For the first time, the United Nations Human Rights Council has approved a resolution condemning acts of discrimination and acts of violence against LGBT people around the world and calling for a panel to review such acts.
"The 47-member Human Rights Council voted 23 in favor and 19 against Friday, with 3 abstentions, for the resolution put forward by South Africa. The resolution was backed by the United States, the European Union, Brazil and other Latin American countries."
The resolution establishes a panel "to document discriminatory laws and practices and acts of violence against individuals based on their sexual orientation and gender identity, in all regions of the world, and how international human rights law can be used to end violence and related human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity."
Several "African and Islamic countries, led by Nigeria and Pakistan" would not go along with the resolution, denying it had anything to do with human rights.
Read the full text of the resolution below:
