Human rights advocates praised the United Nation’s (UN) decision to restore international protections for gays and lesbians in a high-profile resolution condemning extrajudicial, arbitrary and summary executions.
The resolution urged all sovereign nations to protect the right to life of all people as well as launching investigations into deaths related to discrimination.
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) initially removed the reference to sexual orientation from the resolution in November.
China and the Russian Federation, permanent members of UN Security Council, were among the 79 nations who voted for the exclusion of gays and lesbians.
Human rights lobbyists and governments, including the US, responded with outrage.
The International Gay Lesbian Human Rights Commission Executive Director Cary Alan Johnson described the initial vote as a ‘dangerous and disturbing development.’
But when the decision was reversed, Johnson said the global backlash sent a ‘strong message’ to UN representatives.
‘The outpouring of support from the international community sent the strong message to our representatives at the UN that it is unacceptable to make invisible the deadly violence LGBT people face because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation,’ Johnson said.
‘… what this victory also demonstrates is the power of civil society at the UN and working across countries and regions to demand that their own governments vote to protect LGBT lives.
UN Secretary-General Ban-Ki Moon also supported the protection of LGB people, speaking out on Human Rights Day on December 10.
‘Human Rights Day commemorates the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,’ he said.
‘It is not called the partial declaration of human rights. It is not the sometimes declaration of human rights. It is the Universal Declaration, guaranteeing all human beings their basic human rights, without exception.
‘Violence will end only when we confront prejudice.’
Australia was among the 93 nations who voted to restore sexual orientation to the resolution and also voted against the initial removal.
Benn Dorrington
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