On September 29, GATE GATE submitted a response to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders call for inputs from human rights defenders experiences.
What is the issue?
Across all regions, anti-gender movements have evolved from disparate national actors into a well-funded network, deploying sophisticated strategies across multiple fronts that use misinformation and political scapegoating to erase fundamental rights for everyone. These groups have increased operations across borders, influencing national policies, shaping UN discussions, and promoting narratives that discriminate, exclude, and endanger trans and gender diverse people.
GATE’s 2023 report highlights how anti-gender opposition systematically undermines trans and gender diverse human rights defenders through disinformation, State-enabled violence, and funding restrictions. As these movements grow in strength, they threaten not only trans and gender diverse communities but also the broader human rights framework that are built on principles of equality, inclusion, and universality.
Such movements are:
- Weaponizing narratives around “family values,” “sex education,” and “women’s protection” to mobilize fear and opposition.
- Using social media and political influence to normalize discrimination and silence trans-led organizations.
- Expanding their reach into multilateral and UN spaces, echoing exclusionary rhetoric that undermines feminist and human rights achievements.
What GATE has recommended?
GATE calls on:
- Governments to establish enforceable international standards that require social media platforms to combat disinformation and incitement, while ensuring user safety and freedom of expression
- States and UN bodies to guarantee the meaningful participation of trans and gender diverse communities in policymaking and create safeguards to prevent communications from being weaponized against civil society.
- Funders to provide long-term, flexible, and unrestricted support directly to trans and gender diverse-led organizations and allocate specific resources to ensure their safety and well-being.
Why this matters?
The global rise of anti-gender movements represents a direct threat to the universality and indivisibility of human rights. By silencing trans and gender diverse voices and obstructing access to resources, these coordinated attacks weaken civil society and restrict progress toward gender equality and justice.
Protecting trans and gender diverse human rights defenders means protecting the foundations of human rights for all.
