The Council for Global Equality welcomes the State Department’s February 23 announcement that Randy Berry, a seasoned U.S. career diplomat, has been appointed America’s first Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBT Persons. The appointment, a longstanding Council goal, demonstrates anew the commitment by this Administration and by Secretary Kerry to full and equal protections for LGBT people at home and abroad.
Special Envoy Berry’s placement in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor underscores to foreign countries that the rights of LGBT people are integral to our country’s human rights policy. We urge the Department’s senior leaders and geographic bureaus to provide full and vigorous support to Berry in his new role, with priority given to partnering with LGBT-supportive countries in order to achieve maximum impact.
The Council and its member organizations look forward to a robust dialogue with Special Envoy Berry.
Member organization perspectives on this historic appointment, as well as Secretary Kerry's statement, can be found below.
Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBT Persons - U.S. Department of State
Appointment of a Special Envoy on LGBTI Rights by the United States - International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission
HRC Applauds Appointment of Randy Berry as State Department’s First Ever LGBT Human Rights Envoy - Human Rights Campaign
AJWS Applauds Historic State Department Appointment of Randy Berry as America's First Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBT Persons - American Jewish World Service
