Belize’s LGBTQI Human Rights Report Card

The US Government has invited one hundred and eleven countries, including Belize, to participate in the Summit for Democracy, which began on Tuesday and ends on Thursday. During the meeting, three main themes will be explored: fighting corruption, combating authoritarianism and promoting human rights. LGBTQI-specific data about each of the countries has been collected to produce a report card on based on thirty indicators, including those regarding intersex/sex characteristics. Orozco says the scorecard for Belize reflects that the government does not truly acknowledge human rights of LGBT citizens.

Caleb Orozco

Caleb Orozco, Executive Director, UNIBAM

“Diplomatically, we should be ashamed. We should be ashamed that we speak of this tranquil haven of democracy. How can we speak of this tranquil haven of democracy if the Government of Belize cannot acknowledge the dead bodies of its own LGBT Belizean citizens or the violence that happens with major crimes which total over thirty-one thousand cases? How can you speak of progress if you are afraid to take a position in this case? How can you say we live in a progressive society if Cabinet refuses to acknowledge the protection of LGBT Belizeans in this country and then acts surprise when they get a scorecard of barely seventy that does not acknowledge the human rights dimension of LGBT, that does not address the other dimensions that we are concerned with?

The scorecard is important because it measures our progress as a country around inclusive governance. When Cabinet or Parliament or the AG Office decides not to address the issue of violence or economic rights? It tells me as an LGBT Belizean citizen, it tells me as a gay man that I am not worthy of protection under this government. It tells thousands of people out there that their lives depend on them, their lives are not valuable enough for the state to be protected. That has to change. While we might have human rights on paper, called the constitution, it is not enough for us to have human rights on paper. This government nor the last government demonstrated their full commitments to our citizenship. In fact, the basic human rights element is dependent on the people who don’t have the voice.”