The United Nations has given official status to the Brazilian Association of Gays, Lesbians and Transgendereds (ABGLT), favored by the Obama administration, which previously faced scrutiny because of allegations that one of the group’s founders was being investigated for posting pro-pedophilia essays on his blog.
-- From "UN allows gay, lesbian group to join debates" by Bradley S. Klapper, Associated Press 7/27/09
[This] marks the third consecutive year the U.N. Economic and Social Council has overturned a decision by a 19-country committee blocking gay groups from participating in the global body's debates.
Swedish and Spanish groups were accredited as recognized non-governmental organizations in 2007 and 2008, breaking years of resistance from some governments. At one U.N. debate in 2003, Pakistan's ambassador even suggested use of the term "sexual disorientation."
One of the U.N. council's main powers is granting consultative status to organizations so that they can participate in formal U.N. meetings. More than 3,000 groups already have such rights.
The U.S. also criticized the U.N. committee mandated with recommending which campaign groups should be given a place. U.S. diplomat John Sammis said that body seems to spend more time coming up with ways to exclude qualified civil society groups rather than on work aimed at including them.
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