Green MP Kevin Hague believes it is an “absolute travesty” that 11 LGBTI organisations have been blocked from attending a high-level UN AIDS conference next month. The organisations were blocked by 51 Muslim States, who sent a letter objecting the participation of the groups. The letter, sent from Egypt, was addressed to the president of the 193-member general assembly, Mogens Lykketoft, on behalf of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. “I was an NGO rep as part of Annette King's delegation to the UNGASS on HIV back when I was at NZAF,” says Hague “My observation is that for many countries gay community organisations provide leadership for the response to HIV, so to exclude is both a breach of human rights and robs the UN of some of the most important expertise. In other words an absolute travesty.” While international diplomacy isn’t Hague’s field, he says he certainly expects our Government to use its international position - on the Security Council, for example - “to advocate for a world community that works with civil society and goes to extreme lengths to ensure respect for human rights.”
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Tuesday, 24th May 2016 - 1:26pm