Published: 12/18/09 12:18 PM - By Samantha Singson
GA Votes to Eliminate Controversial Reference to "Sexual Orientation"
In a close vote today, the General Assembly (GA) voted to delete a controversial reference to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights' (ICESCR) General Comment 20 today.
General Comment 20 on non-discrimination has been at the center of debate this GA session because it claims that two new anti-discrimination categories exist - one based on "sexual orientation" and the other on "gender identity." Neither of these two items which have ever been included as part of the established list of non-discrimination categories.
A subsidiary body of the General Assembly, the Third Committee, had narrowly voted to keep the controversial reference several weeks ago. Today's vote reversed the decision and the reference to General Comment 20 was deleted from the resolution entitled "International Covenants on Human Rights."
