An attempt by Russia to deny benefits to same-sex partners of United Nations (UN) staff has been pushed back in an overwhelming vote affirming the right of the UN to set its own internal policies, writes Jean Freedberg on the HRC Blog.
Last June, LGBT advocates hailed the policy announcement by Secretary General Ban ki-Moon that same-sex partners of UN employees would now qualify for health insurance and other benefits that married opposite-sex partners have long enjoyed.
Then last December, in an unusual effort that would undermine the Secretary General’s authority over personnel matters, Russia began to seek reversal of this policy. Although an initial attempt was stymied in the final days before Christmas, Russia revived its effort last week, and brought the matter to a vote today in a UN administrative committee. The vote was unequivocal: 80 countries supported the UN’s policy and affirmed the rights of all its employees, while only 43 countries opposed it and 37 abstained.
Hyung Hak Nam, the president of UN-GLOBE the staff employee resource group for LGBTI staff at the UN said in a statement,
The proposal from the Russia Federation to deny benefits to legal same-sex couples at the UN was not adopted today during a vote in the Fifth Committee of the General Assembly, with 80 countries voting against the proposal, 43 voting for it, and 37 countries abstaining.
UN-GLOBE, the staff group representing LGBTI staff in the UN system, has been fighting the proposal from Russia since it first surfaced back in December, and considers this vote a huge victory for equality and non-discrimination at the UN.
With this vote, a majority of countries present also sent a strong message of support to the Secretary-General, and his prerogative to issue administrative instructions as Chief Administrative Officer of the UN.
The Secretary-General’s policy, whose withdrawal was sought by Russia, grants equal benefits to all staff members in legal unions, including those in same-sex unions.
The previous policy, while automatically granting partnership benefits to staff members in opposite-sex unions, only granted partnership benefits to staff members in same-sex unions if their embassies gave consent, creating discriminatory practices.
Staff members legally married to same-sex partners who could not obtain consent from their embassies were considered to be single by their UN organizations.
Following this vote, UN-GLOBE will continue its fight to ensure that there is full equality and inclusiveness for LGBTI staff in the UN system, which does not currently exist.
UN-GLOBE will also continue to ensure that no staff member is discriminated against, or targeted because of his or her sexual orientation or gender identity.
UN-GLOBE is thankful to allies who worked to make the outcome of this vote possible, including countries friendly to LGBTI rights; LGBT human rights organizations such as IGLHRC and COC; staff federations of the UN; and the Secretary-General’s office.
U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Samantha Power, said that “the United States is pleased with the outcome of today’s vote.” She added, however, that “we must speak plainly about what Russia tried to do today: diminish the authority of the UN Secretary-General and export to the UN its domestic hostility to LGBT rights. This proposal, if it had passed, would have caused great uncertainty about future administrative decisions by the Secretary-General and needless heartache for the global public servants to whom we owe not a blow to their dignity, but a debt of thanks.”
Ty Cobb, HRC Global’s Director said “this is a new low for the Russian government. Instead of advancing rights for all people, the Russian government is busily finding ways to marginalize LGBT people and make life more difficult for LGBT families wherever they may be. I am pleased that today’s vote was a success but it points to the need for us to continue to be vigilant in major international forums like the United Nations and elsewhere, where countries like Russia can push their agenda of exclusion.”
