Homosexuality
A Commonwealth Blindspot on Human Rights

In the Summer edition of CHRI Newsletter, Derek Ingram, member of CHRI’s Executive Committee, reminded us of the assertion that the Commonwealth “is about human rights and democracy or it is about nothing”. He warned that the Kampala Meeting of Commonwealth Heads of Government (CHOGM) in 2007 was shaping up to be one of the most difficult for many years. So it was to prove.

There is one subject on which the CHOGM meeting in Uganda was completely silent, reflecting a serious gap in the achievements of the Commonwealth in the struggle to advance human rights for all Commonwealth citizens throughout the world. I refer to the significant burdens cast in most Commonwealth countries on sexual minorities (especially homosexuals). Unfortunately, most of the Commonwealth countries inherited from Britain criminal laws that still penalise consenting adult same-sex conduct, even when occurring in private. These laws were repealed in Britain itself 40 years ago and throughout most of the original members of the Commonwealth (Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa). But they remain steadfastly in place in virtually all of the developing countries of the Commonwealth.

Recent press reports (including from Uganda) disclose strong, and apparently officially backed, attitudes of homophobia and discrimination that diminish respect for the human rights of this minority. These attitudes make it more difficult for the promotion of safer sex messages that are essential for prevention of the further spread of HIV/AIDS. More fundamentally, these diminutions of the human dignity for an attribute of nature that is as indelible as race and skin colour, appear as a serious gap in the Commonwealth’s agenda to uphold human rights of all its peoples.

A recent review of the criminal laws in Commonwealth countries discloses that, in most of them, the Penal Code continues to include offences targeting specifically homosexual men. Since the research throughout the twentieth century on the origins and prevalence of variations in sexual orientation and following the reforms of the criminal law in the countries that first made such laws, there is no excuse for the continued resistance to reform existing in most nations of the Commonwealth. Indeed, it is time, and beyond time, for the repeal of those laws both for human rights reasons and so as to improve the chances of getting the messages out to affected populations in countries which are already seriously affected by the spread of HIV/AIDS.

If the list of countries where the old criminal offences are still maintained is placed alongside the list of countries where HIV prevalence is highest, there is a remarkable coincidence in the nations concerned. Sadly, on this issue, the outgoing Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Don McKinnon, who was otherwise plain-speaking on infractions of human rights, maintained a puzzling silence. The likely attitude of the incoming Commonwealth Secretary-General, Mr Kamalesh Sharma (India), is unknown. However, attempts to secure the repeal of the applicable provision of the Indian Penal Code, s 377 has so far failed for lack of parliamentary leadership. This is so despite a strong open letter published in the media of India, signed by leading figures of Indian public life, including the Nobel Laureate Amatya Sen and the former Attorney-General, Soli Sorabjee.

The list of shame of the surviving criminal provisions targeting homosexual Commonwealth citizens should have the early attention of Mr Sharma as he takes up his duties as Secretary-General. Above his desk he should have inscribed in gold, the motto: “The Commonwealth is about human rights and democracy or it is about nothing”.

A recent attempt to reform the provisions of the Singapore Penal Code failed despite earlier eloquent words of support for reform by the former Singapore Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kwan Yew. In the Singapore Parliament the reform proposal was based on a compelling report of the Singapore Law Society. However, it was opposed on the basis of supposed “conservative” values and by MPs speaking from a particular religious viewpoint. The imposition of criminal penalties, stigma and discrimination in the name of religion is a major challenge for the Commonwealth as it faces the decades ahead.

In such a vast community of races, creeds and other diversities, there needs to be a space for all citizens to live their lives in freedom and without fear or oppression. The message of the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative to the new Secretary-General should be one of encouragement to advance the human rights agenda of the Commonwealth. This should include the all too long neglected concern of the human rights of sexual minorities - the human rights blindspot of the Commonwealth of Nations.

The way ahead is for the new Secretary-General to form an Advisory Panel of experienced Commonwealth citizens to consult with countries of the Commonwealth and to explore ways in which law reform might best be achieved. The Commonwealth has been very strong in building defences against racial discrimination. Increasingly in recent years it has done fine work in combating gender discrimination, poverty and HIV. A new initiative on discrimination on the grounds of sexuality is now needed. This is a real test for the universality of the Commonwealth’s respect for human rights.