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NGNGO ATTENDED THE PRE-SESSIONS FOR THE 49TH UPR WORKING GROUP

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From February 18 to 21, 2025, in Geneva, the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Pre-sessions took place in person, drawing global attention to the state of human rights in various countries, including Armenia. Sergey Gabrielyan, Human Rights Defender, President of New Generation Humanitarian NGO (NGNGO), played a pivotal role in these sessions as he presented key issues affecting marginalized communities in Armenia, particularly the LGBTQI+ population.  

During the pre-session meetings, Gabrielyan called attention to several specific legal and societal barriers that hinder the full inclusion and protection of LGBTQI+ individuals in Armenia. A central concern was the absence of meaningful reforms to combat discrimination, hate speech, and hate crimes, despite Armenia’s earlier commitment to address these issues. The Criminal Code, while updated in 2021 to address discrimination and hate crimes, still fails to include sexual orientation and gender identity/expression, sex characteristics (SOGIESC) as a protected ground, allowing discrimination against LGBTQI+ individuals to persist unchecked.

Another significant issue raised by NGNGO president was the classification of homosexuality as a mental disorder in Armenia’s domestic legislation. This classification not only contributes to societal stigma but also endangers the health and well-being of LGBTQI+ individuals by violating their right to privacy and perpetuating harmful discrimination.

Additionally, Gabrielyan discussed the pressing issue of legal gender recognition, or rather, the lack of it. He pointed out that trans individuals in Armenia face systemic obstacles in accessing gender-affirming healthcare and legal recognition of their gender identity.

In line with the findings in the 2024 report on “Human Rights Violations Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in Armenia”, Gabrielyan reiterated key recommendations. These included:

  1. Adopt comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation with SOGIESC as protected grounds in all sectors, including employment, education, healthcare, and public services.
  2. Abolish labeling gay, bisexual men and trans individuals as having a mental disorder. Ensure alternative protection mechanisms from discrimination and violence for gay, bisexual men and trans individuals in the military. And do not include SOGIESC information (including discharge from military service based on SOGIESC) in personal health records, including electronic healthcare systems.
  3. Adopt anti – bullying policies in the system of secondary and higher education, which will include SOGIESC as protected characteristics.
  4. Provide sufficient resources for the education and training of teachers in the field of human rights and provide them with training on topics such as sexual diversity and gender equality, on how to deal with discrimination based on SOGIESC and other grounds.
  5. Adapt the domestic classification of diseases to ICD-11 (the International Classification of Diseases) and implement its standards while ensuring accessible, non-pathologizing gender recognition processes; provide quality hormone therapy and include gender-affirming surgeries in healthcare services; remove mandatory surgical requirements for legal gender recognition; and establish a fair, transparent, and constitutionally compliant legal gender recognition framework in line with Council of Europe recommendations.

 

During the UPR pre-sessions week, Sergey Gabrielyan had a significant opportunity to meet ILGA World and COC Netherlands representatives, as well as human rights defenders from Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lesotho, and Türkiye.

This collaborative environment allowed Gabrielyan to share Armenia’s challenges in terms of LGBTQI+ rights, specifically highlighting the country’s persistent issues with discrimination, violence, and the lack of legal protections for sexual orientation and gender identity/expression, sex characteristics (SOGIESC).

 

NGNGO president’s participation in the UPR pre-sessions week was a crucial step in raising global awareness about the challenges faced by marginalized communities in Armenia, and it reinforced the NGNGO commitment to advocating for human rights, equality, and justice.