reference for legislative reform and inclusive policymaking To inform dialogue between parliamentarians and civil society For capacity building and sensitization sessions with members of parliament, staff, or political party caucuses Whether you are a lawmaker, advocate, or development partner, we invite you to explore the toolkit and share it so that we can build momentum for human rights and democratic progress in the Pacific region.

Promoting Inclusion for People of Diverse Sexual Orientations, Gender Identities and Expressions, and Sex Characteristics

Promoting Inclusion for People of Diverse Sexual Orientations, Gender Identities and Expressions, and Sex Characteristics

This toolkit for parliamentarians is designed to support legislators in promoting inclusion, equality, and dignity for PIDSOGIESC+ individuals.
Constitutional Reform in the Caribbean: An opportunity for greater inclusion

Constitutional Reform in the Caribbean: An opportunity for greater inclusion

The goal of the event was to connect parliamentarians with peers from other countries and civil society organizations in their region to generate and strengthen political will to advance equality, share best practices and lessons-learned on reforms.

On 5 February, Parliamentarians for Global Action organized a Regional Parliamentary Workshop on constitutional protections for LGBTQI+ persons in partnership with the House of Assembly of Barbados. The goal of the event was to connect parliamentarians with peers from other countries and civil society organizations in their region to generate and strengthen political will to advance equality, share best practices and lessons learned on reforms. In the Caribbean, restrictions on consensual same-sex intimacy constitute infringements to the right to privacy, to personal integrity, to equal protection of the law and guarantees of non-discrimination for LGBTQI+ persons. The community is subject to physical, sexual and verbal assaults, family violence, homelessness, workplace discrimination and harassment, with limited access to justice. Courts in only six countries in CARICOM – Belize, Trinidad and Tobago, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados and Dominica – have recognized that criminalization of same-sex intimacy violates the human rights of LGBTQI+ persons. Legislators play an important role in the implementation of a comprehensive framework against discrimination in access to healthcare, to housing and education and other public services. In Barbados and St. Lucia, employment anti-discrimination law is inclusive of sexual orientation and offer examples of good practices. States should adopt concrete measures to prevent violence based on sexual orientation and gender inclusivity, aimed at improving the quality of life and ensuring the full participation of LGBTQI+ persons in all realms of public life. At the February workshop, Hon. Arthur Holder, Speaker of the House of Assembly of Barbados, gave an overview of the decriminalization process in Barbados and reiterated his full support for the LGBTQI+ community. Hon. Valerie Woods, Speaker of the House of Representatives of Belize emphasized the importance of protecting vulnerable communities in delicate geopolitical contexts where anti-rights policies and legislation are affecting the lives and livelihoods of individuals. Commissioner Roberta Clarke, President of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and Rapporteur for the rights of LGBTI persons, who provided much of the context-setting for the importance of the workshop, explained that criminalization of sexual orientation and gender inclusivity is just one expression of prejudice that LGBTQI+ persons deal with in their daily lives. She highlighted the need to mobilize parliamentarians to support legislation that strengthens inclusion for members of the LGBTQI+ community. Veronica Cenac, Regional Adviser Human Rights and Law, Latin America and the Caribbean, UNAIDS shared concrete recommendations to support greater constitutional protections for LGBTQI+ persons: ​ Expanding grounds of non-discrimination to include sexual orientation, disability etc. Including economic, social and cultural rightsto implement the right to access education, healthcare, adequate housing, adequate food and clean water. Expanding access to constitutional justice, i.e. expanding standing requirements in public interest litigation.  ​ Establishing a National Human Rights Institution to enforce protections of the independence and effectiveness of regulatory and oversight institutions. ​ Participants from Barbados, Belize, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Suriname shared challenges LGBTQI+ communities are facing in their countries and what actions legislators can take to address systemic barriers in the region. The exclusion, stigma and violence that vulnerable communities face daily prevent the full realization of Sustainable Development Goal 16 calling for the promotion of peaceful and inclusive societies, with full access to justice and accountable institutions. In the closing session, Hon. Cynthia Forde, Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly of Barbados, committed to working with local and regional civil society on equality and inclusion of LGBTQI+ persons, especially when it comes to addressing other topics such as disability. Legislators can and must: Raise awareness with their colleagues about equality and non-discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and sex characteristics (SOGIESC) in accordance with regional and international human rights instruments; Establish and implement inclusive public policies ensuring equal access to healthcare, education, employment; Encourage partnerships between public and private sectors; Empower political leadership to tackle conversations on LGBTQI+ inclusion; Strengthen communication and cooperation with LGBTQI+ civil society in their country; Introduce anti-discrimination legislation on the basis of SOGIESC; and Decriminalize consensual same-sex intimacy through legislation. Combatting stigma and discrimination is not only a matter of legislation and public policies. It is also about changing the hearts of people and such change takes place gradually, through meaningful engagement and dialogue. PGA will continue providing a safe space for parliamentarians and civil society stakeholders to discuss how to take action for the equality and inclusion of all.

Latest News for the SOGI Campaign:

Darwinek, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

PGA National Group in The Gambia leads the way on Gender Equality and Inclusive Leadership

The virtual briefing brought together members of parliament, civil society leaders, and international partners to reflect on both the progress made and the structural challenges that persist in ensuring that every girl in The Gambia can live free from violence, discrimination, and exclusion.

Image credit: "Manase Beach Rainbow" by Jorge P. Price is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

New Resource for Parliamentarians Aims to Build More Inclusive Communities in the Pacific

It addresses the specific challenges parliamentarians face when navigating complex social, religious, and political landscapes while working toward inclusive governance.

Photo by James A. Molnar on Unsplash

Constitutional Reform in the Caribbean: An opportunity for greater inclusion

The goal of the event was to connect parliamentarians with peers from other countries and civil society organizations in their region to generate and strengthen political will to advance equality, share best practices and lessons-learned on reforms.

Campaign Donors

 

Arcus Foundation
Sigrid Rausing Trust
Oak Foundation

How We Work

Supported by an expert Secretariat, PGA members work together to educate, sensitize, build technical capacity, and strengthen the political will of parliamentarians to achieve campaign objectives through concrete legislative and policy initiatives. PGA works with individual parliamentarians in their national contexts through country-specific strategies, leveraging that capacity with international networking to facilitate connections among parliamentarians and build bridges with civil society, domestic and international policy-makers, and other stakeholders.

Read more on our Theory of Change