Paramaribo, Suriname
On April 8, 2021, PGA’s National Group in Suriname met in the National Assembly in Paramaribo. After the general election held on May 25, 2020, the National Group currently consists of six members. The Group agreed to reach out to their colleagues in the National Assembly to inform them about PGA’s mission and vision to strengthen the membership while working on developing an agenda for activities in 2021.
During their discussion, the Group decided to hold a meeting with civil society organizations representing the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex (LGBTI) community in the country in the first week of August. The objective is to address the concerns of civil society and explore ways to work together to defend and promote the rights and inclusion of LGBTI people in Suriname.
PGA’s National Group in Suriname held a Roundtable Discussion on Effective Anti-Discrimination Measures based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in Paramaribo in October 2017, which brought together parliamentarians, LGBTI civil society representatives and other key stakeholders from Suriname and other Caribbean countries.
This Roundtable provides a strong foundation from which to build on in the upcoming August meeting and beyond. PGA’s SOGI Campaign has been actively engaging with the Suriname Group and national LGBTI organizations since 2017 and will continue supporting their dialogue and providing assistance as appropriate, to advance equality and inclusion for all in the country.
The goal of the event was to connect parliamentarians with peers from other countries and civil society organizations in their region to generate and strengthen political will to advance equality, share best practices and lessons-learned on reforms.
The Equal Rights Coalition (ERC) is an intergovernmental body of 45 Member States dedicated to the protection of the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer and intersex (LGBTQI+) persons.
The conference brought together over 200 participants providing an opportunity for legislators worldwide to share experiences.
