Measure LGBTI Inclusion in Development

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the World Bank have proposed 51 indicators, aligned with the overall indicators of the SDGs, as part of efforts to develop an “inclusion index” for lesbian, gay, and lesbian people. bisexual, transgender and intersex. The next steps will be to test the indicators in some countries.

The publication “Proposed Set of Indicators for the LGBTI Inclusion Index” states that inclusion of LGBTI people is “imperative if we are to respect the commitment made … to leave no one behind,” even if LGBTI people are not specifically mentioned. in the SDGs. The publication indicates that additional data and research is essential to increase the visibility of the challenges faced by LGBTI people and to improve policies and programs for LGBTI people.

Authors Mr. V. Lee Badgett and Randall Sell present 51 indicators in five dimensions: health, education, economic empowerment, civil and political participation, security and violence. Indicators were selected for their relevance for inclusion, their potential for disaggregation, their relevance for all countries, their utility and transferability, and the feasibility of the measure (in line with the practice of the multi-indicator system of the SDGs) .

In the area of education, for example, the proposed indicators aim to measure the rate of bullying among LGBTI students, anti-bullying policies, the implementation of an anti-violence policy, the presence of an anti-bullying policy. -discrimination, the implementation of anti-discrimination policy, academic results and the consideration of diversity in programs.

UNDP began developing the LGBTI Inclusion Index in 2015 when UNDP and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) held meetings to discuss the development of such an index. These consultations resulted in agreement on a practical definition of inclusion for the Index: “Inclusion means that every person has access to opportunities (including the ability to do what they want) and is able to choices leading to results that are compatible with human goals. dignity. “The consultations also agreed on the five dimensions of human freedom that should be measured by such an index. In 2017, UNDP began working with partners to develop the set of indicators, including through civil society consultations, multi-sectoral expert consultations and face-to-face consultations.

A number of other civil society organizations and groups have started to develop tools to support the inclusion of LGBTI people in development policies and programs. On February 27, 2019, RFSL – the Swedish Federation for the Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer – issued guidelines to support the design, implementation and monitoring of LGBTI development activities in accordance with efforts to achieve the SDGs. The “Guiding Principles for the Inclusion of LGBTI Persons in Development Policies and Programs” recognize the role of a wide range of actors in the implementation of the SDGs and other development priorities, and provide governments and other stakeholders to fight against poverty, health, education and society. other areas of importance for LGBTI people.

The private sector is also exploring ways to adapt its policies and practices to further integrate LGBTI people. Bristol-Myers Squibb is supporting an innovation challenge to make workplaces inclusive for the LGBTI community through the Lead 2030 Challenge. Lead 2030 is a coalition of global companies working to support youth-led innovation for sustainable development goals. Each year, a private sector ‘challenge partner’ for each SDG finances and accelerates solutions to achieve the goal. The key 2030 challenge of SDG 10 (Reducing Inequalities), supported by Bristol-Meyers Squibb, was to create an “inclusive work environment for the LGBTI community worldwide”.

This challenge calls for solutions that educate employers about the importance of an inclusive workplace for LGBTI people, create an inclusive culture and environment for LGBTI employees, build a business case for inclusion of LGBTI people on the workplace, attract and retain LGBTI talent and develop their careers. The winning solution will receive a $ 50,000 grant and a 12-month mentorship from a team of employees.

Source: SDG Knowledge Hub.