Historic development in United Nations
Today the United Nations' Human Rights Council adopted a resolution on Human Rights, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity. This is the first of its kind.
Find the text of the resolution and see who voted what here.
With 23 countries voting in favour, 19 countries against and 3 countries abstained, the UN resolution has been adopted in Geneva.
This historic resolution, presented by South Africa, affirms the universality of human rights, and notes concern about acts of violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. It requests the High Commissioner for Human Rights to prepare a study on violence and discrimination on these grounds, and calls for a panel discussion to be held at the Human Rights Council to discuss the findings of the study in a constructive and transparent manner, and to consider appropriate follow-up.
Read the joint press release on the website of ILGA.
Read the full text of the resolution here.
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Who voted what?
Yes": Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Ecuador, France, Guatemala, Hungary, Japan, Mauritius, Mexico, Norway, Poland, Republic of Korea, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine, Thailand, UK, USA, Uruguay.
"No" : Angola, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Djibouti, Gabon, Ghana, Jordan, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Nigeria, Pakistan, Qatar, Moldova, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Uganda.
Abstentions: Burkina Faso, China, Zambia
Absent: Kyrgyzstan, Libya (suspended)
(source: International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission)
