United Nations Drops Gay Civil Rights
365Gay.com,
March 29, 2004
By 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
London—A move to add sexuality to
the list of categories protected by the United Nations has been dropped in the
midst of intense pressure from the Vatican and Muslim nations.
It is the second year in a row that the motion has been
withdrawn at the Geneva-based UN Commission on Human Rights. The proposal had
been put forward by Brazil and supported by Canada and most of the European
Union states.
Brazil dropped the motion when it became clear the
Vatican and Arab countries led by Egypt would not let it pass.
One member of the European Parliament called the
opposition “The Unholy Axis”.
“Millions of people across the globe face imprisonment,
torture, violence, and discrimination because of their sexual orientation,”
said MEP Michael Cashman, who is gay.
“For the second year running the UN has failed to
condemn this discrimination and the continuing abuses of human rights on the
basis of a person’s sexuality.
“Both the Vatican and the Conference of Islamic States
should hang their heads in shame for having reduced their beliefs to the
gutter of bigotry and discrimination,” said Cashman, an actor before he
turned to politics.
The same “axis” is attempting in New York to revoke
an executive order by Secretary General Kofi Annan that would provide the
same-sex partners of UN workers the same benefits as married couples if their
home countries approve.
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