Welcome to the Coalition on Sexual Orientation (CoSO)

The Coalition on Sexual Orientation was established by Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans (LGBT) groups in Northern Ireland in order to provide a voice for the LGBT Community in debates and consultations surrounding the rights of the community.

CoSO aspires to represent the LGBT Community on issues around sexual orientation. CoSO acts as an umbrella body with which public authorities may consult in order to fulfil their statutory duty to promote equal opportunities irrespective of sexual orientation. It seeks to ensure that the concerns of the entire LGBT Community are adequately articulated and acted upon.

This website aims to keep interested individuals and organisations updated on our on-going work.

CoSO condemns the recent statements of Iris Robinson MP MLA

9 June 2008

The Coalition on Sexual Orientation (CoSO) condemns the statements made by Iris Robinson on the Stephen Nolan (BBC Radio Ulster) Show, in the wake of another vicious attack on a member of our Community.

We are deeply concerned that these comments, unfortunately not new in Northern Ireland, have been made by an MLA / MP who is a public servant and as such, bound by the ‘Seven Principles of Public Life’ – acting in the public interest – this includes ALL people of ALL identities.

CoSO deplores statements such as those made, which have potentially life threatening consequences and which could be construed as ’incitement to hatred’.

CoSO calls on all MLAs from across the political spectrum to condemn the comments made by Iris Robinson, and to hold those who break public trust by discriminating against a section of the public i.e. the LGB Community, to account.

CoSO also calls on our social partners, across the equality and human rights spectrum, to support us in challenging these comments and to raise these issues with their MLAs and public representatives.

CoSO believes that the comments are at best damaging and at worst dangerous; furthermore they are completely unacceptable – indeed an abomination - in pursuance of an inclusive society based on values of dignity, respect and equality.

Mairead McCafferty & James Knox, Co-Chairs of CoSO

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CoSO welcomes handover of Bill of Rights Forum recommendations

31 March 2008

The Coalition on Sexual Orientation (CoSO) today welcomed the handover of the final Recommendations of the Bill of Rights Forum to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission.

Mairead McCafferty and James Knox, Co-Chairs of CoSO commented that “we believe this is a significant step forward in the protection of LGBT People's Rights in Northern Ireland and ultimately has the potential to have a profound effect on the Rights of LGBT People here and further afield, although we are still at the beginning of the process”.

Continuing, they stated that “this is possibly one of the first opportunities anywhere in the world where LGBT people have had an opportunity to use the ‘Yogyakarta Principles’* to ‘inform’ the drafting of a Bill of Rights”. As such N. Ireland should be proud of acknowledging the need to protect, promote and fulfil the Rights of, not only LGBT people but potentially all our marginalised and/or disadvantaged Communities.

To raise awareness of the development of the Bill of Rights in Northern Ireland, CoSO hosted a series of successful events across Northern Ireland to engage local LGBT Communities and Individuals in the process of drafting recommendations for a Bill of Rights for N. Ireland.

The work of the Forum is now complete and the Report / Recommendations will go forward to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission as part of their statutory duty to progress a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland.

* Yogyakarta Principles – so named as this is where they were drafted in Indonesia, by leading Human Rights Experts from across the World – signatories to the Principles include Mary Robinson and Michael O’Flaherty – Ireland and Stephen Whittle and Judith Mesquita – UK and Robert Wintemute – UK and Canada.

Read the full CoSO statement>>

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CoSO hosted major conference on "Sexual Orientation Equality, Human Rights and Our Shared Future" on Saturday 17 November

updated 3 February 2008

The conference was held as part of Anti-Homophobia Northern Ireland (AHNI) 2007. AHNI was established by CoSO in 2004 to help place an annual focus on issues of sexual orientation discrimination, hate, equality and human rights. AHNI reinforces the message that we all need to play our part in challenging discrimination against LGBT people in Northern Ireland.

This major conference featured speakers from across the UK and Ireland and further afield, including:

• Hans Ytterberg, Sweden's Ombudsman against Discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation
• Patrick Stoakes, Director of Equality Network, Scotland
• Professor Barry Fitzpatrick, CoSO
• Prof Stephen Whittle OBE, Founder and Vice-President of Press for Change
• Patricia Prendiville, Executive Director of ILGA-Europe
• Christopher Robson, Co-Founder of Gay and Lesbian Equality Network Ireland
• Michael Cunningham, Deputy Chief Constable, Lancashire Constabulary
• Professor Colin Harvey, Commissioner with the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission.

A selection of the speakers' presentations can be downloaded (Powerpoint PPT format):

• Patrick Stoakes on Human Rights for LGBT people in Scotland (83KB)
• Hans Ytterberg on his Office as Sweden's Ombudsman against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (157KB)
• Prof Whittle on the Yogyakarta Principles (915KB)
• Barry Fitzpatrick on Bill of Rights Issues for LGBT people in Northern Ireland (165KB)

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updated 3 February 2008

The lesbian, gay and bisexual Sector has received a financial package of support from the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister. This package is being managed by the Coalition on Sexual Orientation (CoSO) on behalf of the Sector and a Steering Group made of up CoSO member organisations, non-CoSO LGB organisations and a representative from OFMDFM sit on this group and oversee the Project.

This project has provided the opportunity to offer a one off small grant opportunity to LGB groups and organisations across the LGB sector in Northern Ireland.

Applications to this fund were invited by 30 November 2007. A number of LGB organisations have been successful and have received grants to undertake specific projects in accordance with the overall aims of the LGB Sector Project.

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December 2007

According to an online poll from the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission more than 80 per cent of people surveyed believe that there is a need for a Bill of Rights in Northern Ireland.

The Bill of Rights is on the political agenda, particularly through the work of the Bill of Rights Forum, and CoSO believes it is important that the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) community has an input.

To raise awareness of the development of the Bill of Rights, CoSO hosted a series of events to engage local LGBT communities and individuals in the current consultation process for the Bill of Rights.

CoSO hosted four seminars focused on local LGBT communities in L’Derry (12 November), Newry (14 November), North Down and Ards (26 November) and Causeway (3 December), to find out more about LGBT needs and issues relevant to the Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland.

Further details can be found in this press release.

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31 May 2007

The Coalition on Sexual Orientation is seriously concerned with the comments which have been quoted in Hot Press Magazine and reported widely in the Northern Ireland media.

We are deeply concerned that the comments, unfortunately not new in our society, have been made by a Junior Minister / MLA at the heart of government in Northern Ireland.

To this end CoSO has sought a meeting with the First and Deputy First Ministers, to assuage the very real and potentially life threatening consequences of actions and words such as those given recent media attention and which have led to nothing short of incitement to hatred.

CoSO calls on all MLAs from across the political spectrum to condemn the comments made by the Minister and to hold those who break the pledge of office and Ministerial code, in such fundamentally important areas as equality and human rights, to account.

Read the full CoSO statement>>

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17 May 2007

Following the recent recruitment exercise, CoSO is delighted to announce the appointment of its first Office Administrator.

The Office Administrator provides comprehensive administrative support to CoSO and the LGBT sector. This is just one of the strategic objectives of the funding which the LGBT sector applied for and has been provided by the Office of the First Minister & Deputy First Minister.

The Coalition on Sexual Orientation brings together lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) groups and individuals to work towards an inclusive society, which embraces diversity and where the rights of LGBT people are fully respected and protected under the law.

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