United Nations council recognizes International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission

UNITED NATIONS -- The U.N. Economic and Social Council voted Monday to accredit the U.S.-based International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission after strong lobbying by the Obama administration.

Obama, in a statement issued by the White House, welcomed the vote as an "important step forward for human rights." With the group's inclusion, he said "the United Nations is closer to the ideals on which it was founded, and to values of inclusion and equality to which the United States is deeply committed."

The group will now be able to attend U.N. meetings, submit statements and collaborate with both government and U.N. agencies on human rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, commission officials said.

The 54-member council, known as ECOSOC, approved the U.S.-based group's application for consultative status by a vote of 23-13 with 13 abstentions. Many of those voting "no" - including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Russia and China - cited procedural reasons.

But the U.S. government and 14 members of Congress who supported the organization's application said they believe it had not been approved previously because the group promotes gay rights.

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