A/HRC/38/43 initiatives, such as morality laws and the reversal of progressive legal provisions. The concerns reflected in these observations and recommendations have been included in the sections above. 68. OHCHR has continued to play a critical role in the United Nations system to uphold the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender non-conforming persons, including through advocacy by the High Commissioner and senior officials, monitoring and reporting, and providing technical guidance to States. For example, in 2017, OHCHR launched standards of conduct for business when tackling discrimination against LGBTI persons.76 The same year, the OHCHR-led Free and Equal campaign released new videos and factsheets to address the bullying of LGBTI youth and to highlight the importance of inclusion and openness for LGBTI persons within culture and tradition. B. Regional 69. In May 2017, building on the framework of its resolution 275 on protection against violence and other human rights violations against persons on the basis of their real or imputed sexual orientation or gender identity, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights included in the agenda of its sixtieth session items pertaining to the issues of sexual orientation and gender identity, including such practices as “corrective” rape and anal examinations, and the development of training programmes for law enforcement and the need to increase efforts to ensure protection of human rights defenders. 70. In June 2017, during its forty-seventh session, the General Assembly of the Organization of American States adopted a resolution on human rights in which it, encouraged States to consider adopting measures against discrimination and violence by reason of sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, to address homophobia and transphobia, to ensure that medical practices are consistent with applicable human rights standards, and to eliminate all barriers faced by LGBTI persons with regard to equal access to political participation and other areas of public life. 71. On 9 January 2018, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights issued an advisory opinion (OC-24/17) on State obligations under the American Convention on Human Rights with regard to providing quick, transparent and accessible legal gender recognition without abusive requirements, with due respect for free and informed choice and personal integrity and the standard, under the American Convention, for the protection of family ties between same-sex persons. 72. In January 2018, the Advocate General of the European Union issued the opinion that the freedom of residence of same-sex spouses should be recognized by every State member of the European Union. On 1 March, the European Commission presented its second annual report on actions to advance LGBTI equality, which included a wide and comprehensive range of measures aimed at improving rights and ensuring legal protection, supporting monitoring systems, outreach, support for human rights defenders, data collection, and actions to advance LGBTI equality worldwide.77 C. National 73. In the period since its previous report, the mandate holder has received information about developments in a number of countries. The list of developments described below is indicative but by no means exhaustive. 1. Public policy and administrative action 74. Significant change can be brought about through public policy, including in the health, education, justice and immigration sectors. In Canada, in May 2017, the 76 77 16 See www.unfe.org/standards/. European Commission, Annual Report 2017 on the List of actions to advance LGBTI equality — Leading by example.