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Rainbow Wellington endorses international report on homophobic Commonwealth

Rainbow Wellington joined the biggest ever coalition of LGBTI organisations from across the Commonwealth to contribute to a damning report which demands Commonwealth leaders take action to stop widespread human rights abuses against LGBTI people.

Rainbow Wellington, along with all of the New Zealand LGBTI community, celebrated the passing of Louisa Wall’s marriage equality act this year. At the same time homosexuality is still illegal in 41 of the 53 Commonwealth member states, Rainbow Wellington Chair Rawa Karetai emphasised.

Abuses, including attempted murder, beatings and harassment are described in the Speaking Out report, recently published by the Kaleidoscope Trust, with contributions from over 20 LGBTI organisations and testimonies of homophobia from almost every Commonwealth state. The Kaleidoscope Trust is a UK based charity working to uphold the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex people internationally.

“The report describes lots of frightening stories of violence and discrimination against members of our communities across the Commonwealth,” Rawa said. “These are issues that our Government needs to urgently raise with our Commonwealth partners.”

“Rainbow Wellington, on behalf of the Commonwealth GLBTI community, supports the recommendations of the Speaking Out report. John Key voted for marriage equality this year in New Zealand’s Parliament. We expect that his Government will actively advocate for the right for all of the Commonwealth’s GLBTI citizens to be free from violence and discrimination,” Rainbow Wellington Chair Rawa Karetai stated.

The report, which is backed by Sir Shridath Ramphal, former Secretary General of the Commonwealth and Dr Purna Sen, former Head of Human Rights at the Commonwealth, demands the Commonwealth take action to address this injustice.

“It is a reminder that for most of the countries of the Commonwealth, the desecration of our fellow citizens began in the law that was introduced by ... As with the abolition of slavery, the decriminalisation of homosexuality in our time must be an act of law,” says Sir Shridath Ramphal, in his Foreword to Speaking Out.

“Across the Commonwealth lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex (LGBTI) people are denied equal access to rights, education, employment, housing and healthcare. Once again we see Commonwealth leaders gathering at the Heads of Government meeting (CHOGM), pushing aside the urgent need to protect every citizen under the law. Once again the human rights of LGBTI people are the elephant in the room,” adds Dr Purna Sen, in her introduction.

The report demands that all Commonwealth governments:

• Repeal any legislation which criminalises same-sex sexual activity
• Put in place an immediate moratorium on the enforcement of any existing laws criminalising homosexuality
• Commit to engage in meaningful dialogue with their LGBTI communities to facilitate an informed debate about the means to remove all legal and other impediments to the enjoyment of their human rights
• Commit to open and free debate across the Commonwealth on the decriminalisation of homosexuality
• Support public education initiatives to inform the people of the Commonwealth about the case for LGBTI equality
• Support the right of an LGBTI Association to register with the Commonwealth alongside all civil society organisations and be free to express its views and engage in public debate
• Fully include LGBTI people in development and other programmes on an equal basis with the rest of society.
• Commit to include a discussion on equal rights for LGBTI citizens as a substantive agenda item at the next CHOGM.

Speaking_Out.pdf

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