Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are integral in promoting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights and ending violence against LGBT persons. NGOs not only provide support to LGBT people who have been victims of violence or discrimination, but also help bring issues of violence and impunity to the attention of international bodies through shadow reports. For example, in Kyrgyzstan, the NGO Labrys submitted a shadow report to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) addressing the situation of LGBT women in the country, in response to the failure of the official Kyrgyz government report to include the country’s LGBT conditions. The CEDAW Committee responded to these concerns and requested that Kyrgyzstan take measures to prevent violence against all women.[1] Similar reports have been produced and submitted by NGOs in several other nations.[2] NGOs also contribute to the creation of anti-discrimination and hate crime laws that include sexual orientation and gender identity, assist LGBT people with criminal and civil litigation against attackers, and help LGBT people secure many other rights they are often denied.[3]


[1] Danish Institute for Human Rights, The Copenhagen Catalogue of Good Practices at 33 (2009) (PDF, 52 pages).

[2] See, for example, ILGA-Europe, COC Netherlands, & Labris, The Status of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights in Serbia (2008); Olga Pechová and Martina Štěpánková, The Status of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex Rights in the Czech Republic (2007).

[3] See, for example, ISKORAK, Achievements (last visited Aug. 4, 2011); Háttér, Programs (last visited Aug. 4 2011);ILGA Europe 2009 Annual Report on the Status of Human Rights of Sexual and Gender Minorities in Croatia, (2009).