LGBT Centre Annual Report
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LGBT Centre Annual Report
Contents Overview ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 3
Mongolia’s first LGBT human rights organisation
Programmatic areas and activities .............................................................................................................................. 4 1. Non-discrimination campaign ....................................................................................................................................... 4
Progress ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 5 2. Workplace discrimination ................................................................................................................................................ 5
Outcomes ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 5 3. Education ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 6 4. United Nations Advocacy ................................................................................................................................................... 6
Universal Periodic Review ...................................................................................................................................................... 6 Convention Against Torture ................................................................................................................................................... 7 Outcomes ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 7 5. Trainings/workshops ............................................................................................................................................................... 8 6. Non-discrimination legislation .............................................................................................................................. 8 7. LGBT community outreach/services ........................................................................................................................ 9 8. Documentary ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 9 9. Trans activism ........................................................................................................................................................................... 10 10. Partnerships .............................................................................................................................................................................. 10 11. Research and documentation .................................................................................................................................... 11 12. Media ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 12
Outcomes ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 14 13. Other 2010 milestones ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 14 16. Awards ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 14
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LGBT Centre Annual Report
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Mongolia’s first LGBT human rights organisation
lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender centre
OVERVIEW The LGBT Centre NGO is Mongolia's first and only LGBT human rights organisation, registered in 2009 after a three-year battle with state authorities. In a country fraught with hatred towards, and violence against, sexuality minorities, the LGBT Centre is working to build a better and safer society for Mongolia’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.
The LGBT Centre is staffed by three dedicated LGBT human rights activists - Executive Director Robyn Garner, Advocacy Programme Manager Otgonbaatar Tsedendemberel and Youth Programme Manager/Finance Officer Munkhzaya Nergui - who have been working tirelessly, and often at significant personal risk, to ensure a better future for LGBT people in Mongolia.
The mission of the LGBT Centre is to instill the democratic and civic value of the non-discriminatory upholding, protection and promotion of those human rights guaranteed by the Constitution of Mongolia, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international conventions; to uphold, protect and promote the human rights of sexuality minorities; and to promote the correct understanding of sexual orientation and gender identity within Mongolian society.
The LGBT Centre has a five-member Executive Board comprised of Otgonbaatar Tsedendemberel (chair), Robyn Garner, Anaraa Nyamdorj (advisory member), Solongo Sharkhuu and Gan-Erdene Gantumur.
There is widespread societal and institutional discrimination against, and intolerance of, sexuality minorities in Mongolia, and a lack of institutional, legislative and constitutional frameworks for protection against, and the redress of, violations against them. Discrimination against LGBT persons is endemic in the public, private and non-governmental sectors and encompasses the police and the judiciary, health-care services, education, the housing sector and the media. Despite Mongolia’s stated commitment to the upholding of human rights, it is a country where intolerance of LGBT persons is manifested in varying forms, including ostracism and harassment, discrimination in employment, and physical and sexual violence. So prolific is the level of prejudice and hatred that few LGBT people have escaped some degree of harassment and/or violence when their sexual orientation and/or gender identity has become known.
The LGBT Centre is working on a number of different levels both nationally and internationally with the aim of facilitating changes to the inherently biased societal structures, institutions and mindsets that preclude LGBT people from enjoying their basic and fundamental human rights. It is also working to mainstream LGBT human rights into the broader human rights agenda within Mongolia, to form strong working relationships with civil society and governmental agencies, to ensure legislative and constitutional protections and redress for sexuality minorities, and to provide essential support services for the much marginalised, stigmatised and persecuted LGBT community. Since its registration in 2009, the LGBT Centre has taken a lead role among civil society organisations in terms of human rights activism, and has made LGBT history in Mongolia through its many advocacy initiatives, and has won both national and international recognition for its work.
