ALERT!: AUSTRALIA NOW TO CO-SPONSOR UN DECLARATION ON DECRIMINALISING HOMOSEXUALITY
Rudd Government applauded for co-sponsoring UN GLBTI declaration
But more work needed on national anti-discrimination laws
10 December 2008
Lobby group the Australian Coalition for Equality has today welcomed a commitment from the Federal Government to co-sponsor a non-binding UN declaration calling for the decriminalisation of homosexuality.
The proposed declaration, to be presented by France and supported by all 27 member nations of the European Union, states that the laws that criminalise GLBTI people in 85 nations worldwide are fundamental breaches of the UN Declaration of Human Rights.
Australian Coalition for Equality spokesperson Rod Swift has congratulated the Federal Government on now taking a leadership role in fostering international human rights.
"We understand the Australian Mission to the General Assembly in New York has been instructed not only to support the French Statement, but to sign on as a co-sponsor," Mr Swift said.
"We welcome the Rudd Government's strong commitment to advocating against sexuality and gender identity discrimination globally, and we look forward to working with it to develop a strategy for raising the issue at every opportunity, both at the UN and in Australia's bilateral talks with other nations."
"Australia's support of the statement sends an especially strong message of condemnation to those nations who still execute and persecute people just for being of a different sexual orientation or gender identity."
"However, the Federal Government still has a long way to go to protect GLBTI people from discrimination in Australian law. It should move promptly to enact comprehensive anti-discrimination laws on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity."
The UN declaration is expected to be presented later today at the UN by Rama Yade, the French State Secretary for Human Rights.
