This is part 2 of two parts. The weblink for part 1 of this talk is: https://video.leidenuniv.nl/media/t/1_jiu0iuyw.
This talk was recorded by Kees Waaldijk on 16 May 2021, for the (online) Conference on LGBTQI+ Workplace Inclusion, held at Leiden University 20-21 May 2021. Kees Waaldijk is professor of comparative sexual orientation law at Leiden University (www.law.leidenuniv.nl/waaldijk).
Outline: Over the last 30 years, more than 80 countries have prohibited sexual orientation discrimination in employment. Enacting such prohibitions has thereby become the most common form of legal recognition for homosexual orientation. The trend is quite global (ten countries in Africa, and even more in Asia/Oceania). It is not only reflected in laws of EU and OAS, but also in decisions of various UN bodies and of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights. Over the same period, decriminalization of homosexual sex took place in less than 45 countries, while also in less than 45 countries same-sex couples gained access to marriage or other civil partnership. On the basis of these numbers, Kees Waaldijk argues that in many more countries there must be scope for prohibiting employment discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation – also in countries where decriminalization of homosexual sex and/or recognition of same-sex families seems a distant ideal. Reasons for this include: covering sexual orientation in laws against discrimination is less controversial than the other two issues; it is easier to find allies for it among organized labour and business; it can build on laws against discrimination on other grounds; it speaks to the recognition of people as humans who need to work to live.
In this second and final part (37 minutes) of the talk, Kees Waaldijk explores the factors that have contributed to the strong global trend presented in the first part, and the reasons why there is scope in more countries to work towards adopting laws that prohibit sexual orientation discrimination in employment.