Commonwealth Business Communications
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
  • COUNTRIES
    • AFRICA
      • BOTSWANA
      • CAMEROON
      • GAMBIA
      • GHANA
      • KENYA
      • KINGDOM OF eSWATINI
      • LESOTHO
      • MALAWI
      • MAURITIUS
      • MOZAMBIQUE
      • NAMIBIA
      • NIGERIA
      • RWANDA
      • SEYCHELLES
      • SIERRA LEONE
      • SOUTH AFRICA
      • TANZANIA
      • UGANDA
      • ZAMBIA
    • ASIA
      • BANGLADESH
      • BRUNEI DARUSSALAM
      • INDIA
      • MALAYSIA
      • MALDIVES
      • PAKISTAN
      • SINGAPORE
      • SRI LANKA
    • CARIBBEAN AND AMERICAS
      • ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
      • BAHAMAS
      • BARBADOS
      • BELIZE
      • CANADA
      • DOMINICA
      • GRENADA
      • GUYANA
      • JAMAICA
      • SAINT LUCIA
      • ST KITTS AND NEVIS
      • ST VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES
      • TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
    • EUROPE
      • CYPRUS
      • MALTA
      • UNITED KINGDOM
    • PACIFIC
      • AUSTRALIA
      • FIJI
      • KIRIBATI
      • NAURU
      • NEW ZEALAND
      • PAPUA NEW GUINEA
      • SAMOA
      • SOLOMON ISLANDS
      • TONGA
      • TUVALU
      • VANUATU
  • AREAS OF WORK
    • GOVERNMENT
    • EDUCATION
    • HEALTH
    • ICT
    • INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT
    • NATURAL RESOURCES
    • SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
    • TRADE AND INVESTMENT
  • OUR PUBLICATIONS
    • CHOGM
      • COMMONWEALTH HEADS OF GOVERNMENT INTERIM REPORT 2020
      • THE COMMONWEALTH HEADS OF GOVERNMENT MEETING 2018 REPORT
      • THE COMMONWEALTH HEADS OF GOVERNMENT MEETING 2015 REPORT
      • THE COMMONWEALTH HEADS OF GOVERNMENT MEETING 2011 REPORT
      • THE COMMONWEALTH HEADS OF GOVERNMENT MEETING 2009 REPORT
      • THE COMMONWEALTH HEADS OF GOVERNMENT MEETING 2007 REPORT
    • HEALTH
      • COMMONWEALTH HEALTH REPORT 2022
      • COMMONWEALTH HEALTH REPORT 2020
    • EDUCATION
      • COMMONWEALTH EDUCATION REPORT 2021
      • COMMONWEALTH EDUCATION REPORT 2019
    • MINISTERS
      • MINISTERS REFERENCE BOOK COMMONWEALTH 2017
      • MINISTERS REFERENCE BOOK COMMONWEALTH 2015
      • MINISTERS REFERENCE BOOK COMMONWEALTH 2014
      • COMMONWEALTH MINISTERS REFERENCE BOOK 2011
      • COMMONWEALTH MINISTERS REFERENCE BOOK 2010
      • COMMONWEALTH MINISTERS REFERENCE BOOK 2009
      • COMMONWEALTH MINISTERS REFERENCE BOOK 2008
      • COMMONWEALTH MINISTERS REFERENCE BOOK 2007
    • FINANCE
      • COMMONWEALTH FINANCE MINISTERS REPORT 2012
      • COMMONWEALTH FINANCE MINISTERS REFERENCE REPORT 2010
      • COMMONWEALTH FINANCE MINISTERS REFERENCE REPORT 2009
      • COMMONWEALTH FINANCE MINISTERS REFERENCE REPORT 2008
      • COMMONWEALTH FINANCE MINISTERS REFERENCE REPORT 2007
    • TRADE AND INVESTMENT
      • AFRICA INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT REPORT 2013
    • QUEEN AND COMMONWEALTH
      • QUEEN & COMMONWEALTH: CELEBRATING HER MAJESTY’S PLATINUM JUBILEE
      • QUEEN & COMMONWEALTH: 90 GLORIOUS YEARS
      • QUEEN & COMMONWEALTH: CELEBRATING HER MAJESTY’S DIAMOND JUBILEE
  • CONTRIBUTORS
  • CONTACT US
Commonwealth Business Communications
