Ms Nandini Tanya Lallmon was a lead discussant on behalf of the LGBTI stakeholder group in the thematic session of the United Nations High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) 2024 on “Implementing the Outcomes of the fourth Small Islands Developing States Conference”, on Wednesday 10 July from 15:00 to 16:45 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
As a current scholar in the M.A. in Islands and Small States Studies programme at the Islands and Small States Institute, Nandini tapped into the course materials to draft her statement for the session. The statement focused on Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for Small Islands Developing States that underscores the need to build appropriate capacities and strengthen enabling systems at the national level, which is critical for incorporating the needs of LGBTI individuals into broader strategies for sustainable development, climate adaptation, and disaster risk reduction, aligning with SDGs 2, 13, 16 and 17.
Nandini highlighted the need for global policy reforms to be implemented in a manner that includes targeted outreach to ensure that LGBTI individuals derive benefit. She also underlined that LGBTI individuals must be decision-makers in all processes, fostering meaningful participation and ensuring that solutions are inclusive and effective.
The video recording of Nandini's session is available online, where her intervention can be viewed from 51:46 to 54:11.