India abstains on vote for LGBT rights at U.N.

India chose to abstain at the UN Human Rights Council vote recently to appoint an independent investigator to help protect homosexuals and transgender people worldwide from violence and discrimination.

• India abstained from the LGBT vote in the United Nations as the case is subjudice and the Supreme Court is yet to pronounce its verdict.
• However, overcoming strong objections by Saudi Arabia and Muslim countries, UNHRC adopted a Western-backed resolution by a vote of 23 states in favour and 18 against with six abstentions including that of India, South Africa and the Philippines.

Background:

In 2011, the UN rights body declared there should be no discrimination or violence against people based on their sexual orientation. At the time, Western countries called the vote historic but Islamic states firmly rejected it.

India’s response on the LGBT vote in the UN comes hours after LGBT community members expressed disappointment over its move to help protect the rights of homosexuals and transgenders worldwide.

UNHRC:

It is an inter-governmental body within the United Nations system responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe and for addressing situations of human rights violations and make recommendations on them.

• It meets at the UN Office at Geneva.
• The Council is made up of 47 United Nations Member States which are elected by the UN General Assembly.
• The term of each seat is three years, and no member may occupy a seat for more than two consecutive terms.
• The council works closely with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and engages the United Nations’ special procedures.

The General Assembly can suspend the rights and privileges of any Council member that it decides has persistently committed gross and systematic violations of human rights during its term of membership. The suspension process requires a two-thirds majority vote by the General Assembly.