All Pacific nations recently completed their Universal Periodic Review (UPR). The Cook Islands, Kiribati, PNG, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Tonga and Tuvalu all retain colonial-era anti-sodomy laws.
Palau and Nauru have pledged to decriminalise homosexuality following the audit of their human rights as part of the UN Human Rights Council’s (UNHRC) review. But Samoa, the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea (PNG) have refused to reform their laws in the face of international criticism.
The three nations cited cultural and religious reasons for rejecting requests to amend their laws.
In response, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Pacific regional representative Matilda Bogner called Pacific laws criminalising homosexuality “an affront to principles of equality and non-discrimination”. Such laws … fuel hatred and violence, in effect giving homophobia a state-sanctioned seal of approval,” Bogner wrote.
Source
- Island Business
- Image: Indiaopinion.com
