U.N. Rejects Sexual Orientation as Human Right

Two weeks ago, Thomas Jacobson, a Focus on the Family liaison to the United Nations, made a call to Christians to oppose the proposal for the Brazilian resolution that would have defined “sexual orientation?such as homosexuality as a human right was rejected at the U.N. Human Rights Commission in Geneva, Switzerland. Brazil tabled the resolution Tuesday after the United States, Islamic nations and its own Catholic government strongly opposed it.

Dr. Farooq Hassan, a former commission member, believed a Brazilian-based grass-roots effort was the most effective pressure to table the resolution.

"I apprehend that the real pressure for the government has come from their own people, which is a very good thing," he said. "If the people oppose it that is much better than another country opposing it."

Ellen Sauerbrey, a U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said that pro-family groups in the United States were instrumental in the lobbying effort to table the Brazilian resolution.

Pro-family groups such as FOTF also supported grass-roots efforts in opposing the resolution. The CitizenLink of FOTF urged people to either sign an online petition opposing the resolution (www.stopthebrazilianresolution.com) or mail letters to two Egyptian commission leaders, H.E. Mr. Mohamed Hosni Mubarak, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt and H.E. Mr. Ahmed Maher, Foreign Minister of the Arab Republic of Egypt. Egypt took the lead to fight the resolution during last year’s U.N. Human Rights Commission.

Jacobson had warned Christians that their religious freedom was in danger since the resolution, which would had consider “sexual orientation?as an international right any human should have, could lead to churches being barred from expressing their beliefs and preaching against homosexuality.

Although there is no immediate threat of the resolution being passed during the U.N. Convention, which began on March 15 and will continue until April 23, some say pro-family advocates need to remain tense since it may resurface in the future.

"As a lawyer and as a person who knows the maneuvering of the people who are working on this agenda, (I know) that they are very, very clever," Hassan said. "They are very skillful. Therefore, I think that we cannot be off our guard."

A similar resolution may be appear next year, according to Sauerbrey, who noted that it has not been the first time proposals are represented.

"It may be introduced by either Sweden or the (European Union)," Sauerbrey said. "Having been a legislator for many years, I know how it works. The groups keep coming back, and coming back ?and you have to keep fighting.?


Katherine T. Phan