Russia fails in bid to stop U.N. staff benefits for all gay couples
Source: NY TIMES
(Reuters) - Russia failed on Tuesday in a bid to stop the United Nations extending staff benefits to all same-sex couples after a U.N. General Assembly budget committee voted 80 to 43 against the proposal.
There were 37 abstentions and 33 countries did not vote.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in July that the United Nations would recognize all same-sex marriages of its staff, allowing them to receive U.N. benefits.
Previously, staff members' personal status was determined by the laws of their country of nationality. But the United Nations now recognizes all same-sex couples married in a country where it is legal, regardless of their nationality.
Russia wanted the 193-member General Assembly Fifth Committee, which deals with the U.N. budget, to overturn Ban's decision and had been threatening to put the measure to a vote since December.
"We must speak plainly about what Russia tried to do today: diminish the authority of the U.N. Secretary-General and export to the U.N. its domestic hostility to LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) rights," the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, said in a statement after the vote.
Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/03/24/us-un-gaymarriage-russia-idUSKBN0MK1UW20150324
jeff47
(26,549 posts)(and kick)
Behind the Aegis
(54,052 posts)Good!
Saudi Arabia, China, Iran, India, Egypt, Pakistan, and Syria were among the countries that voted in favor of Russia's proposal.
Mr.Bill
(24,365 posts)a mere decade ago, we would have voted with them.
Cha
(298,021 posts)Mr.Bill
(24,365 posts)It sucks that it took us so long, though.
Cha
(298,021 posts)I like what Samantha Power said.
Renew Deal
(81,897 posts)Let the homophobes weep.
Cha
(298,021 posts)Bluenorthwest
(45,319 posts)nt
azurnoir
(45,850 posts)geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)Glad to see this exercise in pro-bigotry cultural imperialism fail.
Assholes.
herding cats
(19,569 posts)I'm actually glad Russia pressed this vote. As the saying goes, "by their deeds we will know them."
Cha
(298,021 posts)Zorra
(27,670 posts)NuclearDem
(16,184 posts)davidpdx
(22,000 posts)I'm particularly interested in which countries abstained and didn't vote.
Behind the Aegis
(54,052 posts)VOTED FOR THE RUSSIAN RESOLUTION:
Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Benin, Botswana, Brunei, Burundi, Cambodia, Chad, China, Comoros, North Korea, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Gambia, India, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Mauritania, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Tanzania, Uzbekistan and Zimbabwe voted for the Russian proposal.
https://www.washingtonblade.com/2015/03/24/bid-to-block-spousal-benefits-for-gay-u-n-employees-fails/
Voting Record on L.9
Published by UN Tribune
Draft resolution sponsored by Russia that would have revoked benefits for same-sex married UN staff
davidpdx
(22,000 posts)It is interesting to see how the Asian countries voted. I know Indonesia and Malaysia are conservative countries, but it is disappointing to see that they voted for the resolution. I'm glad South Korea voted no.
pampango
(24,692 posts)voted in favor of same-sex marriage benefits for UN staff. Much of Asia (including China and India) and Africa (countries whose population is probably more than half of the world total) voted against those benefits. The world has a long way to go but it is getting there.
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)NuclearDem
(16,184 posts)Not only voted no, but hosting EuroPride this year as well.
http://www.europride2015.eu
PersonNumber503602
(1,134 posts)I don't think I'm overlooking it either.