Russia fails in bid to stop U.N. staff benefits for all gay couples

[iandhr]

Source: NY TIMES

(Reuters) - Russia failed on Tuesday in a bid to stop the United Nations extending staff benefits to all same-sex couples after a U.N. General Assembly budget committee voted 80 to 43 against the proposal.

There were 37 abstentions and 33 countries did not vote.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in July that the United Nations would recognize all same-sex marriages of its staff, allowing them to receive U.N. benefits.

Previously, staff members' personal status was determined by the laws of their country of nationality. But the United Nations now recognizes all same-sex couples married in a country where it is legal, regardless of their nationality.

Russia wanted the 193-member General Assembly Fifth Committee, which deals with the U.N. budget, to overturn Ban's decision and had been threatening to put the measure to a vote since December.

"We must speak plainly about what Russia tried to do today: diminish the authority of the U.N. Secretary-General and export to the U.N. its domestic hostility to LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) rights," the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, said in a statement after the vote.


Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/03/24/us-un-gaymarriage-russia-idUSKBN0MK1UW20150324

[jeff47]

1. Clearly, we handed out cookies before the vote.

(and kick)

[Behind the Aegis]

2. I bet they haz sad.

Good!


Saudi Arabia, China, Iran, India, Egypt, Pakistan, and Syria were among the countries that voted in favor of Russia's proposal.

[Mr.Bill]

8. And just imagine,

a mere decade ago, we would have voted with them.

[Cha]

9. But, we didn't .. we're here now.

[Mr.Bill]

12. That's right.

It sucks that it took us so long, though.

[Cha]

10. "We must speak plainly about what Russia tried to do today: diminish the authority of the U.N.

Secretary-General and export to the U.N. its domestic hostility to LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) rights," the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, said in a statement after the vote."

I like what Samantha Power said.

[Renew Deal]

3. Great news

Let the homophobes weep.

[Cha]

11. Let them wallow in their whine.

[Bluenorthwest]

4. Well they fought the good fight and we all got to know them a bit better for the experience.....

nt

[azurnoir]

5. Good it was voted down as it deserved to be

[geek tragedy]

6. Pretty good starting point for choosing "the 43 worst countries on earth"

Glad to see this exercise in pro-bigotry cultural imperialism fail.

Assholes.

[herding cats]

7. It's always a good day when bigots lose.

I'm actually glad Russia pressed this vote. As the saying goes, "by their deeds we will know them."

[Cha]

13. Exactly, herding cats.

[Zorra]

14. Pussy Riot: Punk Prayer: Mother of God, Drive Putin Away

[NuclearDem]

15. Good. Russia can take its bigotry and cram it.

[davidpdx]

16. If anyone finds a list of the yes/no/abstentions and no votes please post it

I'm particularly interested in which countries abstained and didn't vote.

[Behind the Aegis]

17. Here....

VOTED FOR THE RUSSIAN RESOLUTION:

Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Benin, Botswana, Brunei, Burundi, Cambodia, Chad, China, Comoros, North Korea, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Gambia, India, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Mauritania, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Tanzania, Uzbekistan and Zimbabwe voted for the Russian proposal.

https://www.washingtonblade.com/2015/03/24/bid-to-block-spousal-benefits-for-gay-u-n-employees-fails/

Voting Record on L.9

Published by UN Tribune

Draft resolution sponsored by Russia that would have revoked benefits for same-sex married UN staff

[davidpdx]

18. Thanks, I was looking all over for that

It is interesting to see how the Asian countries voted. I know Indonesia and Malaysia are conservative countries, but it is disappointing to see that they voted for the resolution. I'm glad South Korea voted no.

[pampango]

20. Interesting that all of Europe, North and South America (except Nicaragua & Bolivia)

voted in favor of same-sex marriage benefits for UN staff. Much of Asia (including China and India) and Africa (countries whose population is probably more than half of the world total) voted against those benefits. The world has a long way to go but it is getting there.

[geek tragedy]

22. Julian Assange's hosts also ducked the vote nt

[NuclearDem]

19. Proud of my ancestral homeland.

Not only voted no, but hosting EuroPride this year as well.

http://www.europride2015.eu

[PersonNumber503602]

21. I can't find any mention of this on rt.com

I don't think I'm overlooking it either.