Ban Ki-Moon, U.N. Secretary General: Gay Rights Must Be Respected In Africa

In what the AFP described as "an unusually outspoken declaration," U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon urged leaders at an African Union summit to respect gay rights.

"One form of discrimination ignored or even sanctioned by many states for too long has been discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity," Ban is quoted as saying Sunday in the Ethiopian capital. "It prompted governments to treat people as second-class citizens or even criminals."

He concluded by subtly comparing the global gay rights movement to the Arab Spring: "Events proved that repression is dead. Police power is no match to people power seeking dignity and justice."

Ban's comments are considered especially groundbreaking in Africa, where homosexuality is outlawed in most countries, including key Western allies such as Uganda, Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt and Botswana, the BBC reported. Furthermore, discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people remains rampant across most of the continent.

Among those who praised Ban's remarks was Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG) advocacy officer Pepe Julian Onziema. "It holds a lot of weight that Ban Ki-moon has come to this meeting and addressed this issue," he told the AFP. "It makes a difference because it is an issue that the African Union has ignored. We have pushed them on it but they have shut us out."

As Pink News pointed out, the U.N. official's declaration echoes similar sentiments he made in 2010. "When individuals are attacked, abused or imprisoned because of their sexual orientation, we must speak out," he said. "These are not merely assaults on individuals. They are attacks on all of us. They devastate families. They pit one group against another, dividing larger society. And when the perpetrators of violence escape without penalty, they make a mockery of the universal values we hold dear."

His statements this year come on the heels of Hillary Clinton's historic LGBT rights speech, which the Secretary of State delivered in Geneva last month.

Comments

[esosa233]

09:43 PM on 02/02/2012

It's Ironic how in Africa what they take as their culture is the depositories of the 18th century missionaries and instead of moving on like the creators of that culture is doing, they prefer to stick with the old biased thing of a culture that they were forced upon.

[Ann Garrison]

06:33 PM on 02/02/2012

How about human rights in Africa? When's he going to make a statement about that? Or, about the Acholi Genocide in Northern Uganda, which involved male rape and the use of AIDS as a weapon? This is Western posturing about human rights to further obfuscate ongoing wars and genocide driven by the resource hunger of the industrialized countries and the military industrial complex.

[esosa233]

09:48 PM on 02/02/2012

If the violence against gays was so important that the Africans despite all these problems were able to divert time to commit murder and laws against them I believe they deserve a say.
The violence in Africa is widely known, much has been said and done to help. But all the words have been exhausted on that part, let what can be fixed be fixed, and what cannot be left alone.

[RemarkingMark]

01:30 PM on 01/30/2012

As a straight male, married 33 years to the same woman, I'd like to weigh in on gay bashing. I just don't get it. Who are the gays bothering? Do you think they are gonna form gangs and go out and force your son or daughter to be gay too? Do they threaten your marriage? I have a cousin and an uncle who are gay. Never, have they ever come on to me or tried to force their sexuality on me. They generally just want to be treated like anyone else. What is the problem with that? If they want to get married to another of the same sex, who cares? Marriage is just a lawful joining of two or more people, depending on your beliefs and laws. I don't care if a man has more than one wife, or a woman has more than one husband. Why would I? Doesn't have any effect on me. Just treat everyone the same. What is the problem with that? For everyones sake, get over it, I promise, they won't attack you and force you to have sex with them anymore than a straight person would.

[brklynivn]

09:58 PM on 01/29/2012

How about just leave the gays in your countries alone.

[mrld20]

06:05 PM on 01/29/2012

Gay rights in Africa are at a horrible point... Even in South Africa where same-sex marriage is legal (only place in Africa) and discrimination is outlawed gays are horribly discriminated against...

[FantasticFourFan]

04:54 PM on 01/29/2012

I know one thing that will help: Stop letting American christians go over there!

[Jan Baer]

08:29 PM on 01/29/2012

Thank you, FantasticFourFan, Unfortunately some who call themselves christian aren't really, or they wouldn't be going to Africa and elsewhere preaching hate. I find those who preach their religion rude and annoying, but some have taken their "message" to a dangerous level.

[Cheyla]

03:41 PM on 01/29/2012

Awesome! Let's hope this trend continues. . .

[embrownbill]

03:04 PM on 01/29/2012

Gay isn't an acceptable shorthand for LGBT, and hasn't been for at least a decade. Could do better, HuffPo.

[felliott]

10:31 PM on 01/29/2012

Speak for yourself.

[Curt H]

03:04 AM on 01/30/2012

As a gay man myself, I can honestly say - get over it.

[embrownbill]

04:14 AM on 01/30/2012

As a trans woman, I can honestly say - that's not your call :)

[rockysparks]

01:00 PM on 01/29/2012

Ban Ki-Moon's message to Africa is a good thing. Another good thing would be if he addressed a similar message specifically to the United States.

[felliott]

10:31 PM on 01/29/2012

And Saudi Arabia and Iran and Russia and ....

[rockysparks]

11:41 PM on 01/29/2012

Of course, but we expect better from the United States.

[Ivoire]

12:39 PM on 01/29/2012

I agree that gays rights must be respected. Unfortunately, in Africa, homosexuality is mostly seen as a desease. And I am sure Ban Ki-Moon will be severely criticized for not respecting africa's culture.

[esosa233]

09:39 PM on 02/02/2012

Completely true.

[truth be told again]

12:36 PM on 01/29/2012

Finally an actual world leaader speaking out on this pervasive injustice. Good for him.

I only hope America teavangelicals won't have their usual sway over this matter.

[Ann Garrison]

06:35 PM on 02/02/2012

Finally? Obama, Hillary Clinton, and the entire U.S. Senate and Congress have spoken out about it, repeatedly. When Feingold was head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he got them all to pass a resolution about it.