LGBTQI+ persons continue to face systematic discrimination and disproportionate levels of violence in many countries across the world. Protecting and promoting their rights is a key priority for Ireland’s foreign policy as outlined under ‘The Global Island: Ireland’s Foreign Policy for a Changing World’.
In 2019, Ireland joined the Equal Rights Coalition, an inter-governmental coalition of 42 countries dedicated to taking coordinated action to advance and protect the human rights of LGBTQI+ people everywhere. Ireland strongly supports efforts condemning violence and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. We work to promote the rights of LGBTQI+ individuals globally, through our bilateral missions and in international fora, including the UN Human Rights Council and the UN General Assembly Third Committee, which address LGBTQI+ rights. Most recently, at the 50th session of the Human Rights Council, Ireland strongly supported the successful renewal of the mandate of the UN Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Ireland is strongly opposed to the use of the death penalty in all cases and in all circumstances, and continues to seek its universal abolition. The death penalty constitutes cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and is contrary to the right to life while also negatively impacting on a number of other basic human rights.
The Embassy of Ireland in Abuja continues to closely follow this case in cooperation with civil society organisations, and our EU and UN partners. The Embassy engages strongly in the areas of democracy, governance, human rights and the rule of law, supporting organisations to advance and broaden civil society space in these areas, whilst encouraging Nigeria to meet its international commitments in this regard.
Embassy Abuja plays an active role in an informal EU and likeminded Coordination Group on Human Rights, regularly chairing the grouping and engaging on sensitive human rights cases. This grouping recently convened to discuss this case in particular, and outreach with relevant stakeholders is ongoing.
I understand that an appeal is currently underway in this case and the Department of Foreign Affairs, through our Embassy in Abuja, will continue to follow developments in Nigeria closely.
