The full United Nations Economic and Social Council ( ECOSOC ) voted in favor of a U.S.-led resolution to grant the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission ( IGLHRC ) consultative status on July 19, according to an IGLHRC press release. IGLHRC is only the tenth organization working primarily for LGBT rights to gain such status at the United Nations.
"Today's decision is an affirmation that the voices of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people have a place at the United Nations as part of a vital civil society community," said Cary Alan Johnson, IGLHRC's executive director. "The clear message here is that these voices should not be silenced and that human rights cannot be denied on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity."
The resolution passed with 23 in favor and 13 against, with 13 abstentions and five absences.
This victory is particularly significant, coming as it does after a prolonged three-year application process in the subcommittee that makes initial recommendations on status.
The U.S. government stood strongly behind IGLHRC's application, calling for a vote in both the NGO Committee and ECOSOC. Ambassador Susan Rice, U.S. permanent representative to the United Nations, publicly backed IGLHRC's application. Additionally, 14 members of Congress and four senators sent letters of support to all UN Member States for IGLHRC's application. Among them were Sen. John Kerry, chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, and Congressman Howard Berman, vhair of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
The votes on this resolution granting IGLHRC special consultative status were as follows:
—Votes for ( 23 ) : Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Guatemala, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Malta, Norway, Peru, Poland, Rep. of Korea, Slovenia, United Kingdom, United States and Uruguay
—Votes against ( 13 ) : Bangladesh, China, Comoros, Egypt, Malaysia, Morocco, Namibia, Niger, Pakistan, Russian Fed., Saudi Arabia, Venezuela and Zambia
—Abstaining ( 13 ) : Bahamas, Cote D'Ivoire, Ghana, India, Mauritius, Mongolia, Mozambique, Philippines, Rep. of Moldova, Rwanda, Saint Kitts, Turkey and Ukraine
—Absent ( 5 ) : Cameroon, Congo, Guinea-Bissau, Iraq and Saint Lucia
In a response to the United Nations Economic and Social Council granting the U.S.-based International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, President Obama issued a statement.
Obama said, "I welcome this important step forward for human rights, as the International Lesbian and Gay Human Rights Commission ( ILGHRC ) will take its rightful seat at the table of the United Nations. The UN was founded on the premise that only through mutual respect, diversity, and dialogue can the international community effectively pursue justice and equality. Today, with the more full inclusion of the International Lesbian and Gay Human Rights Commission, the United Nations is closer to the ideals on which it was founded, and to values of inclusion and equality to which the United States is deeply committed."
According to a press release from the White House Media Affairs Office, Rosemary A. DiCarlo, U.S. deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, supported IGLHRC by discussing the organization's roles during the debate on IGLHRC's status, saying, "Mr. President, for over 20 years, the IGLHRC has been a respected human rights organization dedicated to combating discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. While it is registered in the United States, it also has offices in Argentina, South Africa and the Philippines. By promoting the implementation of human rights treaties, it already has made a significant contribution to supporting the UN Charter and the work of this Council. It assists non-governmental organizations to prepare and submit documentation to the Universal Periodic Review of the Human Rights Council, the UN Special procedures, and UN treaty bodies.
