UN meets on gay rights declaration

The United Nations General Assembly will today consider a declaration urging the decriminalisation of homosexuality worldwide.



It will be the first time that the UN General Assembly will ever deliberate the issue of lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender human rights.



Although the declaration will not be binding on the member states, gay rights activists believe it will have an immensely symbolic value.



The declaration is to be tabled in the General Assembly by France with the backing of all 27-member states of the European Union and several other European countries.



Russia and Turkey are not signing.



The call for the decriminalisation of same-sex relationships also has the support of the Latin American states of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, Uruguay, but not Columbia, Guyana or Venezuela.



Only three African nations, Gabon, Cape Verde and Guinea-Bissau, are endorsing the declaration so far.



Although New Zealand and Australia are committed to the declaration, the United States is not, while Canada is a sponsor.



No country in the Middle East, apart from Israel, endorses the declaration, and in Asia only Japan has agreed to approve it.



China and India are silent on where they stand.