A/HRC/43/51/Add.1 48. The Special Rapporteur commends the important role of women defenders in the promotion of democracy, justice and peace in Colombia. Thanks to the women’s and feminist movement and its leadership before and during the Peace Agreement negotiations, the Agreement contains 122 cross-cutting gender-sensitive measures. 4. Defenders of the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons 49. The Special Rapporteur deeply regrets the death in 2017 of six defenders of the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons (one fewer than in 2016) and the increase in threats against this group, as well as the fact that the Attorney General’s Office opened only 17 investigations into the 60 threats reported in 2017. 71 Information for 2018 indicates that one defender of the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons was killed. Defenders of the rights of that community have identified an urgent need to improve the protection provided by the National Protection Unit, which does not currently meet the specific needs of this category of defenders. 50. The Special Rapporteur recognizes the important role of defenders of the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons and that of the Constitutional Court in advancing the rights of that community. As a result of their work, same-sex marriage and social security and pension rights for same-sex couples are now recognized in Colombia, as are the rights to undergo gender reassignment surgery and to change one’s name and gender in the Civil Registry. The Special Rapporteur welcomes the adoption of public policy to guarantee the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons and persons of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities. 72 51. However, important initiatives supported or led by civil society have been attacked by conservative sectors of society that are opposed to such advances and the recognition of such rights, which they consider “an imposition of the so-called ‘gender ideology’”, contrary to traditional Christian values and the traditional concept of family. The process of reviewing school materials to raise awareness of gender roles and diversity of gender identities, in compliance with Constitutional Court decision T-478,73 was halted following the collection of two million signatures and provoked attacks in the media and on social networks against the former Minister of Education and the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex community. 74 Similarly, there were objections to the inclusion of contributions to the Peace Agreement related to the rights of this community, leading some to vote no or abstain from voting in the referendum on the Peace Agreement, which, according to some sources, may have influenced the results. 75 5. Human rights lawyers and lawyers for victims of the conflict 52. Both lawyers representing victims of serious human rights violations during the conflict and human rights lawyers are at risk. They make up at least 2 per cent of all defenders killed since the signing of the Peace Agreement. 76 They receive death threats and are falsely accused of belonging to subversive groups, and their houses and associations are subject to searches. The work of these defenders and associations such as the Regional Corporation for the Defence of Human Rights, the Luis Carlos Pérez Lawyers’ Collective and the National Movement of Victims of State Crimes is fundamental in supporting victims in the context of transitional justice, advising them and representing them when 71 72 73 74 75 76 GE.19-22542 Colombia Diversa, Caribe Afirmativo, La discriminación, una guerra que no termina. Report on the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in Colombia 2017, 2018, pp. 29, 56 and 73. Decree No. 762 of 2018. This judgment, dated 3 August 2015, was handed down in the case of a 16-year-old student who committed suicide because of the bullying he faced at school on account of his sexual orientation. www.eltiempo.com/vida/educacion/cartillas-sobre-diversidad-sexual-en-colegios-genera-debate-encolombia-39931. Olga L. González, “La otra subversión: la emergencia del ‘género’ en el proceso de paz en Colombia”, Trayectorias Humanas Transcontinentales (special issues), No. 1 (2017): Conflictos y procesos de paz: el caso de Colombia, pp. 115 et seq. Colombian Commission of Jurists, ¿Cuáles son los patrones? Asesinatos de líderes sociales en el post Acuerdo. 13