The Speaker of the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature, Ms Nontembeko Boyce, has emphasised that countries with progressive laws on human rights, such as sexual orientation, still have to work on the social attitudes prevalent in their countries to ensure complete respect for human rights.
Ms Boyce was chairing the workshop on the ‘The Commonwealth Charter: A Charter for all Human Rights, or just some?’. The workshop discussed in general how far countries have gone in implementing human rights and ensuring that universal human rights are implemented across the Commonwealth. The discussions focused on rights affecting asylum seekers and refugees, and general human rights.
An analysis from the Co-Chair of the Commonwealth Equality Network, Ms Steve Letsike, on countries in the Commonwealth that have legislation decriminalising same sex marriages and homosexuality led to a vigorous debate on the issue, reflecting the divergent views of those present. Ms Boyce is of the view that this issue has been mispla
ced in human rights, resulting in a lack of a coherent discussion across the Africa region. Some countries in the region have legislation criminalising same-sex relationships with penalties that include the death sentence.
South Africa has progressive legislation on sexual orientation. However, this has not translated into progressive views within communities at large, and many members of the LGBTQI+ community have experienced hate crimes, even murder, and have sometimes become estranged from their families. Some countries in the Commonwealth have advanced the debate on this issue. Nonetheless, all Commonwealth countries are bound by the Charter of the Commonwealth, signed 10 years ago, which is opposed to all forms of discrimination on the basis of gender, race, colour, creed, political belief or other grounds.
The recommendation arising from the workshop speaks to enforcing the Commonwealth Charter on all member states and will be tabled at the General Assembly plenary session. The outcome of the General
Assembly will determine whether it becomes a conference resolution.
Source: Parliament of South Africa