Human rights in relation to sexual orientation and gender identity are at last reaching the heart of global debates yet 78 states worldwide continue to criminalise same sex sexual behaviour and due to the legal legacies of the british empire 42 of these more than half are in the commonwealth of nations. Human rights and sexual orientation and gender identity 3 amnesty international march 2004 ai index act 79 001 2004 the commission take no action on the draft resolution which was narrowly defeated9 on the final day of the session the chairs proposal to postpone consideration of this draft. Human rights in relation to sexual orientation and gender identity are at last reaching the heart of global debates yet 78 states worldwide continue to criminalise same sex sexual behaviour and due to the legal legacies of the british empire 42 of these more than half are in the commonwealth of nations in recent years many states have seen the emergence of new sexual. Requests the united nations high commissioner for human rights to commission a study to be finalized by december 2011 documenting discriminatory laws and practices and acts of violence against individuals based on their sexual orientation and gender identity in all regions of the world and how international human rights law can be used to end violence and related human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity