I/IV. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/India-with-Iran-Saudi-in-backing-Russia-on-anti-gay-move-at-UN/articleshow/46695601.cms
India with Iran, Saudi in backing Russia on anti-gay move at UN Agencies | Mar 26, 2015, 04.14 AM IST India on Tuesday joined countries such as Russia, Saudi Arabia, Iran and China in a failed bid to block the United Nations from extending staff benefits to all same-sex couples. UNITED NATIONS: India on Tuesday joined countries such as Russia, Saudi Arabia, Iran and China in a failed bid to block the United Nations from extending staff benefits to all same-sex couples. The Russian-sponsored resolution at the UN General Assembly budget committee was voted out 80 to 43. There were 37 abstentions and 33 countries did not vote. UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon had promised in July that the UN would recognize all same-sex marriages of its staff, allowing them to receive UN benefits. Previously, personal status of staff members was determined by the laws of their country of nationality. But the UN now recognizes all same-sex couples married in a country where it is legal, regardless of their nationality. Russia wanted the 193-member General Assembly Fifth Committee, which deals with the UN budget, to overturn Ban's decision and had been threatening to put the measure to a vote since December. India, Saudi Arabia, China, Iran, Egypt, Pakistan, and Syria voted in favour of the proposal. We must speak plainly about what Russia tried to do today: diminish the authority of the UN secretary-general and export to the UN its domestic hostility to LGBT rights," US ambassador to the UN, Samantha Power, said after the vote. "The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia does not support expansion of benefits for same-sex couples because Saudi Arabia believes these relationships are morally unacceptable," a Saudi diplomat told the UN committee. Russia's deputy ambassador to the UN, Petr Iliichev, said the world body should return to how the issue was previously regulated, citing it as "an example of how the UN respects cultural differences, sovereign right of each and every state to determine its norms." President Vladimir Putin says there is no gay discrimination in Russia. Times View It is extremely unfortunate that India should have voted against the UN granting the same privileges to same sex spouses of its staff as to spouses in heterosexual marriages. That it should be on the same side of this issue as countries like Saudi Arabia and Iran, known for their social conservatism, underlines the strangeness of the Indian government's position on the issue. This stance, of course, mirrors the attitude of most of our political class towards the issue of gay rights, which is evident from the fact that a law criminalizing homosexuality remains on the statute books more than a decade after the Law Commission had asked for it to be scrapped. We have consistently argued that a person's sexual orientation should be a matter of no concern to the state, which should only step in where sex - whether heterosexual or homosexual - is non-consensual and coercive. II/VI. http://www.dnaindia.com/world/report-india-joins-russia-in-anti-gay-rights-stand-at-united-nations-2071814 India joins Russia in anti-gay rights stand at United Nations Wednesday, 25 March 2015 - 1:40pm IST | Place: United Nations | Agency: PTI India was among the 43 countries that voted in support of a Russian-drafted resolution that proposed removing benefits for same-sex partners of UN staff, but the resolution failed to pass in the General Assembly committee after 80 nations opposed it. India was among the 43 countries that voted in support of a Russian-drafted resolution that proposed removing benefits for same-sex partners of UN staff, but the resolution failed to pass in the General Assembly committee after 80 nations opposed it. The Fifth Committee of the General Assembly, that deals with administrative and budgetary issues, voted against the Russian proposal here yesterday that aimed at stopping the UN from offering marital benefits to its employees with same-sex spouses. The resolution would have had UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon withdraw his policy laying out the United Nations current rules for the personal status of staff members for determining their benefits and entitlements. The policy made by Ban last summer had recognised same-sex marriages of all UN staffers, allowing them to receive UN benefits. India, along with China, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE voted in favour of the draft resolution, which had 37 abstentions. Same-sex relations are a criminal offence in India. Ban has been a strong proponent of equal rights for the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) community and had said that he is proud to stand for greater equality for all staff. In introducing the policy last year, the UN chief had called on all members of the UN family to unite in rejecting homophobia. Previously, a staff member's marital status was determined by the laws applicable in his or her country of nationality. Under the new UN policy on the personal status of same-sex couples, which became effective on June 26 last year, the world body recognised all same-sex couples married in a country where it is legal, regardless of their nationality. About 40,000 UN staff across the world came under the purview of the policy. Ban's deputy spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters that the Secretary General "does appreciate the support of those who recognized his authority as Chief Administrative Officer as per the UN Charter." III/IV. http://www.firstpost.com/living/india-votes-against-giving-same-sex-partners-of-un-staff-equal-benefits-2173099.html India backs Russia, votes against same-sex partners of UN staff getting equal benefits Snipped IV. http://scroll.in/article/716131/India-stood-with-Iran,-Saudi-and-Pakistan-in-failed-attempt-to-block-benefits-for-gay-UN-staffers GAY RIGHTS India stood with Iran, Saudi and Pakistan in failed attempt to block benefits for gay UN staffers Russian proposal to prevent benefits to same-sex couples was voted down. Scroll Staff Yesterday ยท 10:57 am Snipped -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
