UN recognises global body for homosexuals

[pampango]

Source: Aljazeera

The United Nations has formally recognised the global organisation that brings together gays and lesbians, despite strong opposition from many countries, according to a UN report.

Human rights activists said Monday's move by the world body's Economic and Social Council or ECOSOC was a turning point for sexual minorities at the UN. They said many gays and lesbians in some developing countries have been under increasing pressure, and faced discrimination and persecution.

Consultative status means ILGA, which claims it has 670 member groups in over 110 countries, can attend UN meetings, speak and provide information to UN bodies on treatment of gays. It will also be able to take part in meetings of the Geneva-based Human Rights Council, where anti-gay sentiment is strong but which last month narrowly passed the first-ever UN resolution on violence against homosexuals.

The overwhelming Monday vote, at a summer session of the 54-member ECOSOC, was hailed by the United States and Belgium.

Read more: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2011/07/201172620495856669.html

[Jefferson23]

1. Excellent news. n/t

[freshwest]

2. This is a big improvement.

[Behind the Aegis]

3. The votes!

For (THANKS!!!!): Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Malta, Mexico, Mongolia, Nicaragua, Norway, Peru, Republic of Korea, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, and Venezuela

Abstaining: Bahamas, Côte d’Ivoire, Guatemala, Mauritius, Philippines, and Rwanda

Against (PISS OFF!!!): Bangladesh, Cameroon, China, Comoros, Egypt, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Iraq, Malawi, Morocco, Namibia, Pakistan, Qatar, Russian Federation, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, and Zambia

A special thanks to Belgium, the US and Argentina!

And, a special "FUCK YOU!" to Egypt!

[Divine Discontent]

6. Thanks for the list! Might as well just said, "Against : Africa"

Not surprising at all, and of course, the old standards, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, plus the Russian Federation.

Nice to see this be approved and countries begin to step up for rights for all. It's far too long, and the hate against GLBT people is still a pretty high percentage in the US, but hopefully things get better in a few years since Gays can now be in the military openly, a huge state is now marrying same-sex couples, and popular culture includes Gay people a lot more than 20 years ago!

[xchrom]

4. Recommend

[No Elephants]

5. Good news. Maybe the more sane nations on this issue can influence some of the more insane ones.

[Divine Discontent]

7. yeah, I agree. It helps to have the respected countries step forward, of course, the

shame that is China is influential in keeping citizen rights at a minimum. I wish their people would rise up against them and demand change.

[MADem]

8. What an odd headline!

I suppose if they substituted "organization" for "body," it would read better.