We are proud to join the Equal Rights Coalition, launched earlier this week in Montevideo, Uruguay at the Global LGBTI Human Rights Conference, as a means to strengthen international efforts to advance the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) persons.

The Coalition, founded by Uruguay and the Netherlands, will provide a standing platform for governments to consolidate efforts in achieving human rights for all in every region of the world. In this regard, the Coalition will enable like-minded governments to more effectively cooperate, share best practices, and discuss common challenges.

The United States believes that we can achieve more together to eliminate violence and discrimination and promote equality for all. The launch of this Coalition is a testament to the fact that the human rights of LGBTI persons are of concern to governments around the world.

The United States looks forward to taking an active role in the Coalition and encourages other like-minded governments to join.

The current Coalition members include Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Honduras, Italy, Mexico, Montenegro, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, and Uruguay.