UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon has reaffirmed his commitment to equality despite the United Nations stripping GLBT rights out of its global goals.
Ban Ki-moon has reaffirmed his commitment to GLBT equality despite stripping GLBT rights out of its global goals.
The reaffirmation comes follows months of criticism from a number of GLBT groups who say the UN have moved away from a commitment to advancing GLBT rights. The United Nations recently launched its global goals as a series of ‘ambitious targets’ for its 193 member states related to poverty, equality and ending climate change – but overt references to GLBT equality were stripped out of the final agreement in August.
The UN has also come under fire for appointing Saudi Arabia, one of the world’s most repressive and homophobic countries, the chair a UN panel on human rights.
Speaking at a UN event on GLBT rights, held in New York, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon gave a defiant speech about the importance of including GLBT people in the UN’s commitment to human rights, despite opposition.
Ki-Moon reassured those gathered that he would continue the fight against homophobia and transphobia saying “When the human rights of GLBT people are abused, all of us are diminished. Every human life is precious – none is worth more than another.”
Ban Ki-moon who earlier this year received the Harvey Milk Award for the UN’s Free&Equa campaign told the audience “This United Nations I lead will never shirk in the fight against discrimination. We will never shy away from protecting the most marginalised and vulnerable people. This is not just a personal commitment – it is an institutional one.”
Speaking of the UN’s commitment to leaving no one behind when it comes to human rights he continued: “We will only realise this vision if we reach all people regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.”
Ki Moon ended his speech with a commitment to end the exclusion and discrimination of GLBT people around the globe: “We can show future generations that the best way to advance our shared goals is to embrace all members of our human family – regardless of who they are or whom they love.”
