Urgent Action Alert:

Response to proposed Human Rights Council resolution on

Protection of the Family

Geneva, 19 June 2014

There is an initiative under foot at the UN Human Rights Council which represents the first step
towards cementing the patriarchal and heteronormative family as well as misusing international
standards to imply that it is a subject of human rights protection in and of itself. This is part of a
broader, long-term strategy of some States, also advanced within several UN fora (including the CPD,
CSW, UPR and Post-2015 development framework process), which has the potential to cause regress
in women, childrens, LGBTI rights, among others, for example with regards to early and forced
marriage, marital rape, sexual abuse of children, etc.

Background
A cross-regional group of thirteen States (Bangladesh, China, Cte dIvoire, Egypt, El Salvador,
Mauritania, Morocco, Namibia, Qatar, Russian Federation, Sierra Leone, Tunisia and Uganda) will
table a draft resolution entitled Protection of the Family at the Council in Geneva on Thursday, 19
June 2014 at 1pm. The draft resolution calls on the Council to convene a Panel discussion on the
issue of the protection of the family in September 2014, in celebration of the 20
th
anniversary of the
year of the family. The draft text virtually replicates an initiative introduced during the March 2013
session of the Council.

As in 2013, a number of States and civil society organizations are voicing concern that the resolution
does not have a human rights focus in that it attempts to establish the family as a subject of human
rights protection and does not:
- Situate individuals family members as the appropriate subjects of human rights protection
against violations and abuses;
- Recognize that human rights violations and abuses occur within families and are perpetrated
against individual family members who are entitled to benefit from State measures to
prevent, protect against, and remedy such violations and abuses; and
- Acknowledge that various forms of the family exist, including single-parent households,
same-sex-parented households, child-headed families, joint families, extended families,
families without children, families of divorced individuals, intergenerational families, etc.

The co-sponsoring States have not incorporated any of these recommendations into the latest draft
resolution, circulated less than one day prior to tabling. Co-sponsoring States have been engaged in
extensive lobbying efforts, presenting this as a very benign initiative, and are gaining success in
garnering support from a large number of States from different regions of this world.

Actions required
It is unlikely that many delegations will vote against this resolution, as no State wants to appear as
anti-family. As such, we need to ensure that, at a minimum, the language of the resolution
changes its focus to the protection of human rights in the family and that it recognizes various
forms of the family (as outlined in the attached document on suggested amendments to the
resolution).

What can you do?
Contact your countrys Foreign Ministry indicating:
1. Your expectation that they support the resolution only if changes are made to the
language in line with the suggested amendments attached; and
2. Your concerns with this resolution.

As this resolution will be tabled on Thursday 19 June, it is important for you to contact your
government as soon as possible. Contact details for the Foreign Ministry of each country can be
found at: http://www.ediplomat.com/dc/foreign_ministries.htm

Contact your permanent missions in Geneva directly by phone, fax or email voicing the
same concerns. A list of Geneva missions is available at: http://tinyurl.com/t2cwt

Forward this action alert to other supportive NGOs.

Such outreach is most needed from colleagues from Africa, Asia, the Pacific, Latin America and the
Caribbean.

There is a group of NGOs working together in Geneva to address these concerns, including the
International Commission of Jurists, the Sexual Rights Initiative, ARC-International, International
Service for Human Rights, International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex Association,
WYWCA, Child Rights Connect, Amnesty International and others. We would ask you to keep us
informed of the actions you have undertaken and let us know if we can be of assistance. Please direct
your emails to Pooja Patel p.patel@ishr.ch and Stuart Halford stuart.geneva@sri-crr.org

Please find attached both a copy of the draft resolution prior to tabling, as well as a document of
suggested amendments to the resolution.