| answer text |
<p>As I made clear to the House in the adjournment debate on this subject on 2 April,
combating violence and discrimination against LGBT communities forms an integral part
of our tireless efforts to protect and promote human rights internationally. We have
raised our deep concern about the Anti-Homosexuality Act with the Government of Uganda
at the highest levels. Since that debate, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Boston and Skegness
(Mr Simmonds) has raised the issue with the Ugandan Foreign Minister on 3 April.</p><p>Uganda's
Anti-Homosexuality Act runs counter to the Commonwealth's commitment to equality and
respect without discrimination on any grounds. The Foreign Secretary wrote to the
Secretary General of the Commonwealth on 1 March to ask him to work with us to review
the worrying trend on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights in some Commonwealth
member states. I discussed the issue with the Commonwealth Secretary-General on 19
March. We also use Commonwealth fora, such as the Commonwealth Law Ministers' meetings
(CLMM), to raise concerns. Our High Commission in Kampala continues to discuss the
issue with Commonwealth High Commissions.</p>
|
|
