We are excited to be hosting a residential weekend at Cumberland Lodge on ‘LGBT+ Rights in the Commonwealth’ as part of the 2023 Time Limited Programme. This three-day workshop will take place from the 3-5 November 2023 and is open to all Commonwealth Scholars in the UK.
The event will bring together participants from a range of backgrounds to explore multiple aspects of LGBT+ rights including a focus on global perspectives, international treaty obligations, socio-cultural barriers, practical restrictions, and access to healthcare.
The weekend is open to Scholars from all disciplines and all levels of study to encourage a broad, comprehensive discussion. It is hoped that attendees will leave the weekend with a better insight and understanding of the key issues relating to LGBT+ rights and the knowledge to affect change in their own community and workplace wherever that may be.
The main sessions from the weekend will include:
LGBT rights: progress, barriers, and the global obligation
This session will provide the historical and political context to discussions that take place throughout the weekend and explore the history of LGBT+ rights in the Commonwealth, the current state of affairs including recent successes and setbacks, and give an overview of international treaties that guide modern Human Rights Law in this area.
Leading academics on the subject will take participants through the links between colonialism and homophobia and consider the unique context of this issue within the Commonwealth.
Faith and culture: challenges and opportunities
In this session, participants will explore the socio-cultural barriers that inhibit progress on LGBT+ rights and how they can be overcome. There will also be an opportunity for participants to reflect on their own religious and cultural backgrounds and consider how these may have shaped their understanding of this issue.
Gaining equal access: understanding LGBT+ exclusion
This session will look at the various ways the LGBT+ community are excluded from different aspects of everyday life including education, health care, employment, housing, and justice. It will also explore the impact this has on the LGBT+ community and what can be done to develop a more equal society.
Gaining equal access: designing inclusive healthcare systems
Following on from the previous discussion this final session will take a deep dive into inclusive healthcare, looking at why inclusive healthcare is so important for LGBT+ people, how they are currently excluded, and what can be done to improve access going forward. This would be of particular interest to anyone working directly or indirectly in health.
How to apply
Applications for the LGBT+ Rights in the Commonwealth workshop close on 12 October 2023. If you are interested in applying, you can find the application link in your inbox now.
For any queries about the workshop or application process, please contact engage@cscuk.org.uk.
Please be aware that respectful, professional participation is expected at all CSC events in line with the CSC Code of Conduct.
