Sexuality and Social Justice: What’s Law Got to Do with It? International Symposium Workshop Report

In March 2015, the Sexuality, Poverty and Law programme at the Institute of Development Studies brought together over 60 activists, lawyers, researchers and international advocates to critically assess the scope of law and legal activism for achieving social justice for those marginalised because of their sexual or gender non-conformity. Delegates represented a broad range of expertise in the field of sexuality, gender identity, rights and social justice. They included a number of leading lawyers and activists involved in litigating cases of sexual and gender rights in countries such as Uganda, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, Argentina and Botswana. Lawyers and activists shared their experiences of working within this fast developing area of domestic and international law. Discussions also addressed the wider social and theoretical aspects of recent legal developments, contributing to our understanding of the complex relationship between research, knowledge exchange, activism and law.