The Government has made great strides in recent years in combating homophobia in the UK.  Our goal is full equality in the enjoyment of human rights by all those lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people who live here.

Marking the International day against Homophobia, Meg Munn Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said;

 “There are 75 countries around the world where same sex relationships are prohibited, and nine countries where they are punishable by death.  Despite repeated condemnation by the UN Human Rights Committee, discrimination and denial of people’s basic human rights due to sexual orientation continues.  Human rights are universal and should not be determined by sexual orientation or gender identity.

“We are committed to promoting equality and ending the discrimination of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people (LGBT) around the world and have developed a programme to help achieve this. Working with human rights activists, international institutions and non-governmental organisations and like minded governments the Foreign Office is targeting states where same sex relations are illegal, to raise our concerns and encourage them to change their laws.

“Our work concentrates on those aspects of discrimination where UK intervention may have a positive effect such as

•  non-discrimination in the application of human rights;

•  decriminalisation of same sex relationships

•  support for LGBT activists and human rights defenders;

•  health and health education;

•  raising LGBT issues at international / multilateral institutions;

•  and direct engagement with key countries.

“As part of our consular activities overseas, in some countries the Foreign Office conducts civil partnerships for British nationals, as I recently saw for myself in attending the 143rd civil partnership conducted by the British Consulate-General in Sydney.”

Barbara Follett  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Government Equalities Office said:

"We have prohibited discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation in the workplace, and outlawed it outside the workplace. Last month we made similar protections available to people on grounds of their gender reassignment.

"We are taking action to challenge prejudice in schools. We have published guidance on how to combat homophobic bullying and, through events like LGBT History Month, organisations like Schools OUT are leading the way in creating safe spaces for our young people to learn and grow. It is revealing of a wider cultural shift that the anti-bullying guidance was welcomed by the media – we should be proud of the progress we have made.

"Through the Equality Bill we will be both strengthening anti-discrimination law, and making it simpler to use and understand. But the Bill is not just designed to prohibit people from doing things.  Rather, we want public authorities actively to promote the values of fairness and opportunity for all and consider the needs of the whole community in everything they do."