Brazilian Organizations Alert IACHR About Conversion Practices and LGBTQIA+ Rights Violations in the Country
Press release
March 10 2026
Brazilian civil society organizations participated this Tuesday, March 10 in a hearing of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) in Guatemala City on conversion practices and other interventions that seek to alter sexual orientation; gender identity and expression; and sex characteristics. The meeting took place during the 195th Session of the Commission and brought together representatives of civil society and human rights experts.
The hearing was convened "ex officio" by the IACHR. It was an ordinary meeting, planned and scheduled in the Commission's calendar, not an emergency or extraordinary meeting. Its aim was to gather information on conversion practices in the continent and contribute to the preparation of a thematic report on the subject. The initiative represents a milestone in the Inter-American system by specifically addressing human rights violations associated with these practices that affect LGBTQIA+ people.
The session included the participation of Commissioners José Luis Caballero Ochoa, Marion Bethel, and Rosa María Payá Acevedo, as well as human rights advocates from some of the continent's most relevant organizations, who presented information on the situation.
The discussion takes place in a context marked by growing threats and setbacks to the rights of LGBTQIA+ people. In this scenario, the listening space promoted by the IACHR gains special relevance to strengthen the international monitoring of these violations.
In the Brazilian case, Victor De Wolf, president of ABGLT, and Caia Maria de Araújo Coelho, from the Intersex Network Brazil, participated in the hearing representing five civil society entities, with support from the Washington Brazil Office (WBO), a non-partisan and independent organization that works to expand the international reach of Brazilian civil society organizations.
Before departing for Guatemala, the group presented a report that compiles information, evidence, and analyses on the persistence of practices that seek to "correct," suppress, or modify sexual and gender diversity, as well as variations in sex characteristics in the country.
According to De Wolf, one of the main obstacles to addressing these violations is the lack of official data produced by the State. “One of the major gaps in the Brazilian context is the lack of official data on violence and discrimination against the LGBTQIA+ population. The State needs to produce this information and stop any public funding to institutions that promote conversion practices,” he stated.
Members of the delegation also highlighted that interventions aimed at modifying sexual orientations or gender identities continue to occur in different spaces, including religious, family, and community environments, as well as informal counseling initiatives and institutions that promote forced internments.
The situation of intersex people was also pointed out as a central concern during the debate. “Today we face a scenario of complete legal and political lack of protection in guaranteeing the rights of intersex people in the country,” stated Caia Maria.
The participating organizations emphasized that eradicating these practices requires concrete actions from States, including the production of official data, the strengthening of public prevention policies, and the adoption of legislative and institutional measures to guarantee the protection of the physical integrity, autonomy, and dignity of LGBTQIA+ people.
The organizations recommend that the Brazilian State strengthen data collection mechanisms, halt any public funding to institutions that promote conversion practices, and develop public policies aimed at protecting the physical integrity, autonomy, and dignity of LGBTQIA+ people.
