Int'l meeting against homophobia under way
May 18, 2007
Turkish Daily News
A two-day international meeting against homophobia kicked off yesterday in the Turkish capital, with most speakers focusing on the legal vacuum in safeguarding the rights of homosexuals in Turkey and abroad.
Zehra Kabasakal, expert on political science and women studies, discussed the issue in the context of international human rights, complaining that the United Nations is lacking a universal charter on the rights of homosexuals and that none of the U.N. documents make a direct reference to homosexuality.
“We must recognize the diversity in order to achieve equality for human dignity and we must ensure genuine equality,” she told the conference audience. Kabasakal, referring to the two separate milestones at the international level on the rights of homosexuals, said one was the removal by the World Health Organization of homosexuality from the list of the mental illnesses in May 1990, and the other was the adoption of the Yogyakarta Principles in November 2006 which address a broad range of international human rights standards and their application to issues of sexual orientation and gender identity.
Another guest speaker Börje Vestlund, Social Democrat Party member of the Swedish Parliament, said seven homosexuals, including himself, sit in the 349-member Swedish Parliament and expressed hope to see homosexuals members in the future Turkish Parliament.
Anette Trettebergstuen, Labor Party member of the Norwegian Parliament, said the Norwegian parliament has three LGBT (an acronym for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender). She said the gender mutual marriage act would come into force in Norway in 2009.
The last speaker of the conference, Kürşad Kahramanoğlu, member of Kaos Gay and Lesbian Cultural Research and Solidarity Organization (Kaos GL), called on the states to adopt the Yogyakarta Principles. He also emphasized that homosexuals in Turkey give full support for Turkey's ambitions to become a member of the European Union, since it would also improve the rights of homosexuals in Turkey.
A 20-minute documentary was on display in the beginning of the conference, which depicted interviews with homosexuals, who said they lack legal protections and face social stigma in Turkey and fall victim to discrimination and violence in society.
Original Link: http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=73527
Turkish Daily News
A two-day international meeting against homophobia kicked off yesterday in the Turkish capital, with most speakers focusing on the legal vacuum in safeguarding the rights of homosexuals in Turkey and abroad.
Zehra Kabasakal, expert on political science and women studies, discussed the issue in the context of international human rights, complaining that the United Nations is lacking a universal charter on the rights of homosexuals and that none of the U.N. documents make a direct reference to homosexuality.
“We must recognize the diversity in order to achieve equality for human dignity and we must ensure genuine equality,” she told the conference audience. Kabasakal, referring to the two separate milestones at the international level on the rights of homosexuals, said one was the removal by the World Health Organization of homosexuality from the list of the mental illnesses in May 1990, and the other was the adoption of the Yogyakarta Principles in November 2006 which address a broad range of international human rights standards and their application to issues of sexual orientation and gender identity.
Another guest speaker Börje Vestlund, Social Democrat Party member of the Swedish Parliament, said seven homosexuals, including himself, sit in the 349-member Swedish Parliament and expressed hope to see homosexuals members in the future Turkish Parliament.
Anette Trettebergstuen, Labor Party member of the Norwegian Parliament, said the Norwegian parliament has three LGBT (an acronym for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender). She said the gender mutual marriage act would come into force in Norway in 2009.
The last speaker of the conference, Kürşad Kahramanoğlu, member of Kaos Gay and Lesbian Cultural Research and Solidarity Organization (Kaos GL), called on the states to adopt the Yogyakarta Principles. He also emphasized that homosexuals in Turkey give full support for Turkey's ambitions to become a member of the European Union, since it would also improve the rights of homosexuals in Turkey.
A 20-minute documentary was on display in the beginning of the conference, which depicted interviews with homosexuals, who said they lack legal protections and face social stigma in Turkey and fall victim to discrimination and violence in society.
Original Link: http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=73527
