A/HRC/44/53 8. Together with the Rapporteur on the Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Persons of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, and as part of a strategic alliance between both mandate holders, Commonwealth and UNDP, on 1 and 2 October 2019, the Independent Expert held a consultation in Bridgetown on the economic, social and cultural inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex persons in the Caribbean region. 9. Between 1 May and 31 December 2019, at the invitation of academia and civil society organizations, the Independent Expert carried out the following activities: (a) Keynote addresses. 21 August (International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association, Asia Regional Conference, Seoul); 24 September (Ludwig Boltzmann Institute, Vienna); 20 November (National Meeting of the Afro-LGBTI Network, Cartagena); 21 November (International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association for Latin America and the Caribbean Conference, Bogotá); 7 December (OutRight Action International Conference, New York); 10 December (ARC International and Jindal Global University International Dialogue, New Delhi); and 13 December (National Law School of India University, Bangalore); (b) Panels and presentations. 27 June on needs, best practices and risks of research and data collection on sexual orientation and gender identity (International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association and COC Nederland, Geneva); 23 October (Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights, New York); 18 November (Dejusticia and Colombia Diversa, Bogotá), and 6 December (OutRight Action International, New York). 10. Between 1 January and 30 April 2020, the Independent Expert carried out the following activities: (a) Keynote addresses. 20 January (United Nations House, Brasilia); 24 January (International Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil); and 2 March (Global Equality Fund, Johannesburg, South Africa); (b) Panels and presentations. 13 January (Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts); 22 January (International Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights, Salvador, Brazil); 10 February (OAS, Washington, D.C.); and 12 February (Carr Center for Human Rights Policy of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Cambridge, Massachusetts). 11. On 11 March 2020, the World Health Organization made the assessment that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak could be characterized as a pandemic. From that date, as a result of the global state of force majeure created by the COVID-19 crisis, activities requiring travel by or the physical presence of the Independent Expert were postponed or cancelled. 12. During the reporting period, the Independent Expert gave more than 30 in-depth interviews for television, radio and print media and issued essays and op-eds relevant to the mandate. He also issued 18 individual or joint official press releases and media statements and developed an active social media presence. 13. The Independent Expert sent 16 communications, individually or jointly, in which allegations of human rights violations in relation to sexual orientation and gender identity were raised and/or by which he sought to provide technical advice on legislation and policies. 14. The Independent Expert is indebted to the vast group of entities, organizations and individuals that significantly contributed to the furtherance of the mandate during the reporting period. III. Methodology 15. For the preparation of the present report, the Independent Expert carried out an extensive literature review and outreach measures. On 21 November 2019, he issued a call 3