Tag: United Nations

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Breaking: United States Withdraws From UN Human Rights Council

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U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley

This. Is. Insane.

Moments ago, the United States withdrew from the United Nations’ Human Rights Council after no other countries “had the courage to join our fight” to reform the “hypocritical and self-serving” body, said U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley.

“In doing so, I want to make it crystal clear that this step is not a retreat from our human rights commitments,” Haley added.

From The Hill:

U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley announced the withdrawal alongside Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, following multiple news reports that the move was imminent.

Haley blasted the council as a “protector of human rights abusers and cesspool of political bias” and accused the body of “politicizing and scapegoating countries with positive human rights records.”

The withdrawal, which comes as the 47-member body begins a three-week session in Geneva, had been expected as a result of the Trump administration’s frequent criticism of the group’s treatment of Israel.

Haley repeatedly voted against U.N. measures that were critical of Israel, and she has rebuked the council for what she called a “chronic anti-Israel bias.”

The Democratic National Committee chairman Tom Perez responded with this statement:

“The United States should be leading the world on human rights, not retreating into isolation and separating young children from their families. Because of our seat at the table, we’ve been able to give voice to the voiceless around the world while fighting for the council’s fair treatment of our allies like Israel. Today, President Trump is sending a signal to the world that we’re too weak to lead and too cowardly to fight for our foundational values.

“Trump’s withdrawal is especially disturbing given his persistent praise for despots and dictators with abysmal human rights records, not to mention his administration’s cruel mistreatment of immigrant families seeking asylum. His blatant disregard for basic human rights will have dire and tragic consequences for marginalized people across the globe for years to come. We must all condemn Trump for his failure to lead, and we should work together to hold him accountable immediately.”

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United Nations Votes 128-9 Condemning US Plan To Recognize Jerusalem As Israel’s Capital

US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley

From The New York Times:

The overwhelming majority of the world’s nations delivered a stinging rebuke to the United States on Thursday, denouncing its decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and ignoring President Trump’s bombastic threats of revenge.

In what amounted to a collective act of defiance toward Washington, ambassadors of the 193-member General Assembly voted 128 to 9, with 35 abstentions, to approve a nonbinding resolution demanding that the United States rescind the Dec. 6 decision on Jerusalem, the contested holy city, which also included a plan to relocate the American Embassy there.

Earlier today, United States Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley issued a direct threat saying the US will consider pulling funding to the world body should the resolution pass.

And in an email to the General Assembly members, Haley wrote, “The President will be watching this vote carefully and has requested I report back on those countries who voted against us. We will take note of each and every vote on this issue.”

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United Nations Votes To Create LGBT Rights Watchdog

Big step forward for LGBT rights today as the United Nations Human Rights Council passed a resolution by a vote of 23 to 18 to create an LGBT rights “watchdog.”

From Buzzfeed:

The person appointed to this role will be known as an “independent expert” and the position is charged with monitoring “violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.”

This was the most ambitious effort yet to advance LGBT rights within the United Nations system, and the resolution included the strongest language to date suggesting LGBT rights should be a concern of international human rights law.

Not everyone was thrilled. See this from anti-LGBT group Family Watch International:

While we condemn violence against people based on sex or any other physical or mental characteristics, including sexual orientation and gender identity, this resolution goes way beyond seeking to end violence and unjust discrimination. The main objective of the resolution is to appoint a global LGBT “Czar” who will investigate alleged rights violations by governments and individuals against LGBT people.

Everyone knows that this is intended to be a tool to try to force such things as same-sex marriage, cross-gender bathroom use, LGBT “rights” indoctrination education, and much more upon countries around the world in the name of preventing discrimination and violence.

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United Nations Video On Costs Of LGBT Social Exclusion

From the United Nations:

Rates of poverty, homelessness, depression and suicide have been found to be far higher among lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people than in the general population. But it’s not just LGBT people who pay the price. We all do. Every LGBT child thrown out of home and forced to miss out on education is a loss for society. Every LGBT worker denied their rights is a lost opportunity to build a fairer and more productive economy.

More info at United Nations/Free & Equal.

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United Nations: Can You See Past The Label?

This video from the United Nations Free & Equal campaign celebrates the contributions that millions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people make to families and local communities around the world.

The cast features “real people” (not actors), filmed in their workplaces and homes — among them, a firefighter, a police officer, a teacher, an electrician, a doctor and a volunteer, as well as prominent straight ally and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

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Russia Fails In Attempt To Block Benefits To Same-Sex Married United Nations Staffers

By a vote of 80-43 (37 abstaining), the United Nations blocked a proposal from Russia to deny benefits to UN staffers who are legally married.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had led a proposal to offer benefits to all spouses of legally-wed gay UN staffers.

The AP reports:

Currently, family benefits for U.N. staff members are determined by their country of origin. The secretary-general’s plan will give family benefits to all staffers who are legally married — regardless of the laws on same-sex marriage in their home countries.

The secretary-general has been an outspoken supporter of gay rights.

Saudi Arabia, China, Iran, India, Egypt, Pakistan, and Syria joined Russia in opposing the benefits.

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United Nations Human Rights Council Adopts Resolution Condemning Violence Against LGBT People

From GLAAD: The 27th session of the Human Rights Council of the United Nations has passed a resolution that would condemn violence against people on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, and call for the reporting of violations against LGBT people internationally. The vote passed 25-14 with 7 abstentions.

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United Nations to US: Stop death penalty after botched Oklahoma execution

The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has asked the United States to place a moratorium on all executions:

The suffering of Clayton Lockett during his execution in Oklahoma on Tuesday 29th April, may amount to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment according to international human rights law. It also appears to run counter to the 8 th Amendment of the United States Constitution, which states that “…nor cruel and unusual punishment [shall be] inflicted.” We note that the execution of a second man in Oklahoma, scheduled later on Tuesday, was stayed by the Governor, who has ordered a review of execution procedures and protocols.

The prolonged death of Clayton Lockett is the second case of apparent extreme suffering caused by malfunctioning lethal injections reported in 2014 in the United States. The other case was that of Dennis McGuire, executed by the State of Ohio on 16 January 2014 with an allegedly untested combination of drugs.

The UN Human Rights Committee and the Committee against Torture have both previously called on the United States to review its execution methods in order to prevent severe pain and suffering. Most recently, in March 2014, the Human Rights Committee recommended the US ensure that lethal drugs used for executions originate from legal, regulated sources, and are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The apparent cruelty involved in these recent executions simply reinforces the argument that authorities across the United States should impose an immediate moratorium on the use of the death penalty and work for abolition of this cruel and inhuman practice. Thirty-two out of 50 states in the US still have the death penalty in their laws (in addition to the US government and the US military). Eighteen states in the US have abolished the death penalty, most recently Maryland in 2013 and Connecticut in 2012.

The UN opposes the use of the death penalty in all circumstances.

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Desmond Tutu: “I would refuse to go to a homophobic heaven”

Graphic via Memeographs

The United Nation’s has launched a global campaign for the LGBT rights during a meeting in South Africa.

At the launch announcement was Archbishop Desmond Tutu:

South Africa’s Nobel peace laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu says he will never worship a “homophobic God” and will rather go to hell.

The retired archbishop was speaking at the launch of a UN-backed campaign in South Africa to promote gay rights.

Archbishop Tutu said the campaign against homophobia was similar to the campaign waged against racism in South Africa. “I am as passionate about this campaign as I ever was about apartheid. For me, it is at the same level,” he added.