“Here I am, a law-abiding, tax-paying citizen, and I am not free, I am full of fear every day. I want to live without fear.” – Mongolian lesbian, Ulaanbaatar
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LGBT Centre Annual Report
Mongolia’s first LGBT human rights organisation
Programmatic areas and activities 1. Non-discrimination campaign In October 2010, the Mongolian LGBT Centre NGO received USD $18,000 in funding under the US Democracy Small Grants Program to undertake the first LGBT human rights campaign ever to be launched in Mongolia. The LGBT Centre’s four-month “End Discrimination Campaign” is a multimedia project involving highprofile Mongolians from a range of fields who speak about the types of human rights issues that are taking place against the LGBT community within Mongolia, the need for the building of a society free from discrimination, and the need for the enactment a nondiscrimination law. A number of progressive people agreed to take part in this campaign: Kh. Naranjargal, President of Globe International; D. Enkhjargal, Executive Director of the National Center Against Violence; L. Oyun, Head of the Health Promotion Unit of the Department of Health; B. Zolzaya and D. Amartuvshin, television celebrities and human rights activists; Ts. Khulan, jazz singer; Ts. Odbayar, lead singer of the band “The Lemons”; and M. Badrakh, manager of the band “L-Guards”. The LGBT Centre’s “End Discrimination” campaign involves the following components: 1. The production of six television advertisements focusing on discrimination in the following areas: Hate crimes, family/domestic violence, discrimination in education, discrimination in health-care, workplace discrimination, and discrimination against LGBT relationships. The LGBT Centre has produced both short and long versions of the campaign advertisements (below).
2. The production of three campaign posters (3x300) focusing on three key areas of LGBT discrimination: Family/domestic violence, hate crimes, and discrimination in education.
3. The printing of 2500 copies of an LGBT media style guide to help ensure more accurate and positive representations of LGBT people and LGBT issues in the media.
4. The printing of 2500 copies of an official Mongolian translation of the Yogyakarta Principles - a universal guide to human rights which affirms binding international legal standards with which all States must comply.
The target audience of this campaign is broad, with the intended messages designed to reach as wide a cross-section of society as possible.
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Mongolia’s first LGBT human rights organisation
Progress: The campaign is now at the halfway mark, and is due to end on March 18. Thus far, it has elicited a significant amount of media attention, and for the first time LGBT people and issues are being positively represented in the media (sees Media). The LGBT Centre
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has also received emails and phone calls from members of the public supporting the messages being promoted through the campaign, as well as from LGBT people seeking support and assistance. The LGBT Centre has also received requests to speak at schools, universities and health centres on LGBT human rights.
2. Workplace discrimination “When I am at work, sometimes, in front of me, they say that homosexuals are sick ... They say such things even when they know my life.” - Lesbian, Ulaanbaatar
that does not tolerate discrimination of any kind. It asks employers to become the leaders of this new generation - a generation who truly value human rights, diversity, and freedom for all; a generation that will not tolerate intolerance. The Safe Workplace Initiative requires employers to guarantee that they will: 1. Practice non-discrimination in their hiring practices. 2. Promote the concept of non-discrimination among their workers.
Most LGBT people in Mongolia have faced human rights violations and discrimination in the workplace when their sexuality and/or gender identity has become known to colleagues. Many have either been dismissed from their jobs or have been forced to quit because they were no longer able to tolerate the abuse. The LGBT Centre has documented numerous instances of workplace discrimination, including bullying, harassment and physical violence. This discrimination is widespread and is not confined to any particular types of workplaces or work sectors. It is endemic everywhere. This makes it extremely difficult for LGBT people to enjoy their fundamental right to work. In April 2010, the LGBT Centre launched the first LGBT workplace non-discrimination campaign – the Safe Workplace Initiative promoting non-discrimination in the workplace through the development of a network of LGBT-friendly workplaces, and recognising those organisations that foster such safe working environments. The LGBT Centre believes that employers can take a leading role in helping to end this discrimination by promoting safe work environments in which intolerance, mistreatment and harassment of LGBT employees is not permitted. The LGBT Centre is aiming to foster the development of an organisational culture
3. Ensure discrimination against or abuse of LGBT people of any kind (both verbal and physical) is not tolerated in the workplace. 4. Ensure LGBT people are given equal opportunities for job advancement. 5. Take immediate action against any staff who engage in discriminatory behaviour.
Outcomes: Since the launch of the LGBT Centre’s Safe Workplace Initiative, 12 progressive organisations have signed on: The Center for Human Rights and Development, the National Network of Mongolian Women's NGOs and its youth programme “Hands Up 4 Your Rights”, the National Center Against Violence, the National AIDS Foundation, the Human Rights Center for Citizens, the Mongolian Red Cross Society, the Education Advice and Resource Center, the Association for Protection of the Population from Drugs and Opium, Oyu Tolgoi Watch, the Osho Meditation Center, and the Mongolian Federation of Meditation and Vegetarianism. This is an ongoing initiative.
