In a landmark decision, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women has ruled that the criminalisation of lesbian and bisexual women breaches the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.
The Committee recognised that lesbians are particularly vulnerable to discrimination through laws and regulations. It made a number of recommendations including that the State party, Sri Lanka, de-criminalise consensual same-sex sexual conduct between women.
The case was brought by Rosanna Flamer-Caldera, Executive Director of EQUAL GROUND, the main LGBT organisation in Sri Lanka, with the support of the Human Dignity Trust.
Rosanna Flamer-Caldera was represented by the Human Dignity Trust, Professor Christine Chinkin and Karon Monaghan QC from Matrix Chambers, Dr Keina Yoshida from Doughty Street Chambers, and DLA Piper.