JFLAG Press Release - “OAS General Assembly renews hope in draft resolution on Human Rights”

For immediate release
June 4, 2008

“OAS General Assembly renews hope in draft resolution on Human Rights”

On Tuesday, June 3, the General Committee of the Organisation of American States, OAS, approved by consensus a draft resolution entitled "Human Rights, Sexual Orientation, and Gender Identity." The aims of the resolution are to:

1). express concerns about acts of violence and related human rights violations against individuals because of their sexual orientation and gender identity;

2). request the OAS' main human rights committee to include on this year's agenda the topic "Human Rights, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity;" and

3). to request a report by the main implementing arm of the OAS on the implementation ofthis resolution.

J-FLAG joins The Caribbean Forum of Lesbians, All-sexuals and Gays, C-FLAG, in welcoming the draft resolution and note the good intentions of American and particularly Caribbean states regarding the issue of violence against gays and lesbians and considers this an important step forward for the Caribbean and Jamaica.

The organisations hope that with time and a process of education, in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the rights of all citizens to freedom without distinction to race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status will be affirmed and protected. In this regard, J-FLAG sees the draft resolution as renewing hope that the dialogue on violence against members of the gay and lesbian community can be advanced within a framework where the basic rights of all citizens of the Americas to live in free, fair and life-affirming societies are recognised.

The resolution, once adopted by the General Assembly, will serve as a permanent record of the political will of the state parties, including those in the Caribbean, to tackle this insidious problem which faces the gay and lesbian community in Jamaica and the Caribbean.

Contact: J-FLAG
TEL: 1-876-978-8988
EMAIL: admin@jflag.org