Progress on anti-gay discrimination welcomed

3.22.38pm UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 15th Dec 2006

London's Liberal Democrat MEP Baroness Sarah Ludford has welcomed the intervention of Denmark's Liberal prime minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen to successfully persuade the rather conservative parliament of the Faroe islands - which have semi-independence from Denmark - to extend legal protection against discrimination to homosexuals.

Sarah Ludford, who is vice-chair of the European Parliament's Anti Racism and Diversity intergroup and a member of the Gay and Lesbian rights intergroup, commented:

"I congratulate Anders Fogh Rasmussen for showing true Liberal leadership on civil rights by his timely intervention which no doubt played an important part in this outcome."

This week as well, the United Nations gave consultative status to the European section of International Gay and Lesbian Association (ILGA-Europe) and Norway delivered a statement to the UN on behalf of 54 countries condemning human rights violations against people because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Unfortunately the European Parliament gay rights intergroup had to call for the resignation of Janus Smits as chair of the parliamentary human right committee of EU member state Latvia, after he said gays were sinners and should not be covered by human rights law!

Sarah added:

"We have a mixed picture, with one step backwards sometimes following two steps forward, but on the whole there is progress in advancing the cause of equality for gay people. There is however much still to do, even in the EU, and we need a more assertive approach by EU institutions and especially the European Commission on this matter."