BENT! The Gay News Blog

Geneva, Switzerland, 7 March 2012 - Secretary-General's ( Ban Ki Moon ) video message to Human Rights Council meeting on Violence and Discrimination based on s.exual Orientation or Gender Identity. The following is the text from that message, AllOut.org have since remixed a video of the message but I have been unble to post it here despite video being enabled and hosting it on an alternative source to y.out.ube. Do check the video out at AllOut.org and sign the support petition. - Aquilla

Madam Lasserre, President of the Human Rights Council, Distinguished members of the Council, Ms. Pillay, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am pleased to address this historic Human Rights Council session.

Some say s.exual orientation and gender identity is a sensitive subject.

I understand. Like many of my generation, I did not grow uptalking about these issues.

But I learned to speak out because lives are at stake -- and because it is our duty, under the United Nations Charter … and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights … to protect the rights of everyone, everywhere.

The High Commissioner’s report doc.uments disturbing abuses in all regions.

We see a pattern of violence and discrimination directed at people just because they are gay, lesbian, bis.exual or transgender.

There is widespread bias at jobs, schools and hospitals.

And appalling violent attacks, including s.exual assault.

People have been imprisoned, tortured, even killed.

This is is a monumental tragedy for those affected -- and a stain on our collective conscience.

It is also a violation of international law.

You, as members of the Human Rights Council, must respond.

To those who are lesbian, gay, bis.exual or transgender, let me say:


You are not alone. Your stru.ggle for an end to violence and discrimination is a shared stru.ggle.



Any attack on you is an attack on the universal values the United Nations and I have sworn to defend and uphold.



Today, I stand with you … and I call upon all countries and people to stand with you, too.



An historic shift is under way. More States see the gravity of the problem.

I firmly oppose conditionality on aid. We need constructive actions

The High Commissioner’s report points the way.

We must:

Tackle the violence… decriminalize consensual same-s.ex relationships… ban discrimination…and educate the public.

We also need regular reporting to verify that violations are genuinely being addressed.

I count on this Council and all people of conscience to make this happen.

The time has come.