Commonwealth Business Communications
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
  • COUNTRIES
    • AFRICA
      • BOTSWANA
      • CAMEROON
      • GAMBIA
      • GHANA
      • KENYA
      • KINGDOM OF eSWATINI
      • LESOTHO
      • MALAWI
      • MAURITIUS
      • MOZAMBIQUE
      • NAMIBIA
      • NIGERIA
      • RWANDA
      • SEYCHELLES
      • SIERRA LEONE
      • SOUTH AFRICA
      • TANZANIA
      • UGANDA
      • ZAMBIA
    • ASIA
      • BANGLADESH
      • BRUNEI DARUSSALAM
      • INDIA
      • MALAYSIA
      • MALDIVES
      • PAKISTAN
      • SINGAPORE
      • SRI LANKA
    • CARIBBEAN AND AMERICAS
      • ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
      • BAHAMAS
      • BARBADOS
      • BELIZE
      • CANADA
      • DOMINICA
      • GRENADA
      • GUYANA
      • JAMAICA
      • SAINT LUCIA
      • ST KITTS AND NEVIS
      • ST VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES
      • TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
    • EUROPE
      • CYPRUS
      • MALTA
      • UNITED KINGDOM
    • PACIFIC
      • AUSTRALIA
      • FIJI
      • KIRIBATI
      • NAURU
      • NEW ZEALAND
      • PAPUA NEW GUINEA
      • SAMOA
      • SOLOMON ISLANDS
      • TONGA
      • TUVALU
      • VANUATU
  • AREAS OF WORK
    • GOVERNMENT
    • EDUCATION
    • HEALTH
    • ICT
    • INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT
    • NATURAL RESOURCES
    • SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
    • TRADE AND INVESTMENT
  • OUR PUBLICATIONS
    • CHOGM
      • COMMONWEALTH HEADS OF GOVERNMENT INTERIM REPORT 2020
      • THE COMMONWEALTH HEADS OF GOVERNMENT MEETING 2018 REPORT
      • THE COMMONWEALTH HEADS OF GOVERNMENT MEETING 2015 REPORT
      • THE COMMONWEALTH HEADS OF GOVERNMENT MEETING 2011 REPORT
      • THE COMMONWEALTH HEADS OF GOVERNMENT MEETING 2009 REPORT
      • THE COMMONWEALTH HEADS OF GOVERNMENT MEETING 2007 REPORT
    • HEALTH
      • COMMONWEALTH HEALTH REPORT 2022
      • COMMONWEALTH HEALTH REPORT 2020
    • EDUCATION
      • COMMONWEALTH EDUCATION REPORT 2021
      • COMMONWEALTH EDUCATION REPORT 2019
    • MINISTERS
      • MINISTERS REFERENCE BOOK COMMONWEALTH 2017
      • MINISTERS REFERENCE BOOK COMMONWEALTH 2015
      • MINISTERS REFERENCE BOOK COMMONWEALTH 2014
      • COMMONWEALTH MINISTERS REFERENCE BOOK 2011
      • COMMONWEALTH MINISTERS REFERENCE BOOK 2010
      • COMMONWEALTH MINISTERS REFERENCE BOOK 2009
      • COMMONWEALTH MINISTERS REFERENCE BOOK 2008
      • COMMONWEALTH MINISTERS REFERENCE BOOK 2007
    • FINANCE
      • COMMONWEALTH FINANCE MINISTERS REPORT 2012
      • COMMONWEALTH FINANCE MINISTERS REFERENCE REPORT 2010
      • COMMONWEALTH FINANCE MINISTERS REFERENCE REPORT 2009
      • COMMONWEALTH FINANCE MINISTERS REFERENCE REPORT 2008
      • COMMONWEALTH FINANCE MINISTERS REFERENCE REPORT 2007
    • TRADE AND INVESTMENT
      • AFRICA INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT REPORT 2013
    • QUEEN AND COMMONWEALTH
      • QUEEN & COMMONWEALTH: CELEBRATING HER MAJESTY’S PLATINUM JUBILEE
      • QUEEN & COMMONWEALTH: 90 GLORIOUS YEARS
      • QUEEN & COMMONWEALTH: CELEBRATING HER MAJESTY’S DIAMOND JUBILEE
  • CONTRIBUTORS
  • CONTACT US

