Proprio nella giornata mondiale contro l’omofobia, il 17 maggio, il comitato per le organizzazioni non governative dell’ONU ha rigettato ad ILGA-Europe la domanda di status consultivo all’ECOSOC (consiglio economico e sociale delle nazioni unite).
ILGA-Europe è la quarta organizzazione LGBT a venire rigettata nel giro di poche settimane (ILGA, LBL (Danimarca), LSVD (Germania) sono state rigettate allo stesso modo prima) e probabilmente una quinta subirà a breve la stessa sorte.
La rappresentanza francese nel comitato ha rilevato come questi rifiuti siano stati effettuati in violazione delle procedure del comitato. L’inammissibilità all’esame dichiarata dal comitato per queste organizzazioni che avevano fornito tutta la documentazione richiesta è stata un fatto senza precedenti, indice di una forte pregiudiziale a priori contro le associazioni LGBT.
Ecco il comunicato Stampa – in Inglese – di ILGA-Europe a riguardo.
UN denies consultative status to ILGA-Europe
On 17 May 2006, when the world marked International Day against Homophobia, the United Nations (UN) rejected ILGA-Europe’s application for consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). On the same day a similar application by LSVD a German national lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) federation was also rejected.
Rejection was proposed by Iran and supported by 9 countries – Cameroon, China, Côte d’Ivoire, Iran, Pakistan, Russian Federation, Senegal, Sudan, Zimbabwe; 7 counties did not support rejection of ILGA-Europe’s application – Chile, Colombia, France, Germany, Peru, Romania, United States), and 2 countries abstained (India, Turkey).
Submitting her proposal for immediate rejection of the application, the representative of Iran, supported by Sudan’s delegate, said that ILGA-Europe and LSVD were part of the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA), whose application had also been rejected. Iran had doubts over how the organisation could contribute to ECOSOC’s work and the answers it had provided were not satisfactory.
In general statements and explanations of position, the representatives of Germany, France, Chile, Romania, India and Peru expressed their concerns that due process had been violated as the NGO had not been given an opportunity to answer Iran’s objections. France’s delegate noted that such rejection was a violation of article 15 of resolution 1996/31 governing the Committee. Speakers also expressed concern that discrimination had entered the Committee’s realm.
Patricia Prendiville, Executive Director of ILGA-Europe, said:
“We are deeply disappointed that our application was rejected. We believe this completely unfair decision is motivated by prejudice and ignorance. Ironically this decision was made on the International Day against Homophobia and is yet another proof that LGBT people in the world are far from being treated equally and with dignity. We are thankful to all those countries and European organisations that supported our application. We will continue in our work to achieve the human rights of LGBT people and to have their rights respected”
