Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards

Human Rights Watch and the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission organised on 11 December an event, “Leadership in the Fight against Homophobia,” together with the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Permanent Missions to the UN of Argentina,Brazil, Croatia, the European Union, France, Israel, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, and the United States.

“Ban Ki-moon wholeheartedly denounced homophobia and transphobia and called for decriminalization of homosexual conduct,” said Boris Dittrich, advocacy director of the LGBT rights program at Human Rights Watch. “What makes his speech profound is that he vehemently criticized so called ‘anti-propaganda’ bills, which criminalize public discussion of homosexuality. Such draft bills are being discussed in the parliaments of Ukraine and Russia and should be rejected immediately.”

The hall in the UN Building was packed with hundreds of attendees, who watched a video message from Archbishop Desmond Tutu. The event included statements by two well-known singers, Ricky Martin, and Yvonne Chaka-Chaka of South Africa, who closed the program with a song.

Jessica Stern, executive director at the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, honored three international human rights defenders who took part in the program: “The voices of Human Rights Defenders Olena Shevchenko (Ukraine), Blas Radi (Argentina), and Gift Trapence (Malawi) are a clarion call to all – to UN diplomats, world leaders, activists, and every day people – that we cannot compromise on human rights….We are all born equals and human rights must be equal for everyone, everywhere. No more, no less.”

In his speech, Ban applauded Argentina for introducing some of the most progressive legislation in the world on gender recognition. Radi helped bring about passage of the gender identity law, which was approved by the Argentinian Senate on May 8 and became effective on June 4.

“Let me say this loud and clear: lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people are entitled to the same rights as everyone else,” SG Ban said. “They, too, are born free and equal. I stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them in their struggle for human rights.”