Proposition 53K0364

Proposition de résolution pour la dépénalisation de l'homosexualité dans le monde.

General information ¶

Authors

Groen Meyrem Almaci
MR Corinne De Permentier
Open Vld Mathias De Clercq, Herman De Croo, Patrick Dewael, Gwendolyn Rutten
PS | SP Patrick Moriau
Vooruit Maya Detiège, Karin Temmerman, Bruno Tuybens

Submission date

Oct. 12, 2010

Official page

Visit

Status

Adopted

Requirement

Simple

Subjects

discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation resolution of parliament development policy development aid human rights sexually transmitted disease sexual minority public health

Voting ¶

Voted to adopt

Groen CD&V Vooruit Ecolo LE PS | SP ∉ Open Vld N-VA LDD MR VB

Contact form ¶

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Discussion ¶

March 3, 2011 | Plenary session (Chamber of representatives)

Full source

Mr. Speaker, dear colleagues, this resolution – which addresses an extremely sensitive human issue since, in some countries, homosexuality is a crime or even a crime – has been the subject of discussions that have resulted in a very broad consensus. During the general discussion, both my colleagues Philippe Blanchart and Bruno Tuybens and myself emphasized how extremely important this theme was, how much it met in the world with increasing support and became a concern. This allowed us to conclude that the draft resolution was useful and that it also had a national scope. That is why it was adopted unanimously, which we welcome. Indeed, this unanimity testifies to the respect for individual freedoms, at least in Belgium. In Belgium, love does not kill.

Mr. Speaker, dear colleagues, this resolution proposal is somehow a tribute to one of my friends, a former member. This is a blink of eye to mr. Xavier Baeselen who is of course the original author of the text deposited for the first time during the previous legislature. The struggle against homophobia in the world is a struggle that held him ⁇ at heart. He has been the subject of a large number of parliamentary questions. Homophobia is a form of sexual racism against which we must stand, just as we stand against all forms of discrimination based on skin color or ethnic origin.

Our political formation will advocate all forms of discrimination based on origin, skin color or sexual orientation. In many states, homosexuality is seen as a trick, a defect, or a curse. In others, it is purely and simply a criminal offence.

This resolution proposal outlines the different forms of discrimination suffered by the homosexual community in certain States.

It calls on the Government to take all necessary measures with respect to these partner countries, both diplomatically and in the field of development cooperation, to end all forms of discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. This acceptance of different sexual orientation constitutes a recognition of the new individual rights to which the partner countries of Belgian diplomacy and its development cooperation must join.

In addition, gender equality is one of the transversal themes of Belgian development cooperation.

Asked about the issue of equality not between different sexes but between different sexual orientations, the Minister of Development Cooperation replied that gender equality included equality of persons of the same sex but of different sexual preferences.

The draft resolution is therefore clearly part of the Belgian legislative framework on development cooperation. Furthermore, it is part of a logic of promoting human development internationally by making its fight against discrimination of all kinds an objective of both our development cooperation and our diplomacy.

The demands made by this proposed resolution to the Government are as follows: the integration of respect for homosexuals in the political dialogue with our partner countries in development cooperation, the drafting by the affiliates of development cooperation of a specific chapter dedicated to the partner countries on the rights of homosexuals, the awareness of the partner country of development cooperation to education in favor of tolerance, respect for each other and in all its differences, taking into account homosexuals in the fight against sexually transmitted diseases and, finally, considering effective protection of homosexuals through a binding international instrument.

Given the universality of this proposal, I request your support for the vote that will take place soon. Knowing that we had an excellent committee debate, an excellent Vienne report and a unanimous vote, I think we will be unanimous.

Mr. Speaker, first of all, I would like to apologize to our colleague Patrick Moriau, co-signator of this proposal for a resolution, who is on a mission abroad.

While Belgium is a global benchmark in respecting individual choices of sexual orientation, it is not the same in the rest of the world in general, and in particular in a number of countries with which Belgium ⁇ ins economic relations, diplomatic relations, or even partnerships in the field of development cooperation.

The situation is alarming. Every day, men and women are insulted, humiliated and persecuted because of their most intimate choices. This is unacceptable in the 21st century. Every individual must enjoy fundamental rights and freedoms, without discrimination based on race, religion, philosophical affiliation or sexual orientation.

Homosexuality has remained a taboo in many countries. There is no need to go too far to see that this taboo remains whole, even within the European Union. I think, for example, of the municipality of Vilnius, which in 2008 refused a truck from the European Union’s campaign “For Diversity”. In 2005, Lech Kaczynski, mayor of Warsaw, banned Gay Pride in Poland.

