Add Mozambique to the list of countries with no law against same-sex intimacy, which isn’t to say that LGBTI people in that east African nation enjoy equal treatment under the law. The country’s LGBTI advocacy organization, Lambda, has been fighting since 2008 for official government recognition. Last year, Mozambique revised a Penal Code that had … Continue reading
Tag Archives: United Nations Human Rights Council
Two tiny nations drop anti-gay laws: Palau and Sao Tome
Two tiny island nations have dropped their laws against same-sex intimacy. Palau in the western Pacific Ocean, north of Indonesia, took that step earlier this year. São Tomé and Príncipe, in the Atlantic Ocean off Gabon in central Africa, did so two years ago, but that fact wasn’t widely known. In addition, the island nation … Continue reading
Ivory Coast activists join push for U.N. rights resolution
Human rights defenders in Ivory Coast today urged their country to support a U.N. Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution seeking action against discrimination and violence targeting people on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity (SOGI). The resolution, proposed by Brazil, Chile and Uruguay, calls on the High Commissioner of the UNHRC to … Continue reading
Cameroon: Slain activist mourned; the fight continues
Friends and family of activist journalist Eric Ohena Lembembe gathered in Yaoundé earlier this month to mark the one-year anniversary of his murder by celebrating his life and vowing to continue his fight against AIDS and for justice for LGBTI people in Cameroon. The mass and memorial celebration was held on July 15 at the … Continue reading
Much talk, a little action on LGBT rights worldwide
Much discussion and a little action on LGBT rights occurred during last month’s meeting of the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland. These are excerpts from the report on the session by the advocacy group ARC International, particularly the sections related to countries with anti-gay laws. Navi Pillay, United Nations High Commissioner for Human … Continue reading
‘A new low by Cameroon’s government’
The comments by the official state representative toward the late Eric Lembembe, who is no longer with us to defend himself against such vitriol, represent a new low by Cameroon’s government. — Neela Ghoshal, senior researcher on LGBT rights for Human Rights Watch: Human Rights Watch this week criticized the government of Cameroon for lies, … Continue reading
Plea at U.N. to stop violence; Cameroon claims it will change
Colleagues of murdered Cameroonian activist Eric Ohena Lembembe have urged their government to stop homophobic attacks and legalized repression of LGBT people in Cameroon, and the government has responded with lip service aimed at creating the impression that Cameroon will: Investigate police violence against individuals because of their sexual orientation. Investigate threats and attacks against … Continue reading
Cameroon appeal: Concrete steps to fight anti-gay violence
Cameroon should combat recent outbreaks of anti-gay violence, starting by taking a public stand on the issue during next month’s United Nations review of the country’s human rights record, according to 12 local and international human rights groups who made that request in an open letter to President Paul Biya on Sept. 11. “The Cameroonian … Continue reading
UN urges talk, not sanctions, against anti-gay laws
The United Nations wants countries to be persuaded to repeal anti-gay laws, but doesn’t want them to be forced to do so through sanctions. Rolando Gomez, spokesman for the U.N.’s Human Rights Council, made that statement in response to a question about Malawi, which has been threatened with a cut-off of some international aid because … Continue reading
Anti-LGBT win at UN for Russia and ‘traditional values’
The U.N.Human Rights Council today adopted a Russian resolution supporting “traditional values,” which LGBT activists fear will be used to deny human rights to women and to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. The resolution was adopted by a vote of 25-15, with seven abstentions. It endorses “the important role of the family” and seeks … Continue reading
