UN To Recognize Same-Sex Marriage

On July 3, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon announced that UN employees who had legally married would see those unions recognized, even if they weren't recognized in their home countries.

"I am proud to stand for greater equality for all staff, and I call on all members of our UN family to unite in rejecting homophobia as discrimination that can never be tolerated at our workplace," he said, as reported on Joe.My.God.

Under the new policy, staff who have married a same-sex spouse in a jurisdiction will receive the same benefits and recognition as those in heterosexual marriages regardless of whether same-sex marriage is legal in their country of citizenship. The United Nations LGBTI employee group UN-GLOBE welcomed the policy change, saying they hoped it will be recognized throughout the many arms and programs.

"With this new policy in place at the UN, I believe that the entire UN system will follow suit, if history is any guide. And if any agency, fund or programme still refuses to change, we will make sure they hear from us,"UN-GLOBE president Hyung Hak Nam said.

Pink News reported that the move will impact more than 44,000 UN staff members across the world.

"What this means is simple: if you a staff member in a legal union, the UN will recognize it," said Ham. "If you were thinking of entering into one, you can now do so with the full knowledge that the UN will recognize it."

Ham said that he believed that the entire UN system would follow suit, saying that, "if any agency, fund, or programme still refuses to change, we will make sure they hear from us.

"Much still remains to be done. We have to address homophobia and transphobia in the workplace. We have to make sure staff members' sons and daughters -- our families, not only our partners -- are recognized," he said. "The UN is finally starting to listen, and to act, much to its credit."

There is no word yet from newly appointed President of the United Nations General Assembly, Ugandan minister Sam Kutesa, who backed his country's harsh anti-gay laws.