“[My colleagues] were jeering at me, smirking at me, and the men just shunned me when I went to the toilet.” - Transgender female, Ulaanbaatar
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LGBT Centre Annual Report
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Mongolia’s first LGBT human rights organisation
3. Education The LGBT Centre is a member of a core group of the Mongolian National Education Coalition established in the middle of 2010 to promote quality education for all, an initiative that supports the Education for All agenda.
The LGBT Centre’s key focus areas are in awareness-raising on the importance of gender-equality, democracy and human rights education for all, and the promotion of a safe school environment for LGBT youth.
The core group involves representation from more than 15 human rights, children’s rights and education-sector organisations. The coalition is working together to build a strong, inclusive, transparent and democratic coalition with membership throughout the country which is capable of playing an important advocacy role and engaging government, donors and other civil society actors.
In December 2010, LGBT Advocacy Programme Manager Otgonbaatar Tsedendemberel was appointed to the Executive Board of the National Education Coalition.
4. United Nations Advocacy Universal Periodic Review
In 2010, the LGBT Centre took the lead in the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process as part of Mongolia’s first UPR review and was the national coordinator of a Minorities’ Working Group of NGOs. The LGBT Centre submitted two UPR reports - a thematic minorities’ reporti (which covered ethnic minorities - Kazakhs and Dukha - sexuality minorities, people living with HIV/AIDS, and sex workers) and a separate report focusing solely on LGBT human rights issues in conjunction with the Sexual Rights Initiative.ii The LGBT Centre regarded the UPR process as a particularly important mechanism through which the myriad human rights violations taking place against the Mongolia’s LGBT community could be addressed at the international level, and through which LGBT human rights issues could be mainstreamed into the Mongolian human rights agenda at the national level. Until this point in time, successive Mongolian governments had systematically failed to recognise either the LGBT community or the problems they faced. Indeed, in the 2010 national UPR report no mention was made of LGBT human rights violations despite those
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“You can say that we’re living in a dark and ignorant society.” – Gay male, Ulaanbaatar
issues being raised in government consultative meetings throughout 2010. The UPR was particularly important for LGBT Centre rights activists given the failure of the CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women) Committee to include any reference to issues of LBT human rights violations at the 42nd session of CEDAW in 2008, during which Mongolia was reviewed, despite the submission of a lengthy shadow report documenting extensive human rights violations. According to the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission: “The most glaring omission by the Committee was in the case of Mongolia, where they made no mention whatsoever of the instances of violence and discrimination presented in the shadow report.”iii Throughout 2010, the LGBT Centre was actively engaged in advocacy at the national and international levels, raising awareness of LGBT human rights issues through the media and at national human rights forums, and had engaged and enlisted support from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and such international organisations as the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. With funding from COC Netherlands and the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission and contributions by LGBT Centre staff, Advocacy Programme Manager Otgonbaatar Tsedendemberel undertook a mission to Geneva, Switzerland, from October 25 to November 5, 2010, to attend the Ninth Session of the UPR Review Working Group, during which Mongolia was being reviewed. The aim of the mission was to engage in advocacy with,
LGBT Centre Annual Report
Mongolia’s first LGBT human rights organisation
and conduct information sessions for, representatives from permanent missions, and to lobby with international human rights organisations to ensure that the human rights issues facing Mongolia’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community were addressed.
Convention Against Torture The LGBT Centre also submitted a report on the hate crimes and human rights violations taking place against the LGBT communityiv for Mongolia’s review under the Convention Against Torture, which coincided with Mr Tsedendemerel’s UPR Geneva mission.
Of the 43 UN member states that spoke at the UPR session, seven made strong statements in support of LGBT human rights: Canada, Sweden, Norway, UK, Spain, Switzerland and the Netherlands. Their recommendations included the enactment of broad-based nondiscrimination legislation, which the LGBT Centre is currently spearheading the push for, and calls for the Government of Mongolia to publicly condemn all forms of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
- A 90-minute information session with representatives from the permanent missions of Germany, Sweden and Norway.
This prompted Mongolian Government representatives to make an unprecedented statement addressing the issues raised, in which they pledged to make legal “modifications” to end ill-treatment against LGBT people, and to raise public awareness of the discrimination taking place against the LGBT community. A followup meeting with Mongolian Government representatives ended with a pledge to work in conjunction with the LGBT Centre on ending LGBT human rights violations.
