The Yogyakarta Principles are “an attempt of groundless and abusive fabrication of new international norms”

By J.C. von Krempach, J.D. | June 19, 2013

30 NGOs from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova have addressed a letter to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, commenting on a draft resolution through which some left-wing parliamentarians seek to undermine the correct understanding of marriage and family through the promotion of a questionable document called the “Yogyakarta Principles“.

We reproduce their letter in full:

Address of the Participants of the International Parents Forum to the members of OSCE Parliamentary Assembly

We, the participants of the International Parents Forum gathered in Yalta (Ukraine), representing the civil society of Ukraine, Russia, Belarus and Moldova, as well as family and parents organizations of our countries, declare that the Natural Family based on the marriage of a man and a woman and aimed at childbirth and child rearing is a unique and indispensable foundation of any human society.
The participants of the Forum recall that all the countries have agreed that “the family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State”, and that a family is created through a marriage between a man and a woman (Art. 16 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights ), and is the most favorable environment for children’s upbringing and development, comprehensive and harmonious development of their personality (Preamble to the UN Convention of the rights of the child).

On this basis, the participants of the Forum declare that the so-called “Yogyakarta Principles on the Application of International Human Rights Law in relation to Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity”, which require that the countries recognize a wide range of special rights and prerogatives of the representatives of the so-called “sexual minorities”, are not based on the binding norms of international law. The Principles constitute an attempt of groundless and abusive fabrication of new international norms and new obligations of states, leading to the infringement of actual rights of citizens, especially of a child’s right to a family that includes a father and a mother, and the rights of the believers, as well as to the breach of the duty of the states to protect family and public morality.

Taking this into account, the Participants of the Forum call on the members of OSCE Parliamentary Assembly to reject the Draft resolution SC (13) SI 26 E (OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Draft Resolution on Recognition of the Yogyakarta Principles on the Application of International Human Rights Law in relation to Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity).

Submitted and adopted in Yalta (Ukraine) at the International Parents Forum on 12.06.2013.

The address has been signed by 30 NGOs.

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