By MUNAMBEZA MUWANEI –
THE Zambian government has rejected recommendations to recognise Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) relations from eight countries.
The eight countries that recommended that Zambia should allow the rights of LGBTI relationships are Honduras, France, Spain, Sweden, Canada, Australia, Argentina and Uruguay.
Human Rights Commission (HRC) spokesperson Mweelwa Muleya said Zambia’s cycle of the UPR was in November last year in Geneva.
Speaking during a Human Rights media workshop, in Choma Mr Muleya said that Zambia received a total of 203 recommendations during the UPR submitted from 78 countries.
Zambia accepted 183 recommendations made, representing a 90 percent acceptance rate.
A total of 20 recommendations were not turned down, including those urging the Government to recognise LGBTI relationships.
“Zambia rejected recommendations that it should protect the rights of lesbians, homosexual, transgender,” he said.
According to Mr Muleya, also rejected by Zambia were recommendations made by nine countries for Zambia to abolish the death penalty.
Others rejected were recommendations to guarantee provision of social services for refugees and free education for migrants.
He said Zambia also turned down recommendations to raise the minimum age for marriage to 21 as a bill to that effect was already before Parliament.
Among the accepted recommendations are the review of the Public Order Act, promotion of inclusiveness and also criminalization of torture.
Mr Muleya called on the media to be fearless in exposing all forms of violation of human rights.
The workshops attracted all media institutions based in Choma.