UNITED STATES: US votes yes to homophobia in the UN

The US-based Human Rights Watch has criticised the US government for aligning itself with Iran and Zimbabwe in an anti-gay vote in the United Nations. The US and other countries voted to deny UN consultative status at a meeting in late January to any organisation representing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. Consultative status is the only official means by which NGOs participate in UN discussions and some 3000 NGOs who have this status. Scott Long from Human Rights Watch said: "It is astonishing that the Bush administration would align itself with Sudan, China, Iran and Zimbabwe in a coalition of the homophobic."

From Green Left Weekly, February 8, 2006.

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From GLW issue 655