Walking together on the road to equality

DIPLOMATIC POUCH

- Andreas Pfaffernoschke and Daniel Hernandez Joseph

We, Germany's and Mexico's Ambassadors to the Philippines, stand united in our commitment to human rights and equality. Our countries currently co-chair the Equal Rights Coalition (ERC), a collaborative mechanism that includes 44 countries and a global network of hundreds of civil society organizations. Since its creation in 2016, the ERC has been instrumental in advancing LGBTQIA+ rights internationally.

Promoting anti-discrimination of LGBTQIA+ persons is crucial for any open and democratic society. LGBTQIA+ individuals, like every person, have the right to live free from discrimination and prejudice. A person's self-defined gender identity is fundamental to their personhood and is one of the most basic aspects of dignity, freedom and self-determination.