EU plans to fight for LGBT rights worldwide

The Council of the European Union on June 30 adopted a “Toolkit to Promote
and Protect the Enjoyment of All Human Rights by Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual
and Transgender People.”

The kit details what the EU should be doing to defend LGBT human rights in
other nations.

It calls on diplomats, the new European External Action Service, and EU
member states to actively work for decriminalization of same-sex relations
worldwide, to further denounce discrimination on grounds of sexual
orientation and gender identity, and to support human rights defenders in
repressive countries.

“The Council’s Working Party on Human Rights is showing some leadership in
the area of human rights for LGBT people, which I applaud,” said Ulrike
Lunacek, co-president of the European Parliament’s Intergroup on LGBT
Rights. “This is a very welcome tool, and one that the Commission,
Council, and the European External Action Service should start using as
soon and as often as possible, for instance by supporting LGBT human
rights defenders in Moscow and St. Petersburg.”

Intergroup Co-President Michael Cashman added: “For the first time, the
Council has taken an excellent and long-lasting initiative for LGBT
people’s human rights abroad. We will be with them along the way to ensure
that (the) European External Action Service and other relevant EU
institutions follow these important guidelines — starting with their work
with African, Caribbean and Pacific countries.”

By Rex Wockner