U.S-Backed
Nondiscrimination Statement Fails

A version of an international statement condemning violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation backed by the United States failed to win approval this week by participating nations of the Durban Review Conference.

The purpose of the conference, to be held in April in Geneva, is to review the progress and implementation of the Durban Declaration established in 2001 at the United Nations World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Related Intolerance.

The United States supported the statement along with the European Union, New Zealand, and most of South America, but it failed to entice the majority of votes from the United Nations, according to UNWatch.org.

South Africa, on behalf of the African Group, says that the addition of sexual orientation "goes beyond the framework of the 2001 Durban Declaration." The Holy See, which represents the Vatican, said the paragraph on sexual orientation should not be included in the 45-page document because it refers to a form of conduct and not a condition, according to UNWatch.org reported.

The European Union is attempting to change the language so that sexual orientation may be included. Denmark pointed out that nearly a third of U.N. member nations supported a joint statement condemning the discrimination against LGBT people around the world.

The United States' support of the document shows a contrast in attitudes between the administrations of George W. Bush and Barack Obama. In December 2008 the United States opposed a joint statement addressing homophobia and LGBT rights for the first time at the United Nations. Sixty-six of the 192 member countries, including the full European Union, Central African Republic, Brazil, Cuba, Israel, and Japan, urged fellow member countries to decriminalize homosexuality. In addition to the United States, China, Russia, and all of the Arab nations refused to back the 2008 U.N. statement. (Michelle Garcia, Advocate.com)