On April 28, 2021, Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) hosted a virtual panel titled “Legislative Reform and Protective Measures: A Conversation with Parliamentarians” during UNDP’s ‘Being LGBTI in the Caribbean’ Regional Dialogue. Hon. Valerie Woods, Speaker of the House of Representatives of Belize and a PGA Board member, guided a conversation with fellow PGA members Hon. Dr. Angela Brown-Burke, Member of Parliament from Jamaica, and Hon. Andy Daniel, Speaker of the House of Assembly of St. Lucia.
The ‘Being LGBTI in the Caribbean’ Regional Dialogue aimed to review the situation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex (LGBTI) persons in the Caribbean, while encouraging constructive discussions among the region’s governments, institutions, civil society, the judiciary and the private sector to promote inclusion, equality and respect for human rights. The Dialogue also facilitated the exchange of good practices to inform future decision-making processes and public policies.
PGA’s panel sought to provide a platform for parliamentarians to:- Share national best practices and lessons learned that could be leveraged in other countries within the region;
- Foster engagement and collaboration between parliamentarians and LGBTI civil society that can lead to LGBTI-affirming reforms; and
- Identify opportunities for legislative reform and other protective measures and explore strategies to encourage parliamentarians to take action.
Key points of the discussion:
- MPs should reach out to the LGBTI community and maintain ongoing conversations. The exchange of evidence-based data may help make the case with more conservative MPs on why inclusion of LGBTI people is vital
- Regional jurisprudence and rulings could force governments to face the need to discuss and debate laws criminalizing same-sex conduct, among others.
- Perspectives on the rights of LGBTI people are changing in the region as a result of the younger generation.
- Being mindful that governments tend to go with the majority. The opposition has an easier role in addressing controversial issues. It will take the courage of MPs to assume responsibility and not shrink away from this.
- Parliamentarians may be reluctant to speak about LGBTI human rights and thus, it may be more effective to use a more general human rights approach rather than a specific one.
- Importance of understanding political action and parliamentary procedure. Potential tools include submitting a written petition to Parliament so it must be addressed in the Chamber or advocating with MPs for private member bills.