Disappointment over Progress on LGBTQ Rights at CHOGM

  • CBC News Team
Total
0
Shares
0
0
0

Efforts by LGBTQ activists to advance the rights of sexual minorities at the Commonwealth Summit, also known as the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), in April will be frustrated as government leaders look to sideline the issue

Efforts by LGBTQ activists to advance the rights of sexual minorities at the Commonwealth Summit, also known as the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), in April will be frustrated as government leaders look to sideline the issue.

Canadian and British Prime Ministers Justin Trudeau and Theresa May have prioritised advancing LGBTQ rights in policy discussion and it was hoped this year’s gathering would join in on progressive language on the issue.

It is now likely, however, that this will be avoided in order to prevent the Summit ending in discord.

The Commonwealth operates by consensus and many governments of developing member states see LGBTQ rights advocacy by developed nations such as Canada and Britain as an intrusion into internal affairs.

Canada and Britain’s former Prime Ministers Stephen Harper and David Cameron took a confrontational approach during their time as Commonwealth heads of government and threatened to cut funding unless states reformed their laws.

Trudeau and May, meanwhile, have strived to encourage rather than confront, with speculation that May might offer an apology, on behalf of Britain, at the Summit for introducing sodomy laws into former colonies.

This year’s Summit is likely to see the Queen’s last attendance at the gathering, as she will be 93 when heads of government next convene in 2020 in Malaysia.

Organisers fear that a push on sexual minority rights would mar the last Summit at which the Head of the Commonwealth would be physically present.

At the 2015 Summit in Malta, LGBTQ activists did address Commonwealth members on the issue, and in June 2017 a coalition of LGBTQ organisations call the Commonwealth Equality Network was accredited by the Commonwealth’s board of governors.

Progress, however, seems to be a long way off, as the next Summit will be in Malaysia, a country known for its pervasive discrimination against LGBT people, according to Human Rights Watch’s annual report in 2018.

Homosexual acts in Malaysia are punishable by up to 20 years in prison, plus whipping.

More disturbingly perhaps, in northern Nigeria these acts carry the death penalty.

Same-sex acts are a criminal offence in 36 of the 53 Commonwealth countries, mostly due to a legacy of laws from the British Empire, which though since rescinded in Britain and other developed countries are still prevalent elsewhere.

Even where laws against same-sex acts have been removed, ancient prejudice, sometimes bolstered by evangelical Christian missionaries, remains and threatens the safety of LGBTQ people.

There has been some progress made in Commonwealth states, with Mozambique removing the offence of “practices against nature” from its criminal code in 2015 and the Seychelles following suit in 2016.

Paul Dillane, Executive Director of Kaleidoscope Trust, offered assurance that a record number of activists would be attending the Summit, despite the lack of exposure on the issue within official discussions.

They will use the gathering to compare best practices in advocating for sexual minority rights at home and internationally.

The Director of the London-based NGO advocating for LGBTQ rights globally said: “We recognize that it is unrealistic to expect the word LGBT to be in the final communiqué, although we would like it to be.

“Our activists will be at every one of the forums, they will participate, they will speak.”

Read More: Jonah Chinga on working on sexual orientation and gender identity issues focusing on sexual and reproductive health and rights, advocacy and coalition-building in the year 2015

iStock-pride_same_sex_marriage.jpg

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
CBC News Team

Previous Article

Commonwealth Youth Council Nominees Announced

  • CBC News Team
Read More
Next Article

Former Finance Minister Appointed to C’wealth High Level Group

  • CBC News Team
Read More
You May Also Like
Flag of Nauru
Read More
  • Uncategorized

Celebrating Nauru Independence Day

  • CBC News Team
  • 31 January 2023
Malta encourages bilingualism with new policy
Read More
  • Education & Youth
  • EDUCATION
  • MALTA
  • EUROPE
  • Uncategorized

Malta encourages bilingualism with new policy

  • CBC News Team
  • 12 January 2023
Read More
  • Uncategorized

FREEDOM DAY – SOUTH AFRICA

  • CBC News Team
  • 27 April 2022
Read More
  • Uncategorized

Anzac day

  • CBC News Team
  • 25 April 2022
Read More
  • Uncategorized

HM THE QUEEN MARKS 70 YEARS AS HEAD OF COMMONWEALTH

  • CBC News Team
  • 5 February 2022
Read More
  • Uncategorized

NATIONAL DAY – GIBRALTAR

  • CBC News Team
  • 10 September 2021
Read More
  • Uncategorized

BIRMINGHAM 2022 FULLY ON TRACK TO STAGE WORLD CLASS EVENT

  • CBC News Team
  • 6 June 2021
Read More
  • Uncategorized

CGF COMMISSION SET FOR LATEST REVIEW OF BIRMINGHAM 2022

  • CBC News Team
  • 31 May 2021
OUR LATEST PUBLICATION

Subscribe to our Newsletter

PARTNER FOCUS
Recent Posts
  • Nigerian communities file pollution case against Shell
    Nigerian communities file pollution case against Shell
  • Australian banknote Currency - Cash
    Australia removes monarch from banknotes
  • Flag of Nauru
    Celebrating Nauru Independence Day
  • Nigeria banknotes. Nigeriannaira bills. 1000 NGN polymer. Business, finance background.
    Nigeria postpones deadline to exchange old notes amid political pressure

Subscribe

Subscribe now to our newsletter

Commonwealth Business Communications
  • HOME
  • About
  • Contact
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
© 2022 Commonwealth Business Communications Limited. All Rights Reserved.

Input your search keywords and press Enter.