We have already raised this issue in the previous legislature. In general, the long road to ending all discrimination has not been completed, especially in the partner countries of the Belgian Development Cooperation. The case of Uganda is ⁇ disturbing and striking, since an anti-homosexuality bill was deposited there on September 29, 2009. The bill aims to ban homosexuality and provides for punishments ranging from death to death. It was in this context that David Kato, an Ugandan gay rights activist, was cowardly assassinated.

In the absence of a treaty prohibiting any form of discrimination based on sexual orientation, preference or identity, this struggle is not over. Belgium, as one of the few countries where homosexuals enjoy the same rights as heterosexuals, must react.

It is therefore a matter of fully integrating this aspect into the theme of human rights, the political dialogue ⁇ ined by the Belgian diplomacy in its diplomatic relations with its partners but also in international forums so that the decriminalization of homosexuality is a priority on both hemispheres.

Mr. Speaker, dear colleagues, over the past three years I have had the privilege of meeting several times with delegations from Africa through the organization WISH here in Parliament, gay rights activists who are being persecuted in their own country with danger of their lives or at least insulted, spotted and humiliated on a daily basis. From time to time they come here with the help of gay and lesbian movements from Europe to tell their story and to ask for support.

At the margins of Parliament, at times when no serious incidents occur, the work is important. Holebi’s rights are still a very important topic in the frontline of human rights worldwide. There have been many major breakthroughs in different countries, not only in the Western world, in recent years. Unfortunately, however, there are also places where the clock is not turned one or two hours, but light years back. Some countries have reinstated the death penalty for having sex with someone of the same sex. There are still 75 countries where you can go to jail for having sex with someone of the same sex. Evolution is therefore not merely in a favorable sense. Since the introduction of same-sex marriage in South Africa in 2006, several countries in Africa have pushed up the criminalization of holebi. They are supported by extremist religious organizations from the United States, materially and financially. They are offered the rhetoric with the paper leaf. In 2009, Burundi included the crime in the criminal code for the first time in its history as a result of such lobbying. Governments often tolerate violence against holebi. Sometimes we do not expect better. Even in our own country, not only verbal but also physical violence against holebians – also in this city where we are now – is too common.

In Uganda, there is a very rough hate campaign in newspapers that calls for deadly violence. There was the horrible murder of David Kato, whom I also had to meet and which I had to recall when I heard of his murder. I thought at the time that this was perfectly predictable and yet we did nothing about it. That horrible murder of a leading gay activist, who knew what kind of threat he was under, must open the eyes of us all. We know him because he has been here several times. However, there are many people who have not reached this point. Together with like-minded countries, we as a country must take the lead in rejecting such persecution, such acts of violence, such inhumanity and murder, and in dialogue with the governments concerned to make them a priority.

My group today expressly supports this resolution. We hope that, with this resolution, the Parliament will not only pay attention to the problem that plagues our world and that slums everywhere, but that it will also retain that attention at times when there are no known people in the newspapers as a result of violent acts. We hope that Parliament will continue to work diligently to address a problem that no one should simply let go. I hope I never have to receive more people I will never see again.

I will be very brief. My group, of course, shares the content of this resolution, but I would like to lose a few words about the technique of a resolution. Today we will vote unanimously on three resolutions.

I’m just a cool lover of that technique, I confess that, even if I can sometimes sign one. I think that Parliament should make laws; that is its main task in that part of its work.

The rules have been amended, my colleagues. I would like to draw the attention of those who submitted the resolution. In the commentary of each minister on his or her policies when the relevant part of the budget is submitted, the minister should answer about the state of affairs.

This resolution is very concrete and says with which countries and with whom we have privileged relations. This situation continues to last. Mr. Speaker, I insist that the Chamber requires that when submitting the budget the competent minister responds about the state of attention for the implementation of what we here ask. To address a kind of supplication to the government, to make a kind of shooting prayer resonate in the Chamber is not enough.

You can use the Rules. I would like to repeat that this is stated in our Rules of Procedure. The Minister is obliged, when submitting his budget in his policy options, to respond to the specific resolutions adopted by the House by a large majority. There I stand on my lines.

Of course, our group has signed this resolution. We have already mentioned David Kato, whom we received last year in this Parliament, who was murdered in Uganda. With a number of colleagues – including colleague Brems was present there – we have been to the service that took place for him in Antwerp. I find it extremely important that we continue to work for people who are in prison for who they are, who are insulted and who are under physical pressure.

If there is one little thing that has made this situation evolve in a positive sense, it is the fact that a working group of international solidarity with holebi has found a second breath. These are people who from Western countries, such as our own country, are very eager to support their fateful companions who are threatened in various, mainly African, countries.

I think it is of utmost importance to recall the murder of David Kato every year. This working group will do so. I hope that they will receive sufficient support from political groups to eventually reduce violence against holebi in African countries.