How to Protect LGBTI Persons around the World from Violence
Globally, the U.S. government has long prioritized the fight against violence and discrimination against religious, ethnic, and other minorities and has sought more recently to use the same human rights framework to address violence and discrimination against LGBTI people. On December 6, 2011, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke in Geneva of the need to “reach a global consensus that recognizes the human rights of LGBT citizens everywhere.”
Implicit in this message is the imperative to combat violence against LGBTI individuals around the world, among other serious rights abuses. Therefore, it is important that global hate crime prevention efforts include strategies to protect all targeted groups, and in some countries, namely LGBTI people. Particular concern for LGBTI refugees is warranted because they may face additional hurdles in accessing protection from authorities.