- Information sessions for representatives from the permanent missions of Canada, Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan, Sweden, the UK, the US and Mexico.
In terms of the CAT review, intensive advocacy also saw Mongolian LGBT human rights addressed. This has been reflected in the CAT Committee’s Concluding Observations, in which it states:
- Met with Momoko Nomura from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), who works on issues related to Freedom of Expression.
“The Committee is concerned: a) About reports that there is no comprehensive domestic law against discrimination and that hate crimes and speech is not an offence under the law.
- Met with Mongolian Government delegates to reach agreement on the recommendations made during the UPR session.
“The Committee is also concerned at reports that vulnerable groups such as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) persons are subjected to violence and sexual abuse, both in public and domestic settings, owing to widespread negative social attitudes.
During the combined UPR/CAT Geneva mission, Mr Tsedendemberel organised and undertook a range of meetings with permanent missions, NGOs and Mongolian government representatives, including:
- Met with OHCHR Human Rights Officer Laurent Meillan and OHCHR Officer on the Right to Development Ayush Bat-Erdene. - CAT information session for CAT Committee members from Morocco, Italy, the US, Ecuador, Senegal, Chile, Cyprus, Spain, Norway and China. Throughout the duration of Mr Tsedendemberel’s Geneva mission, he posted blogs for the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission.v
Outcomes: The UPR proved an historic landmark for LGBT human rights in Mongolia: For the first time in Mongolian history, LGBT human right issues were addressed at the UN level. And for the first time in Mongolian history, the government publicly expressed its
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commitment to ending the discrimination and human rights violations taking place against LGBT people.
“The Committee welcomes the official registration of the LGBT Centre and notes with appreciation the indication by the State party of the need for a public awareness-raising campaign regarding LGBT persons …” “The State party should establish a comprehensive legal framework to combat discrimination, including hate crimes and speech. The State party should take measures to bring perpetrators of such crimes to justice. The State party should ensure the protection of vulnerable groups such as sexual minorities … The State party should establish effective policing, enforcement and complaints mechanisms with a view to ensuring prompt, thorough and impartial investigations into allegations of attacks against persons on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity in line with the Yogyakarta Principles on the Application of International
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Mongolia’s first LGBT human rights organisation
Human Rights Law in Relation to Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity. The State party should adopt legislation to combat violence caused by organizations which promote and incite racial, ethnic and other forms of discrimination.”
5. Trainings/workshops The LGBT Centre has conducted two human rights trainings for Mongolian police. The first, in conjunction with the National Human Rights Commission, was held in November 2010 for 18 police officers; the second, conducted in January 2011 on request from Captain Baasankhorol of the Railways Police Division, involved more than 50 participants. These trainings were landmark moments for the Mongolian LGBT community, who are routinely victims of police harassment.
and have asked that follow-up trainings be conducted for police stations throughout the country, and have pledged to provide greater protection for LGBT people. One of the main outcomes was an assurance by the Deputy Head of the Railways Police Division that the station would provide first-instance reporting (FIR) mechanisms to LGBT victims of hate crimes as FIRs can be filed anywhere regardless of jurisdiction. Once a report is filed, the case will then be transferred to the relevant police district.
Copies of the Yogyakarta Principles and the media style guide were given to police during the training. The police were very receptive
The LGBT Centre is currently working on expanding the police training curriculum for implementation throughout Mongolia.
6. Non-discrimination legislation
At present, LGBT people in Mongolia are invisible legally and enjoy no legal protections or means of redress when their rights have been violated and when they have been victims of hate crimes.
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Lastly, OHCHR Human Rights Officer Laurent Meillan has informed the LGBT Centre that LGBT issues are now on the agenda for State review under International Convention on Civil and Political Rights.
