An NHRI Guide on responding to COVID-19 impacts on LGBTI people POSSIBLE ACTIONS • Ensure that all NHRI monitoring activities, including in the context of COVID-19, discuss the human rights of LGBTI people, including, for example, when looking at the pandemic’s impact on access to healthcare or employment. • Undertake thematic monitoring projects, in cooperation with LGBTI organisations, on discrimination and violence experienced by LGBTI people during the COVID-19 pandemic. • Submit reports as part of the country’s Universal Periodic Review, or UN Treaty body reviews on the impact of COVID-19 on LGBTI people globally. Participate in consultations held by UN Special Procedures on the impact of the pandemic on vulnerable groups. • Develop guidelines on best practices for ensuring that LGBTI people have access to state support and benefits to compensate for income loss during the pandemic, including those in precarious work or on temporary visas. GOOD PRACTICE EXAMPLES The Timor-Leste Office of the Provedoria for Human Rights and Justice (PDHJ) has had a designated focal point on LGBTI issues since 2014, who cooperates with a wide range of stakeholders. The PDHJ has however also incorporated SOGIESC perspectives in its general monitoring work, for instance during the implementation of the state of emergency and sanitary fence. As part of this work, the PDHJ also learnt how these impacted LGBTI people. For instance, only essential services could run during these periods and most trans people, who work in salons, as carpenters, decorators, or similar, lost their income. The Philippines Commission on Human Rights documented a rise in brutal anti-LGBTI hate crimes and murders during the COVID-19 pandemic125 and investigated several of these. For instance, the CHR issued a statement following the murder of Ebeng Mayor, a trans man in Quezon City in 2021, and of Cindy Jones Torres, a trans woman in Guiguinto. The Commission denounced all forms of gender-based violence against trans, gender non-conforming, and LGBTI people and vowed to conduct an independent investigation and cooperate with the authorities. The Commission made similar statements against other cases of anti-LGBTI violence.126 The Samoa NHRI is preparing a report on the impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable groups, including LGBTI people. With the help of the report, the NHRI hopes to formulate guidelines on assisting vulnerable groups. Mongolia’s National Human Rights Commission conducted a study on COVID-19, highlighting the situation of vulnerable groups, and made recommendations to the relevant government agencies. 5. Complaints handling One of the key roles of NHRIs is to investigate and resolve complaints. To do this, it is essential that members and staff members of NHRIs are trained and aware of SOGIESC issues in general.127 21 125 Information shared with APF for the purpose of this report. 126 Carreon, Frencie, Attacks on LGBTQ+ people disturb officials, advocates in Zamboanga, Rappler, August 23, 2021, https://www.rappler.com/nation/attacks-lgbtq-people-disturb-officials-advocates-zamboanga/. 127 Promoting and Protecting Human Rights in relation to Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Sex Characteristics, APF, p.168.