Making rainbow waves

In September 2025, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights of the United Nations presented its first-ever report on discriminatory laws and policies, violence, and harmful practices against intersex persons.Over 190 organisations and activists — including intersex people worldwide — contributed to it, ensuring that intersex voices are now on official United Nations record. Thanks to their work, States will no longer be able to ignore the realities they describe and must begin to rectify historic injustices.We recently welcomed intersex human rights defenders from all over the world to Geneva as the report was presented at the United Nations. We sat down with them to talk about what it feels like to have this report, how activists can use its recommendations to bring about positive change in their own countries, and their hopes for the future. Enjoy your listening!-- Making Rainbow Waves is a new podcast by ILGA World, telling the stories and raising the voices of LGBTI human rights defenders worldwide. On this podcast, we hear their unique perspectives on how laws, policies and public attitudes impact the lives of our communities on the ground. They guide us through what is happening in their own countries and regions, and why. They tell us about victories and setbacks for LGBTI persons, and shine a light on the powerful work that our communities keep doing, making rainbow waves to advance equality every day.Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

In July 2025, the UN Human Rights Council will vote to renew the mandate of the Independent Expert on Protection against Violence and Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity. This is the only United Nations mechanism specifically dedicated to addressing violence and discrimination against LGBT and gender-diverse persons! Since its creation in 2016, mandate holders have extensively documented these issues; they have also sent 171 communications documenting allegations of violations, carried out 10 country visits assisting States in implementing international human rights standards, and collaborated with UN mechanisms.However, violence and discrimination persist worldwide, and the mandate must continue its work! Hear from civil society from across the world on why the existence of this human rights expert is fundamental, and what it means to them to have someone fighting for them - and with them - at the United Nations.Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

In April 2024, something truly transformative happened at the United Nations: the Human Rights Council adopted its first-ever resolution specifically addressing discrimination, violence, and harmful practices against persons with innate variations in sex characteristics.For this episode, we sat down with four intersex human rights defenders:  Crystal Hendricks (ILGA World), Obioma Chukwuike (Intersex Nigeria), Kimberly Zieselman (Outright International) and Kaisli Syrjänen (ISIO – Intersex Human Rights Finland and OII Europe) shared with us what this resolution means to intersex movement, and their own experience as human rights advocates.This is a much-needed listen to learn more and take action: the United Nations Officer of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has recently published a call for input – seeking to inform the preparation of the report mandated by this resolution, and there is until 20 November 2024 to send your comments!Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

In this episode, we talk with Nazima Raghubir, who shares about the Guyana Together human rights campaign and discusses the current human rights situation for LGBTQ people in Guyana. You can learn more about the campaign by following their socials @GuyanaTogetherHosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

What do we talk about, when we talk about alliances and solidarity between the LGBTI and the feminist movements?The words of Gulzada Serzhan, co-founder of Kazakhstan Feminist Initiative "Feminita" and guest on the latest episode of ILGA World's Making Rainbow Waves podcast, explain it very clearly: "In my opinion, hate against the LGBTIQ community and misogyny have similar features backed by a patriarchal society. Therefore, we put ourselves as a part of a feminist movement." On the occasion of this year's International Women Day, these words must be heard louder than ever.We met Gulzada as her organisation prepares to follow up on the important recommendation obtained by the UN Committee Against Torture, where her advocacy highlighted the human rights situation of LGBTI detainees. Together, we went over Gulzada's journey as an activist, the current situation of the LGBTI community in Kazakhstan and the region more broadly, and why it is important to engage grassroots communities about recommendations and advances obtained at the international level.ACCESSIBILITY: A transcription of the episode, and its translation to Spanish, are available on ILGA World's website at https://ilga.org/podcast-making-rainbow-waves-1x06-feminist-initiative-feminita-kazakhstan"These recommendations are in a very official language," she told us. "So we try to explain them in a very friendly way in our meetings. I think it gives (the community) some confidence" if you explain "what those recommendations mean, why it is important for us, how it works, and what you can do to use those changes in your life."Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

In 2023, ILGA World celebrated the 10th anniversary of its United Nations programme.For this new episode of Making Rainbow Waves, ILGA World sat down with Kseniya Kirichenko, our UN programme manager, to retrace the history of how the organisation has engaged with international human rights spaces throughout its existence, navigating these global fora to uplift the voices of grassroots organisations and civil society worldwide. "The human rights idea is our shared idea", she told us. "It is something that does not just belong to governments, something that does not just belong to the United Nations: it is about us, and about our lives."Follow this link to access a transcription of the episode.La traducción al español de la transcripción está disponible en ilga.org/esHosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

