The United Nations will extend benefits
to the spouses of gay staff members.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
announced in July that the United Nations would recognize the
marriages of gay staff member for the purpose of benefits.
Thirty-seven countries supported a
Russian proposal to drop the plan, but a U.N. General Assembly budget
committee on Tuesday overwhelmingly (80-43) voted against Russia's
measure.
The U.N. previously only recognized the
marriages of gay staff members if their country recognized such
unions. Under
the new plan, the United Nations will recognize the legal
marriages of gay staff members, regardless of whether their home
countries recognize such marriages.
U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power
criticized Russia.
“We must speak plainly about what
Russia tried to do today: diminish the authority of the U.N.
secretary-general and export to the U.N. its domestic hostility to
LGBT rights,” she said in a statement.
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