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G L O B aU
International News
by Matt Comer . Q-Notes staff
U.N. hears statement on
LGBT rights
U.S., Islamic nations and Vatican
had refused to sign on
UNITED NATIONS —A statement jointly
sponsored by France and The Netherlands,
and supported by most Western nations, con
demning anti-gay discrimination was
heard at the U.N. on Dec. 18 amid
stiff opposition from Islamic nations,
the Vatican and an absent U.S;
Signed by all European Union
members, as well as Japan, Australia,
Mexico and dozens other nations, the
statement called upon nations to
“reaffirm the principle of universality
of human rights, as enshrined in the
Universal Declaration of Human
Rights” and “reaffirm the principle of
non-discrimination which requires
that human rights apply equally to
every human being regardless of sex
ual orientation or gender identity.”
The statement, a non-binding resolution
that was not voted on, also called on nations
to “condemn the human rights violations
based on sexual orientation or gender identity
wherever they occur, in particular the use of
the death penalty on this ground, extrajudi
cial, summary or arbitrary executions, the
practice of torture and other cruel, inhuman
and degrading treatment or punishment, arbi
trary arrest or detention and deprivation of
economic, social and cultural rights, including
the right to health.”
The statement was presented this month
in observance of the 60th anniversary of the
signing of the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights.
In the U.N. any nation can present a state
ment; declarations must be voted on.
The U.S. was among several high profile
nations refusing to sign the statement.
According to The AP, some of the statemenfs
supporters said U.S. officials were concerned
the statemenfs language “might be problemat
ic in committing the federal government on
matters that fall under state jurisdiction.”
Several U.S. states have yet to prohibit discrim
ination in housing or employment on the basis
of sexual orientation and gender-identity. On a
federal level, LGBT people are still prohibited
from serving openly in the qailitary.
Although a coalition of Islamic nations
that had campaigned heavily against the state
ment eventually ceded decision-making to
individual member states, no Islamic country
signed on.
The Vatican had come under fire for saying
the statement would call into question the
“value” of heterosexual relationships.
According to Bloomberg News, a coalition
of 58 nations, led by Syrian envoy Abdullah al-
Hallaq, presented an opposing statement
warning that LGBT equality could “usher into
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social normalization and possibly legitimiza
tion, of many deplorable acts, including
pedophilia.”
Envoy al-Hallaq said the statement and
any other means of protecting LGBT people
would infringe on U.N. Charter guarantees of
sovereignty for individual member states.
Several LGBT organizations had called on
the U.S. to support the statement.
“It’s an appalling stance — to not join
with other countries that are standing up and
calling for decriminalization of homosexuali
ty,” Paula Ettelbrick, executive director of the
International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights
Commission, told The AP.
French human rights minister Rama Yade
told The AP she thought the U.S. position was
“disappointing,” given the nation’s record as a
champion for human rights.
Homosexuality is still illegal in about 70
nations worldwide. In Saudi Arabia, United
Arab Emirates, Iran, Mauritania, Nigeria,
Sudan and Yemen, Islamic law condemns those
committing homosexuality to death, according
to human rights blogger Mike Tidmus.
Sixty-srx of the U.N.’s 192 member states
supported the mid-December statement. I
online extra: Read the full U.N. statement and
see a list of supporting U.N. member states at
q-notes.com/un-statement/.
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6 DECEMBER 27.2(X)8 • QNotes