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UN rights body appoints first ever LGBT expert

Xinhua, October 1, 2016 Adjust font size:

The UN Human Rights Council on Friday appointed its first independent expert on violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

The position went to Vitit Muntharborn, a professor from Thailand and co-chair of a meeting of experts to adopt the Yogyakarta Principles on the application of international human rights law.

"The UN Human Rights Council made history today when it appointed Muntharborn as the first UN independent expert on violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity," John Fisher, Geneva director of the Human Rights Watch, commented.

He added that this mandate will bring much-needed attention to human rights violations against LGBT people in all regions of the world.

During the last meeting of its thirty-third session on Friday, the UN Human Rights Council also adopted six resolutions, appointed five special procedures mandate holders and seven members of its advisory committee.

The thirty-fourth regular session of the Human Rights Council will be held from Feb. 27 to March 24, 2017. Endit