Key recommendations from the UN Universal Periodic Review on LGBT+ people

During Armenia’s 4th cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), numerous states urged the country to take decisive action to protect and promote the rights of LGBT+ individuals. The consistent emphasis across recommendations was the urgent need for comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation explicitly recognizing sexual orientation and gender identity as protected characteristics. This reflects a growing international consensus that LGBT+ rights must be embedded within Armenia’s broader human rights framework. 

A significant number of countries—including Spain, Netherlands, Canada, and Australia—called on Armenia to adopt the long-pending draft law “On Ensuring Equality before the Law and Protection from Discrimination.” This law is expected to create a strong foundation for equality, ensuring that people are protected from discrimination. In parallel, states such as Switzerland, Ireland, and Norway recommended amending the Criminal Code to explicitly include sexual orientation and gender identity as grounds protected from hate crimes and discrimination. 

Beyond legal reform, countries like Brazil and Finland highlighted the necessity of broader systemic change. They urged Armenia to combat hate speech, promote public awareness to dismantle stigma, and ensure safe reporting mechanisms for victims of discrimination and violence. Others, including Colombia and Iceland, advocated for accessible legal gender recognition based on self-identification, moving away from invasive medical requirements. 

The recommendations underscore the pressing need for Armenia to align its legal and institutional frameworks with international human rights standards. Ensuring the protection of LGBT+ persons is not merely a legal obligation but a critical step toward building an inclusive and equitable society.  

It is noteworthy that during each subsequent cycle of the UN Universal Periodic Review, the amount of recommendations to ensure the protection of the rights of LGBT+ persons is increasing. This is due to the fact that despite numerous legislative amendments and the adoption of policies, the rights of LGBT+ persons continue to remain marginalized. 

We call on state bodies to take into account the repeatedly made recommendations when revising the legislation against discrimination and crimes related to it.