Vietnam supports United Nations’ mandate on LGBT rights

By Vuong Anh July 2, 2016 | 04:03 am PT

Couples kiss during an LGBT Pride parade in Oviedo, northern Spain, June 28, 2016. Photo by Reuters/Eloy Alonso

Vietnam on June 30 has voted in favor of a new resolution on protection of homosexual, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) community put forward by the United Nations (U.N.) during a meeting session in Geneva, Switzerland.

Vietnam is among 23 members of the 47-seat council that voted in favor of the resolution. It is one of the only three supporters from Asia, together with Mongolia and South Korea.

The new LGBT resolution of the General Council of the United Nations was passed after receiving 23 positive votes, 18 negatives and six blank votes in total. It is considered a significant effort by the international community to protect the rights of gay and transgender people around the world.

Following the resolution, an independent monitor will be appointed and charged with identifying the root causes of violence and discrimination against LGBT people and discussing with governments ways to protect them.

Human Rights Campaign Global Director Ty Cobb described in a statement the resolution’s passage as “a significant milestone in the global effort for LGBTQ equality.”

U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Samantha Power took to Twitter to celebrate the vote.

Historic day: @UN Human Rights Council just created 1st-ever position at @UN to fight LGBTI discrimination & violence. #ArcOfHistory
— Samantha Power (@AmbassadorPower) June 30, 2016

Human rights activists said the recent mass shooting in Orlando (U.S.) played a role in pushing the decision forward. The U.N. Security Council in a June 13 statement condemned the massacre at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando and specifically denounced anti-LGBT violence for the first time.

By saying “yes” to the resolution, Vietnam has shown its consistent support for equal rights of the LGBT. On November 2015, the country passed a law to recognize gender reassignment and had earlier lifted a ban on same-sex marriage. Same-sex couples, however, have not been granted legal marital status.

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