On Mar 18, 2017 The Globe and Mail reported: Justin Trudeau is determined to advance LGBT rights in the Commonwealth. It will be no easy task to change attitudes in one of the world’s most homophobic institutions.
But there are encouraging signs. Much will depend on a vote in London in June.
Thirty-six of the Commonwealth’s 52 nations, representing two billion people, criminalize homosexual activity. Penalties range from jail time to execution.
Even in countries where the laws aren’t strictly enforced, just having them on the books encourages a climate of violence, including murder – which often goes unpunished – and “corrective rape.” Intolerance, persecution and ignorance increase the spread of HIV/AIDS. More than two million are infected in India alone.While the United Nations and the Organization of American States condemn violence against sexual minorities, the Commonwealth remains silent on the issue, with many of its members opposed to any concessions.
Read more at: Advancing LGBT rights in the Commonwealth is a delicate task – The Globe and Mail