Indeed, the words “lesbian”, “gay”, “bisexual” and “transgender” do not appear in any legislation or in the 1992 Mongolian Constitution. The LGBT Centre is spearheading the push for the
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LGBT Centre Annual Report
Mongolia’s first LGBT human rights organisation
drafting and passing of a law on non-discrimination that includes non-discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. At present there is no non-discrimination legislation in Mongolia. The proposed legislation will uphold the principle of equal treatment for all people and will prohibit discrimination in the fields of employment, social protection and social security, social benefits, education, health, housing and access to goods and services. The legislation will be in line with Mongolia’s obligations under the international human rights conventions to which it is a party, and will expand upon the principle of non-discrimination enshrined in Article 14. 2 of the Mongolian Constitution, which states that: No person shall be discriminated against on the basis of
ethnic origin, language, race, age, sex, social origin and status, property, occupation and post, religion, opinion or education. Everyone shall have the right to act as a legal person. In September 2010, the LGBT Centre convened the first meeting of civil society organisations to discuss the need for such legislation, possible areas of inclusion, the setting up of thematic working groups, and legislative outreach. The push for the enactment of non-discrimination legislation was given particular impetus during the 2010 UPR review, when the Government of Mongolia expressed its willingness to develop such a law. This will be an ongoing initiative involving representation from civil society, the government, the judiciary and the legal sector, and academia.
“When I am with my friends and when they call us LGBT people ‘deviants’, ‘crazies’, ‘perverts’, I just have to shut my mouth.” – Gay male, Ulaanbaatar
7. LGBT community outreach/services The LGBT Centre has been actively engaged in the provision of support and services to the Mongolian LGBT community. These include the regular broadcasting of LGBT Centre podcasts – LGBT Community Radio – on the LGBT Centre’s website (http://www.lgbtcentre.mn/en/lgbt-radio.html). The podcasts (below) feature interviews with members of the Mongolian LGBT community on issues relevant to the community. This is the first time the Mongolian LGBT community has had an outlet for its many voices. They podcasts have developed a strong following of listeners and are now the most visited section on the LGBT Centre’s website.
In November 2010, the LGBT Centre facilitated the first LGBT selfdefence course for 17 participants. The aim of the course was to promote community self-empowerment and self-protection. This will be an ongoing initiative, with more courses to be held in 2011. The LGBT Centre has been developing a library of LGBT-related books, movies and other publications for use by the LGBT community. At present, there are more than 50 books and publications and more than 200 films and documentaries available for reading/viewing. In the first half of 2010, the LGBT Centre organised three weekend movie afternoons, with the choice of movies to be screened open to an online community vote.
LGBT Radio - Dreams and Aspirations.mp3
8. Documentary In February 2010, the LGBT Centre produced a 19-minute documentary on the human rights situation facing Mongolia’s LGBT community entitled “The Lies of Liberty” for screening at the "Through Women's Eyes" forum organised by the National Network
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of Mongolian Women's NGOs (MONFEMNET) on March 8, International Women's Day. The documentary (below) was made with technical assistance from Australian volunteer Amelia Wong, and was the first such film to be made in Mongolia. The
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documentary was well received by forum participants, and throughout 2010 was broadcast by a number of national television stations. The broadcasting of the documentary did, however, have negative and life-threatening repercussions for the transgender female who appeared in the film. Members of the ultra-nationalist group named in the video subsequently issued death threats
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against her. As a result, the LGBT Centre placed both her and another transgender youth mentioned in the documentary in relation to an alleged attack by ultra-nationalists in 2009 and who also had been subject to extreme violence into a National Center Against Violence shelter and later arranged for them to seek asylum outside Mongolia.
“I know how difficult it is to bear the brunt of all the hate, atacks and discrimination and how painful it is.” – Transgender female, Ulaanbaatar
9. Trans activism The LGBT Centre is currently the only organisation championing the rights of transgender people in Mongolia. In October 2010, the LGBT Centre took part in the global campaign to Stop Trans Pathologisation, and as part of that campaign conducted a one-day workshop with transgender people and other members of the Mongolian LGBT community. The workshop's objective was to assess the needs of the transgender community in Ulaanbaatar to inform the design and future activities of the LGBT Centre’s Transgender Programme, as well as to develop the capacity of those NGOs that are currently working with some transgender
people (in particular male-to-female transgender people who receive sexual and reproductive health information from NGOs working for MSM community). This workshop was the first attempt in Mongolian history to bring together the transgender community, who as yet are not organised in any form that would enable them to campaign for their rights. Twenty people took part in the workshop, which was followed up with a multimedia initiative “My Gender is My Business” that involved participants using cameras to express and affirm their gender identity.