What do we talk about when we talk about trans depathologisation? Pathologisation refers to the idea that someone - just by existing, so just by being trans - is somehow intrinsically disordered. Depathologisation, then, means shifting focus from treating trans and gender-diverse identities as mental disorders to prioritising the health and well-being needs of trans people in the same way that we do all other people.   For this new episode of Making Rainbow Waves, ILGA World has sat down with experts across the world on the occasion of this year’s International Day of Action for Trans Depathologisation, to learn more about how depathologisation can impact global health policies, what obstacles countries face in their commitments to the health of trans and gender-diverse individuals, and how important cross-movement solidarity really is. “There have always been trans and gender-diverse people”, our guests told us. “We are part of humanity. I am very hopeful that, in the end, we will have a recognition across the world of our rights to equality and to human dignity.”  Our guests for this episode of Making Rainbow Waves are: Dr Anna Coates, Lead Technical Adviser and Unit Head for Gender at World Health Organization Anil Padavatan, Health Program Officer at GATE - Global Action for Trans Equality Andie Sophia Fontaine, Trans Ísland Joey Joleen Mataele, Tonga Leiti's Association --- The transcription of the episode, as well as its translation to Spanish, are available at https://ilga.org/podcast-making-rainbow-waves-1x05-trans-depathologisation. This episode of Making Rainbow Waves was hosted by Darius Gervinskas, and edited by María Alejandra Gonzales Silva. Transcription and translation to Spanish by Daniele Paletta and María Alejandra Gonzales Silva. Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Engaging with the United Nations human rights system can seem daunting for activists. And yet, it can be to outstanding results - the kind of achievements that are relevant not just for one’s country, but at the global level.  Enkhmaa Enkhbold, the executive director of LGBT Centre Mongolia, built her own experience in the field by engaging with numerous UN human rights mechanisms over the years - with organisations like ILGA World and others ready to provide support when necessary. In 2022, Enkhmaa engaged with the UN Committee for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, obtaining a result of historic significance: for the first time, the Committee referred ICD-11 (the latest International Classification of Diseases, which declassified trans identities as a mental disorder) among the recommendations made to Mongolia on trans persons. On this new episode of ILGA World's Making Rainbow Waves podcast, we met Enkhmaa as her organisation prepares to follow up on the historic recommendations obtained at the international level and ensure they can influence positive change in her country. Together, we went over Enkhmaa's journey as an activist, the different international human rights mechanisms, what goes behind the scenes when advocates access these spaces, and the current situation of the Mongolian LGBTI community. “Our primary hope is to have a community centre of our own, a safe space for the community”, she told us. “Of course, we want to walk the streets without retaliation, without fear and stigma: that's, I think, a given for all of us, right? That's what we wish for, and that's why we're fighting for this.” --- The transcription of the episode, as well as its translation to Spanish, are available at https://ilga.org/podcast-making-rainbow-waves-1x04-lgbt-centre-mongolia. This episode of Making Rainbow Waves was hosted by Daniele Paletta and edited by Kevin Mwachiro. Transcription and translation to Spanish by Luca Bermejo, Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

The 30th ILGA World Conference will take place in May 2022 under the theme: "LGBTIQ youth: future present change": hundreds of LGBTIQ human rights defenders from all over the world will gather in LA Long Beach, California, United States. The event will be hosted by the It Gets Better Project, an organization with a mission to uplift, empower, and connect LGBTQ youth around the globe. In this episode of "Making rainbow waves", we sat down with Brian Wenke, the executive director of the It Gets Better Project, to talk about his personal story, how the meaning of such a powerful statement as “It Gets Better” has changed over the years, what does the organisation have in store for the upcoming ILGA World Conference, and so much more.  Follow this link to register now for the 30th ILGA World Conference!  Follow this link to access the transcription of this episode in English . A translation of the episode to Spanish is available here . Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

On this Pride Month, ILGA World met with Julian Sanjivan, who is the co-president of InterPride - the global network of Pride organisations from around the world, as well as regional, national, and local pride networks. We came together to talk about their personal story, how the Pride movement has made it through the Covid-19 pandemic, and so much more. Here’s what they told us.  Follow this link to access a transcription of the episode: https://ilga.org/podcast-making-rainbow-waves-1x02-pride-choose-express-Julian-Sanjivan-Interpride Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

How do laws around the world set out how trans and gender-diverse people can change their sex/gender marker and names on official identity documents? And which laws are in place worldwide that criminalise trans identities? Released in September 2020, the Trans Legal Mapping Report details the situation in 143 UN member States, In this episode,we met with Julia Ehrt and Zhan Chiam to explore the findings of the publication, and to discuss what's next for the trans human rights movement. Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.