World Human Rights Day, which was observed yesterday, served as a timely reminder of the rights to which all people are entitled regardless of nationality, place of residence, sex, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, language, or any other status.
While it is assumed that these are "inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being," protecting those rights is an ongoing effort. T&T, as a signatory to the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, is committed to prohibiting discrimination on the basis of a list of non-exhaustive categories such as gender, race, colour and class.
Sexual orientation is on that list, but recent revelations by Sports Minister Anil Roberts and others about the gay-friendly agenda of former Gender Affairs Minister Verna St Rose-Greaves suggest that is not a priority for the current regime.
Signals from Government are that this issue is not being addressed in a positive way. The haste with which current Gender Affairs Minister Marlene Coudray rushed to refute reports that a position had been taken on the proposed gender policy, which includes gay rights, suggests a great deal of indecision and discomfort around that topic.
The problem is, all the fuss is being generated by a non-issue. Gay marriage is not on the agenda in T&T. It is not even being sought by local gay-rights groups. All that is being asked for is protection from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, so that a minority group has the same rights as everyone else when it comes to employment or housing.
In a statement yesterday, the Government underscored its "commitment to upholding not only the rule of law, but protection of the rights of every citizen of this country, regardless of race, religious or political persuasion, gender, age or social standing."
The gender policy was hailed in that statement as "the latest addition to the list of rights that translate into equality for all the people of T&T." That is welcome news. After all, the purpose of a gender policy is to improve relations between women and men; improve the quality of life at all levels and in all sections of society; influence state policy in all areas; and facilitate legislative change.
Unfortunately, even with fundamental rights and freedoms enshrined in the T&T Constitution, including protection against irrational discrimination, there are clauses in this country's immigration laws, for example, which discriminate against gays and the disabled, even though they are not often enforced or even invoked-a sign that at least some of the authorities recognise that they are unfair, anachronistic and more honoured in the breach than in the observance.
Their continued existence is a disturbing state of affairs in a country much of whose history over the past 200 years has been one of struggle against various forms of oppression. It should never be forgotten that right here in T&T during the years of slavery, the majority of people were legally classified as chattels-possessions rather than people-with no human rights.
Unfortunately, there are still troubling indicators here and there that the country has not progressed far enough away from those days even now. The challenge now is to ramp up efforts, legislatively and otherwise, to protect and enhance the rights of all citizens and eradicate the stigma and discrimination that still exist.
The gender policy has been in the making literally for decades, and would help to bring about equity for men, women and children in just about every sphere of life. It should not be allowed to come to grief now for fear of a possible outcry against an imaginary outcome.