10. Partnerships The LGBT Centre sees the development of partnerships/collaborations with other organisations as a vital component of its work, and one that will help legitimise and mainstream LGBT human rights within Mongolia. To this end, the LGBT Centre has become a member organisation of the National Network of Mongolian Women's NGOs (MONFEMNET), which works to promote gender justice, human rights and freedoms, and
democracy. The LGBT Centre is also now partnering with the National Human Rights Commission of Mongolia (NHRC) on the promotion of LGBT human rights. This is a significant breakthrough for the LGBT Centre as in the past the NHRC has been non-receptive to dealing with LGBT human rights issues. In conjunction with the NHRC, the LGBT Centre conducted the first human rights training with Mongolian police in November 2010 (see Trainings and
LGBT Centre Annual Report
Workshops), which will be further expanded upon into a formal
Mongolia’s first LGBT human rights organisation
training curriculum to be adopted throughout Mongolia in 2011. The NHRC has also asked the LGBT Centre to collaborate on the development of training for civil society organisations in relation to the use of UN mechanisms.
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The LGBT Centre is a partner organisation of the Transrespect versus Transphobia Worldwide project, and is the only organisation working to promote transgender human rights issues within Mongolia. As stated previously, the LGBT Centre is also a member of a core group of the Mongolian National Education Coalition established in
the middle of 2010 to promote quality education for all, an initiative that supports the Education for All agenda. The coalition is working together to build a strong, inclusive, transparent and democratic coalition with membership throughout the country which is capable of playing an important advocacy role and engaging government, donors and other civil society actors. The LGBT Centre’s key focus areas are in awareness-raising on the importance of genderequality, democracy and human rights education for all, and the promotion of a safe school environment for LGBT youth. The LGBT Centre is also partnering with Peace Corps to provide LGBT informational material and support information for LGBT youth in rural areas of Mongolia.
Above: LGBT Centre at the Peace Corps Partnership Fair in December 2010 at Nukht
11. Research and documentation “ … if a person was found out to be LGBT, they faced imprisonment and incarceration at reform institutions, as well as all the attributes of human rights violations, coupled with social ostracism.” – CEDAW shadow report, 2008
The LGBT Centre is continuing its work documenting the human rights violations taking place against the LGBT community. From August 2010, on request from transgender activists in Europe, the
LGBT Centre began utilising the European Union’s LGBT Toolkit to conduct comprehensive interviews with members of the LGBT community for compilation into an LGBT human rights report for submission to the EU. This is an ongoing initiative. In December 2010, the LGBT Centre launched a research project into the lives of LGBT people in Mongolia during the 70 years of socialist rule - a period of significant repression for LGBT people during which the highly ideologised socio-cultural system of the times fostered the notion of “un-socialist immorality”, which in turn gave rise to extreme fear and silence. This is an ongoing initiative, with the end goal being the publication of a book on the life and times of LGBT people under Soviet-style socialism.
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Mongolia’s first LGBT human rights organisation
12. Media In general there is much misunderstanding and ignorance about LGBT people and issues in the Mongolian media, and as a result there is much stigmatisation. The media has been largely responsible for fuelling society’s ongoing prejudices against the LGBT community, with a proliferation of sensational and highly prejudicial reporting laced with derogatory and inflammatory language and homophobic and transphobic rhetoric. The LGBT Centre is working to ensure that the Mongolian media has a better
understanding of LGBT people and the issues they face within a society that on the whole does not accept them, as well as promoting within the media the proper use of terminologies. To this end, LGBT Centre staff have conducted numerous interviews both nationally and internationally in the print, radio and television media, and have taken part in a number of televised talk shows, including:
