OutRight Action International

Outright International (Outright) is an

Outright International, formerly known as International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC),^[5] was founded by Julie Dorf^[6] in 1990, and incorporated as a non-profit organization on November 7, 1990. Though initially focused on LGBT human rights abuses in Russia, the organization is now active in many parts of the world, including the Americas, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. OutRight International is headquartered in New York City with satellite offices on the West Coast and in Spain, and Manila.^[1] OutRight International has a digital archive of their LGBT human rights documentation and education materials for research.

On July 19, 2010, the United Nations Economic and Social Council voted to accredit IGLHRC as one of the NGOs granted consultative status with the international organization. This allows IGLHRC to attend U.N meetings, contribute statements, and collaborate with United Nations agencies.^[7][8]

In 2010, IGLHRC contributed in forming "An Activist's Guide" of the Yogyakarta Principles.^[9]

In 2015, on the 25th anniversary of the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC), the organization changed its name to Outright Action International^[5] to make it more inclusive.

In 2015, Outright's executive director Jessica Stern presented the first United Nations Security Council briefing on LGBTI human rights violations.^[10][11]

In 2015, OutRight in partnership with

In 2017, OutRight challenged the inclusion of C-Fam to the US delegation at the UN CSW 2017.[15]^[16]

In 2018, Neish McLean, executive director of TransWave and OutRight Caribbean Program Officer, presented the intervention statement on behalf of the Major Groups and Other Stakeholders in response to Jamaica's Voluntary National Reviews at the United Nations.^[17][18]

In 2019, OutRight worked with UN Women to be a part of a historic panel^[19] at the United Nations on "Gender Diversity: Beyond Binaries"^[20][21]

In 2022, OutRight dropped "Action" from its name, formally becoming OutRight International and clarified their mission to ensure human rights for LGBTIQ people everywhere through brand pillars: Amplify, Advocate, Support, and Celebrate.^[22]

OutRight's work is organized in four regional programs (

Work in the Asia region promotes acceptance of sexual and gender diversity at all levels of society. The 2014 Report "Violence: Through The Lens of Lesbians, Bisexual Women And Trans People in Asia"^[24] collected and reviewed data from five countries in the region. Recent projects focused on domestic violence protections for LGBT in the Philippines^[25] and Sri Lanka.^[26]

Work in the Caribbean region supports organizations to achieve legal registration and provides support in establishing and building the capacity of newly founded organizations as well as combating gender-based violence.^[27]

OutRight International's Research Program collects quantitative and qualitative data through surveys and case studies to promote global LGBTIQ advocacy and address issues on religion, culture, policy, government, and social norms of gender sexuality, gender expression, and sexual orientation. This research is analyzed for use by local, regional, international and communications fronts.

• Outright conducted the first-ever global survey in 2019 "Harmful Treatment: The Global Reach of So-called Conversion Therapy"^[28] on the causes and effects of "conversion therapy" using interviews with experts and survivors around the world. The report dives into its main justifications by perpetrators, the most common conversion therapy practices used, and includes cases studies from people who have been through such programs. The survey provides insight on the social, cultural, and religious norms which undermine the identities and sexualities of LGBTIQ people.^[29]
• A survey in 2018 "The Global State of LGBTIQ Organizing: The Right to Register"^[30] in 194 countries and found that only 56%, 109 countries, permit LGBTIQ organizations to register as so. In just 28%, 55 countries, LGBTIQ organizations exist but they cannot legally register. OutRight is concerned that LGBTIQ people in these countries may be at higher risk of discrimination and violence, as well as lack resources and funding.
• Partnered with local LGBTIQ groups in the Middle East and North Africa (
  MENA), with a focus on Iran, Iraq, and Turkey, to support activists and allies. The 2018 report "Activism and Resilience: LGBTQ Progress in the Middle East and North Africa"^[31]
  explains how activism in the region leads to progress on LGBTQ issues, and how challenges are met with the resilience by the movement.

Since 1994, OutRight confers an annual award, the Felipa de Souza Award, to honour a human rights activist or organization.^[36]

OutRight occasionally presents the Outspoken Award to special honorees. The Outspoken Award "recognizes the leadership of a global ally to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) community whose outspokenness has contributed substantially to advancing the rights and understanding of LGBTI people everywhere."^[37]

• LGBTIQ rights
• LGBT rights at the United Nations
• Universal Declaration of Human Rights
• List of LGBT-related organizations and conferences
• Intersex civil society organizations
• Intersex human rights
• Intersex rights by country
• World Pride
• Sexual Orientation
• Gender Identity
• IDAHOT
• Transgender rights
• List of transgender-rights organizations
• Violence against LGBT people