OutRight Action International

12/17/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 12/18/2025 11:45

UN Disability Resolution Passes After LGBTQ Language Cut

UN Adopts Disability Rights Resolution after reference to LGBTQ people removed by an amendment brought by Egypt narrowly passes by four votes following intense lobbying by Egypt and the US.

New York - Today, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution on the Implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The resolution passed with near-unanimous support and contains important provisions for persons with disabilities worldwide. However, Outright International expresses deep disappointment that an amendment led by Egypt, on behalf of many - but not all - members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), successfully removed language that recognised LGBTQ persons with disabilities. Egypt's amendment passed with 81 votes in favor, 77 against, and 15 abstentions. The original text simply noted that persons with disabilities experience amplified barriers when their disability interacts with diverse contexts, one of which is discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

"We overall welcome the adoption of this resolution, which advances critical protections for persons with disabilities globally. However, it would have been a far stronger resolution with the sexual orientation and gender identity protections intact. LGBTQ persons with disabilities deserve to be seen, not rendered invisible. Today's vote is a painful setback for them."

(Vote on Egypt's amendment to delete "sexual orientation and gender identity")

Egypt - supported vocally by the United States of America - tried to frame its amendment as removing a controversial issue from a resolution, saying "A vote for deleting sexual orientation and gender identity is a vote for persons with disabilities". Disability groups and the human rights community roundly reject this idea.

The amendment passed with 81 votes in favor, 77 against, and 15 abstentions - a narrow four-vote margin that reversed the outcome of the Third Committee vote earlier in the session, where a similar amendment had been defeated 74-70. In a surprising procedural turn of events, the General Assembly vote initially took place on Monday, December 15, but resulted in a tie of 74-74, triggering a 48-hour delay to Wednesday's vote. Governments and Civil Society engaged in extensive outreach in the 48 hours between the two votes. Several countries changed position in the face of overwhelming pressure from, in particular, Egypt and the United States.

The resolution, co-facilitated by Mexico and New Zealand, addresses vital issues including accessibility, inclusive education, and the rights of persons with disabilities in situations of risk. These protections apply to all persons with disabilities, including those who are LGBTQ.

(Vote on the final resolution with "sexual orientation and gender identity" deleted)

"Despite this disappointing outcome, LGBTQ people remain entitled to the full spectrum of human rights protections recognized across the international human rights system," Sjödin continued. "No vote can erase the fundamental truth that all persons are born free and equal in dignity and rights."

Outright International calls on all UN Member States to implement the resolution in a manner that leaves no one behind - including LGBTQ persons with disabilities, who face compounding forms of discrimination and marginalization.

OutRight Action International published this content on December 17, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on December 18, 2025 at 17:45 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]