AWID: “LGBT Rights Gain a Foothold in Mongolia” - http://awid.org/eng/Issues-and-Analysis/Library/LGBT-Rights-Gain-a-Foothold-in-Mongolia Fridae: “Mongolia's LGBTs face hate crimes and discrimination” - http://www.fridae.com/newsfeatures/2010/07/08/10121.mongolias-lgbtsface-hate-crimes-and-discrimination?n=sec Eurasia: “Mongolia: LGBT Activists Cheered by Potential Gay Rights Gain” - http://www.eurasianet.org/node/62573 BBC: “Discontent fuels Mongolia's far-right groups” - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11141472 Guardian: “Mongolian neo-Nazis: Anti-Chinese sentiment fuels rise of ultra-nationalism” http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/aug/02/mongolia-far-right Goodali magazine, August and September, 2010 - "Beyond the Blue Sky", pages 134-135 Today Newspaper, November 17, 2010, Wednesday, No. 267 (4130) - "Anti-Discrimination Campaign Has Started", page C1 November, 2010, http://shuud.mn/print.php?type=1&news_id=10848 - "Rights of Same Sex People with be Protected" November, 2010, http://shuud.mn/print.php?type=1&news_id=10855 - "Meeting of Representatives who attended the 9th UPR Session at the UN Human Rights Council will be held" November, 2010. http://news.guren.mn/content/11999.shtml - "End discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people!" November 14, 2010 - MNB (Mongolian National Broadcasting), about the UPR November 16, 2010, http://news.gogo.mn/news/print/79160 - "Ending discrimination against sexuality minority is being called for" November 18, 2010 - NTV, "Nandia's Talk Show" November, 2010, http://222.news.mn/print/content/39797.shtml - "Rights of gay people are being violated"; November 27, 2010: UBS, discussion on human rights and HIV/AIDS Daily Post Newspaper, December 6, 2010, Monday, No. 280 (358) - "Ts. Otgonbaatar: It is necessary to amend the Constitution in order to protect the rights of sexuality minority", page 11 December 7, 2010, http://shudarga.mn/?dazo=news&newsid=5557&catid=11 - "Ts. Otgonbaatar: It is necessary to amend the Constitution in order to protect the rights of sexuality minority"
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TV Zone Magazine, December 6-12, 2010, No. 134 /10/ - "If it is a democratic, humanitarian society, we should not be living without antidiscrimination legislation", page 23 National Brief Magazine, December 13-19. No. 46 - Best Quotes, page 11
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January 14, 2011 - TV9, Night Whisper Talk Show
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Outcomes: Since LGBT Centre staff began directly working with the media on the reporting of LGBT human rights issues, there has been a marked and demonstrable improvement in the quality of media coverage. With the exception of the yellow press, coverage has been sensitive and largely responsible.
The LGBT Centre believes this will go a long way towards helping change societal attitudes to LGBT people in Mongolia, and towards changing the negative social environment in which they live.
13. Other 2010 milestones In July 2010, the LGBT Centre was one of only five NGOs chosen to speak with US Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg about human rights issues in Mongolia. LGBT Centre Advocacy Programme Manager Otgonbaatar Tsedendemberel was the only person from the East Asia region to be selected as a panelist for 2010 Human Rights Day in Geneva, Switzerland, organised by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
In November 2010, LGBT Centre Advocacy Programme Manager Otgonbaatar Tsedendemberel was appointed to the National Human Rights Council under the President’s Office. In March 2010, LGBT Centre Advocacy Programme Manager Otgonbaatar Tsedendemberel attended the 4th ILGA-Asia Conference in Surabaya, Indonesia.
14. Awards In December 2010, the LGBT Centre won both national and international recognition for its work to improve LGBT human rights in Mongolia. Nationally, the LGBT Centre was named “Human Rights Defenders of the Year” by the Democratic Youth Union of the
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Democratic Party at the 2010 Mind Awards. Internationally, the LGBT Centre was named the recipient of the prestigious 2011 Felipa de Souza Award by the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission. This award is given annually to an individual or
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organisation that has exhibited courage in fighting discrimination against LGBT people.
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“I didn’t fall off from a flower. I wasn’t born off a dew drop. I was born, like you, from my mother’s womb. I didn’t come from an alien planet in any way. I am not a stranger. Like you, I inhabit this planet; like anyone. There is nothing that makes me different from you. I’m human like you.” – Gay male, Ulaanbaatar
i
See: ‘Mongolian Minorities’ Report – Ninth Round of the Universal Periodic Review (2010)’, <http://lib.ohchr.org/HRBodies/UPR/Documents/session9/MN/LGBTC_LGBTCenter_JS.pdf>. ii See: ‘Report on Mongolia - Ninth Session of the Universal Periodic Review - November 2010’, <http://lib.ohchr.org/HRBodies/UPR/Documents/session9/MN/SRI_SexualRightsInitiative_JS.pdf>. iii International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, ‘UN Update: LGBT Issues at the 42nd CEDAW Session’, <http://www.iglhrc.org/cgibin/low/article/takeaction/resourcecenter/918.html>. iv
See: LGBT Centre 2010, ‘The LGBT Centre Report on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment and Punishment of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender People in Mongolia - For the 45th session of the UN Committee Against Torture (CAT), 1-19 November 2010’, <http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cat/docs/ngos/LGBT_Mongolia45.pdf>. v
See: IGLHRC Blog, <http://iglhrc.wordpress.com/>.