Respect gay rights, African leaders told
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has pleaded with African leaders to respect LGBTI rights.
Addressing an African Union summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Ban said discrimination had been ignored or even sanctioned for far too long.
"Confronting these discriminations is a challenge, but we must not give up on the ideas of the universal declaration (of human rights)," he told the summit.
He also said the so-called Arab Spring had shown that leaders "must listen to their people".
Ban said discrimination based on sexuality or gender identification "prompted governments to treat people as second class citizens or even criminals".
Homosexuality is illegal in many African nations including Western allies such as Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya and Egypt, a situation drawing increasing criticism from the West.
Last year both the US and UK governments announced they would reconsider foreign aid payments in the light of the human rights records of recipient countries.
Many African nations defied the US and UK governments, claiming they were trying to interfere in sovereign issues.
Nigeria introduced legislation that would further criminalise homosexuality, promising 14 years in jail for anyone who entered into a same-sex marriage or cohabitation, with jail terms for anyone who abetted them.
Nigeria is just the latest African country to move towards restricting gay rights in recent years, following Uganda, Kenya, Ghana and Senegal.
- Tags: African Union, Ban Ki-Moon, Blaze, Criminalisation, Decriminalisation, Egypt, Kenya, LGBTI Rights, MCV, Nigeria, Queensland Pride, SX, Uganda
About the Author
Ron Hughes
Ron started working for the Adelaide's former LGBTI newspaper Adelaide GT back in the late 90s. He was first engaged as a temp to work for a single hour and has remained through changes of company and publication for 12 years or so. He became editor of blaze in December 2010.
Ron loves collaborating with people and he also loves the arts, and editing blaze often brings both loves together. He is proud that blaze has played a seminal role over the years promoting not only Adelaide's LGBTI cultural festival Feast, but also the Adelaide Fringe, Adelaide Cabaret Festival and the OzAsia festival.
Ron is also proud that blaze has devoted itself to championing the rights of all LGBTI South Australians over many years. A bit of a dreamer, he nurtures a secret, furtive hope that SA may one day return to the socially-progressive state it used to be.
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