On the 18 June 2026, the UN Independent Expert on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity has presented to the UN Human Rights Council a thematic report on violence and discrimination experienced by lesbian, bisexual and queer women.   

This historic and long overdue UN achievement is the result of renewed political force of global lesbian movements and of the work of amazing LBQ-led organisations and activists that are continuing to bring lesbian issues to the table. Thanks to our collective work, lesbian rights have now their rightful place in the work of the UN’s main human rights bodies. We are grateful that Indipendent Expert listened to our movements and carried this work forward. We are also especially grateful to all the activists, groups and organisations who provided an unprecedented amount of report and experiences. 

For too long, we have been pushed to the margins of both gender equality policies and broader LGBTIQ frameworks. For too long, the violence, discrimination and oppressions affecting lesbians have been ignored, while services and justice systems continue to fail us.  

The data collected confirms what lesbian movements have documented for years: invisibility is not “natural” but constructed by patriarchy and capitalist oppressions. And it has real consequences for our safety, autonomy and lives.  

We will make good use of this report to push our governments and international institutions as well as the feminist and LGBTI movements and advance the rights of lesbians all around the world. 

[NOTE: We will make the report available on our website as soon as it is released by the United Nations. Please stay tuned.]