Cambodia Backs Universal Decriminalization of Homosexuality Statement
The request came at separate meetings on June 20 with CHRC. Photo: CHRC
- By Meng Seavmey
- June 20, 2024 6:22 PM
PHNOM PENH – Cambodia Human Rights Committee (CHRC) has joined France to support a joint statement on the “Universal Decriminalization of Homosexuality” at the 56th regular session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland.
Jean-Marc Berthon, French ambassador for LGBT+ rights, invited Cambodia to participate in the statement. The request came at separate meetings on June 20 with CHRC and with Jacques Pellet, French ambassador to Cambodia.
The CHRC said Cambodia’s participation at the joint statement reflected on the government’s work in promoting and protecting LGBT+ rights in the country and in the world.
Tuy Raksmey, media and communication coordinator of Rainbow Community Kampuchea (RoCK), said the community is delighted by the country’s participation in the statement.
It was important for the LBGT+ communities and showed that the government pays attention to promote non-discrimination against the communities.
“We acknowledge and appreciate the progress of the government’s commitment to respecting, protecting, and non-discrimination against LGBT+ communities,” Raksmey said.
RoCK will continue working closely with stakeholders to improve the full protection for the communities to achieve same-sex marriage legalization, which is now their priority to protect their families by ensuring non-discrimination and equality in line with the sustainable development goal of “leaving no one behind”.
According to Raksmey, the discrimination situation in the country has improved in the last decade, as more LGBT+ people are “bravely accepting and revealing their identities in person and on social media.”
Moreover, raising awareness and acceptance in a public setting for LGBT+ people are also better than before. One of the driving forces is education and raising awareness among allies of the communities and civil society organizations.
Meanwhile, the efforts from local authorities, government, and media put into promoting non-discrimination were also positive.
Regardless of these achievements, Raksmey said the communities want to get married in according to Khmer tradition and to have the rights to get a marriage certificate, an important legal document to protect families from all forms of discrimination and from their surroundings.
The CHRC congratulated the LGBT+ communities across Cambodia and thanked the country’s former and current leaders for always supporting non-discrimination against LGBT+ people while, at the same time, the country’s Constitution has no punishment for them.
