Sensitive issue

The US Supreme Court recently ruled in a “landmark” decision that same-sex marriage is legal and that all 50 states must now “live” with that verdict.

The decision was taken by a slim majority: five judges voted for, four against.

This issue of legalising same-sex marriage has been with many Western countries for decades. Not so much in the rest of the world, which still clings to the traditional view of marriage as between a man and a woman.

It is not likely that the traditionalists will be swayed by either the US Supreme Court decision or by the swing of sentiment in the West in favour of same-sex marriage, since their religions and cultures are not about to change in the direction of the West’s new outlook on what constitutes marriage.

Endorsing same-sex marriages opens a new Pandora box about the issue of discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

By international human rights standards no such discrimination is allowed.

This evolving perspective puts the West at loggerhead with the rest of the world, where religion and traditional values about marriage and family still reign supreme.

By redefining what constitutes marriage, most of the Western world is in effect redrawing social lines with far-reaching legal implications.

The imminent stand-off is beginning to show on the floors of UN human rights fora, where member states are deeply divide on this highly sensitive issue.

This division risks undermining the entire international human rights process and stretch its guidelines to the limit.

If the world remains divided on such a sensitive subject, how can it move forward in its efforts to promote and protect human rights?