Top United Nations officials today appealed to all countries that criminalize people on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity to reform such laws and to ensure the protection of basic human rights for all.
In a message to a panel discussion in Geneva on ending violence and criminal sanctions based on sexual orientation and gender identity, which was delivered by UN High Commissioner Navi Pillay, Mr. Ban noted that the responsibilities of the UN and the obligations of States are clear.
“No one, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, should be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. No one should be prosecuted for their ideas or beliefs. No one should be punished for exercising their right to freedom of expression.”
In May, during a visit to Malawi, the Secretary-General called for laws criminalizing people on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity to be reformed worldwide. Such laws, he noted, fuel violence, help to legitimize homophobia and contribute to a climate of hate.
While in Malawi, he had also lauded the “courageous” decision by the country’s leader to pardon a gay couple who had been sentenced to 14 years in prison, voicing hope that the African nation will update its laws to reflect international standards.
Ms. Pillay noted in her own remarks that, despite significant progress made in a number of States, there is still no region in the world today where people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual transgender or intersex (LGBTI) can live entirely free from discrimination or from the threat of harassment and physical attack.
“But in 78 countries, individuals still face criminal sanctions on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity,” she told the event, which was held on the sidelines of the 15th regular session of the UN Human Rights Council.
“We should be looking for ways to ensure that everyone enjoys the full protection of international human rights law, not for grounds to justify excluding certain individuals.”
She said the first priority should be decriminalization worldwide, which should be accompanied by greater efforts to counter discrimination and homophobia, including both legislative and educational initiatives.
“If we are all entitled to the full range of human rights and to equal protection of the law then, I believe, it can never be acceptable to deprive certain individuals of their rights, indeed to impose criminal sanctions on those individuals, not because they have inflicted harm on others or pose a threat to the well-being of others, but simply for being who they are, for being born with a particular sexual orientation or gender identity.
“To do so is deliberately to exclude a whole lot of people from the protection of international human rights law. It is, in short, an affront to the very principles of human rights and non-discrimination,” she stated.
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Reader's Comments
I found myself an excuse....I m who I m...hehe
I found myself an excuse....I m who I m...hehe
For openly gay and closeted people around the world and especially for South Koreans (many of whom have an unfairly tough time about being gay) the leadership and courage of the Secretary General is a landmark moment.
By the way, it's pleasing to see that an Asian man like Moon is standing up for what is right and I assume it's not easy for him.
Well done Mr Ban!
“No one, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, should be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.”
Love this statement and I hope more and more people can uphold this thinking.
One must be thankful for the many non gay men and woman in the world who advocate on our behalf, there is a slowly moving momentum happening it has been moving forward for decades now and more countries now enjoy freedoms not quite imagined 30- 40- 50 yrs ago but there you are they arrived, of course how WE in the 'free west' as individuals behave reflects on the collective how we project our selves will have a marked effect on that slowing or speeding of Democratic reform for others, embracing the 'queering' agenda of the flippant philosophically flawed ghetto minded oh so last century extreme left will of course slow the momentum not speed it, by being more wholistically integrated thoughtful and of course sexually responsible will have alot of impact in the future, if not well we must take responsibility for GAY people continueing to suffer oppression if western GAYS continue to create a perception we're all skanky queers, we can help UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon by being considered decent GAY people projecting an image into the world that no one can legitimately argue against.
The United States joined Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, East Timor, Finland, France, Ireland, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Romania and Slovenia in sponsoring a high-level panel discussion “Ending Violence and Criminal Sanctions on the Basis of Sexual Orientation” on September 17 at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
With messages of support from UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navanethem Pillay, the panel discussion focused the international community on the urgent need to end the criminalization of people on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
We applaud the courage of the human rights defenders who addressed the audience and urge member states of the United Nations to act and support efforts to end the criminalization of people on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Thanks Ban Ki Moon - awesome job. =)
By the way, does anyone have a Korean translation of this article? I want to send it over some older relatives.
Anyway I'm so glad that we are making some positive progress and hope one day we can see all the LGBT live their happy life regardless where they make their living.
Ban Ki-moon to a journalist after his nomination as UN chief.
His views on homosexuality seem to be free of religious prejudices: that's a good start.
As such, while the gay activists' success with lobbying the UN is commendable, I thought we should also work on the MNCs, banks and trade bodies. The head offices of MNCs should be urged to sign a commitment to adopt non-discriminatory hiring practices and to discriminate against those anti-human rights countries when it comes to foreign investments. If more MNCs join this campaign, the mainly-developing nations which still keep anti-gay laws would give in sooner or later, because they need to attract more foreign investments in order to create more jobs for their people and more sources of 'alternative income' for their politicians.
Islamic nations like Malaysia should also consider keeping anti-gay laws only in its Islamic Court and repeal them in their secular court. Those who voluntarily proclaim themselves devoted Muslims should be respected and allowed to abide by the Islamic Court's set of laws, without imposing the same moral standards on the others who aren't Muslims or have renounced the Islamic faith. Having a dual court system is a pragmatic resolution in those multi-faith and multi-racial Islamic countries with a significant number of Muslims who still wish to preserve their religious doctrine.
Clearly to say that If you want to be a gay, forget about religion if you want to really feel free. Buddhism is one of the best ones since it is less focus on gay issue. I am a free thinker but I do respect all religions. Religion is compassion and love. Stop bringing other fucking thinking into our bedroom life.
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