Amnesty International: Today 62 countries across the world have laws that criminalize same–sex conduct, many of which trace their origins back to colonialism. Many of these laws are part of the legacy of the system of racial domination that colonial powers imposed on their colonies. While these laws discriminate against all LGBTI people, their negative impact intersects with other systems of oppression, thus resulting in a disproportionate impact on racialized LGBTI people, including LGBTI migrants and refugees. It is of the utmost importance to analyse the discriminatory impact of these laws through the historical context that led to their adoption, as well as by accounting for the linkages between past and present human rights violations.

Download Resource: Colonialism and sexual orientation and gender identity: Submission to the Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity