Africans fail to block first UN expert on LGBT violence

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — African nations and their supporters have failed to suspend the first U.N. independent expert charged with investigating violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity from doing his job.

African nations had urged the General Assembly's human rights committee to approve a resolution that would initially suspend and then get rid of the expert, appointed by the U.N. Human Rights Council.

Latin American and Caribbean nations, who supported the expert's appointment, introduced an amendment to get rid of the paragraph calling for a year-long delay in implementing the Human Rights resolution and suspension of the expert's activities.

The rights committee adopted the amendment by a vote of 84-77 with 12 abstentions. The amended resolution was then approved 94-3 with 80 abstentions.

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The Gayly - 11/21/2016 @ 12:08 p.m. CST.