23 'yes-es' for gay people but not Malaysia
Among those who voted 'no' was Malaysia along with Egypt, China, Russia, Niger, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Venezuela they cited procedural reasons. Those voting in favour included the US, Britain, Canada, Germany, Brazil and Japan.
With the Ecosoc status, the group will now enjoy the privilege to attend the UN meetings, submit oral and print statements and not to mention, more collaboration opportunities with both government and UN agencies on human rights for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people.
Currently, only nine of the 3,200 groups with consultative status at Ecosoc are gay and lesbian organisations.
The IGLHRC is a leading international organisation dedicated to human rights advocacy for people who face discrimination on the basis of their actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity. It is currently based in the US and has offices in South Africa, Argentina and the Philippines.
It is interesting to note that there are the Yogyakarta Principles on the Application of International Law in Relation to Issues of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in place. This landmark document was adopted by a meeting of experts in Yogyakarta back in November 2006 as a response to the increasing patterns of abuse to the LGBT groups. The exact venue was the Gadjah Mada University, a leading educational institution in Indonesia.
The document sets as a milestone achievement for the struggle for basic human rights as well as gender equality in the region and is intended to serve as an international standard relating to sexual orientation and gender identity. Still in its early stage, the Yogyakarta Principles nevertheless have been well-r! eceived by some of the organisations in the Asia-Pacific region.
In May 2009, a workshop on a re-look at the Yogyakarta Principles was hosted by the National Human Rights Commission of Indonesia (Komnas Ham) with the support of the Asia-Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions (APF). It is a lauded effort for the forward-thinking role that Komnas Ham has played in leading human rights promotion and protection efforts for the LGBT people in the Asia Pacific region.
Nine national human rights institutions' members of the APF including Malaysia's Suhakam gathered for a workshop in Yogyakarta to consider the role of such institutions in the protection and promotion of the human rights of LGBT people.
A consensus statement was produced as the outcome of the workshop and listed several actions that the national human rights institutions could consider to use their mandates in addressing the discrimination and violence on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or expression.
The National Human Rights Commission of Thailand (NHRCT) has been a very supportive institution and they have used the Yogyakarta Principles in their lobbying work on the new constitution in 2007. The NHRCT has also been involved in several public events publicising the Principles.
While the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines (CHR) has also openly supported the work of the LGBT people including the undivided support for Ang Ladlad, a Philippines- based LGBT political party in their accreditation bid with the Philippines Commission on Elections. Although the CHR is not prepared to declare that the Yogyakarta Principles contain norms that are obligatory on the Philippines, it is nonetheless a step forward.
Suhakam, who also attended the workshop, however, has remained rather passive on the issue. Suhakam took the stand that the institution was not familiar with the LGBT rights issues and that the LGBT in Malaysia enjoys all the fundamental rights under the federal constitution as the non-LGBT.
The i! nstituti on also mentioned that the extent of the LGBT rights as well as the non-LGBT must not disrespect the position of Islam as the official religion of and the sensitivity of the diverse society on the whole.
In Malaysia itself, the government's stand is very clear the LGBT rights are not recognised, just as simple as that. In 1994, the government of Malaysia banned the LGBT people from appearing in the state-controlled media.
The issue of homosexuality is further complicated in Malaysia primarily due to religion. Discrimination against LGBT people is a serious problem in the country. Just in last two months, we witnessed the unprofessional reporting by these two newspapers, Harian Metro and Kosmo that carried disparaging words to describe the group.
The LGBT people's voice has been suppressed for a long time and remains unchanged. It is therefore important to ensure that these voices not being silenced and that their human rights are not being denied.
We are all equal and their rights should not allow to be swept under the carpet because of religion.
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