Living with Dignity: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity-based Human Rights Violations in Housing, Work and Public Spaces in India

This report documents the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) persons in India, in relation to their legal rights to housing, work and public spaces. It was published in June 2019 by the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), which is headquartered in Switzerland and aims to promote the implementation of international human rights.On September 6, 2018, the Supreme Court struck down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which had been interpreted to prohibit same-sex relations. The Section criminalised “carnal intercourse against the order of nature” with any man, woman or animal. While the law can no longer be used to perpetuate discrimination against the LGBTQ community, its members still face obstacles in accessing basic social institutions and spaces. The report discusses these difficulties and recommends that the Indian government introduce and strengthen policies to protect LGBTQ rights.Apart from secondary literature, the 152-page report draws on 65 qualitative interviews conducted across six states: Delhi, Gujarat, Manipur, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka. It notes that sexual orientation and gender identities can be multiple and overlapping, and that the report does not represent the experiences of intersex persons.