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BUENOS AIRES, Argentina. Approximately 300 LGBTI+ activists from Latin America will gather from April 24 to 29 in La Paz, Bolivia, to exchange experiences, share their local realities, and exchange knowledge on human rights advocacy. The meeting point: the 9th Regional Conference of ILGA LAC (International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association of Latin America and the Caribbean) in La Paz, Bolivia. The venue was chosen by vote at the previous conference in 2019.

 “It was going to happen last year, but due to the pandemic, we didn't make it. Bolivia was chosen because of a desire to discuss colonial legacies, and Bolivia is a plurinational state. Also, because the country was the focus of a coup in 2019, and we wanted to support the resistance to that coup, which violated all rights,” Darío Arias, co-founder and coordinator of Conurbanos Por La Diversidad (Argentina) and regional co-secretary of ILGA LAC, told Presentes. 

Decolonizing our struggles

With the motto “Decolonizing our struggles, depatriarchalizing our bodies”, the ninth edition of this conference will focus on the intersection of a transfeminist and antiracist agenda, in a context of advancing anti-rights around the world, particularly with anti-trans discourses and bills.

In addition to activists, members of academia, representatives from multilateral organizations, and public officials from various Latin American countries will be in attendance. From Bolivia, the Minister of the Presidency, María Nela Prada, is expected to participate.

Latin America's diverse agenda

The conference will feature nine plenary sessions spread over three days, where organizations and state officials will present on state responses, international cooperation in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, the situation of LGBTI+ rights, and violence in various parts of Latin America. 

There will also be 21 workshops to delve deeper into the experiences of activism in strategic litigation; political leadership; LGBTI+ people deprived of liberty; LGBTI+ people from La Vía Campesina; policies supporting youth and older adults, among others. 

Although the convening organization is ILGA LAC, two local organizations are acting as co-hosts: Comunidad diversidad and Colectivo Tlgb de Bolivia .

ILGA LAC is a community-based, non-governmental organization focused on combating discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity as a global issue. It is a regional network of groups, collectives, and organizations in Latin America and the Caribbean dedicated to achieving equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) people. It is part of ILGA World , which brings together more than 1,700 LGBTQ+ organizations in over 160 countries.

Among her tasks is to challenge global organizations such as the United Nations, governments and local institutions to guarantee the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex people.