Global Equality Caucus launches Latin America chapter in Mexico City

On 1-2 April, the Global Equality Caucus launched in Latin America at an event in Mexico City, which brought together legislators, LGBT+ officials, activists and human rights champions from across Central America and the Caribbean.

The event focused on promoting dialogue on LGBT+ issues in the region, with delegates formulating a joint work agenda to combat violence & discrimination targeted at the LGBT+ community.

Temístocles Villanueva, a deputy in the Mexico City Congress and member of the Global Equality Caucus Steering Committee, was the main organiser of the event, which was held in partnership with the Senate of the Mexican Republic, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, and the civil society organisations Yaaj Mexico, All Out, the IRCT, and the Victory Institute.

Guests included Senator Partricia Mercado; Senator Martha Lucía Mícher; Labor Secretary José Luis Rodríguez Díaz de León; Caucus Chair Nick Herbert; Guatemalan congressman Aldo Dávila; Costa Rican congressman Enrique Sánchez; Mexican federal deputy Salma Luevano; Victor Madrigal-Borloz, UN Independent Expert on SOGI; plus multiple state legislators from across Mexico.

Dialogues across the two days concentrated on sharing experiences and strengthening the links between government institutions, parliamentarians and civil society organisations. Legislators also signed a pledge vowing to tackle 'conversion therapy'.

Topics discussed at the forum included banning 'conversion therapy', combating hate crimes, legal recognition for trans people, familial rights, the political participation of women of diversity, and LGBT+ representation & inclusion in political parties.

In the closing plenary, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Mexico will seek the co-chairmanship of the Equal Rights Coalition, succeeding the UK and Argentina when their term ends later this year.

With the Global Equality Caucus now established in Latin America, we will focus on promoting LGBT-inclusive legislative action in the region including efforts to ban conversion practices, fostering trans inclusion, encouraging LGBT+ people to run for political office, and supporting elected officials in their work by giving visibility to campaigns and connecting like-minded colleagues across borders.

This work will continue at an event in Buenos Aires next month, where we will convene representatives from across South America to maintain momentum and catalyse change.