Ban welcomes US Supreme Court ruling guaranteeing right to same-sex marriage

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed today the United States Supreme Court ruling that the US Constitution guarantees the right to same-sex marriage.

“The Secretary-General welcomes the decision of the Supreme Court that paves the way for gay and lesbian Americans to have their relationships legally recognized, no matter what part of the country they live in,” said a UN spokesperson during his daily briefing.

In an interview this morning, Mr. Ban called the decision a “great step forward for human rights”, reminding that his strong belief in equality and in the equal worth and dignity of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people.

“Denying couples legal recognition of their relationship opens the door to widespread discrimination. This ruling will help close that door and marks a great step forward for human rights in the United States. The Secretary-General joins the LGBT community and its millions of allies in celebrating this historic decision,” added the Spokesperson.

The Secretary-General is in San Francisco to mark the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the UN Charter, and at a UN Free & Equal Event, he said that he had always been a strong believer in equality, and in the equal worth and dignity of LGBT people.

“Denying couples legal recognition of their relationship opens the door to widespread discrimination,” declared Mr. Ban, underscoring that the US Supreme Court ruling will help close that door and marks a great step forward for human rights in the United States.

Since arriving in San Francisco last night, Mr. Ban said he had been constantly reminded of the remarkable connections between this city and the United Nations. Few other cities, places, embody as proudly as San Francisco the values of diversity, equality and inclusion.

“It was from this building, some 40 years ago, that Harvey Milk helped to set in train America’s gay rights revolution – a revolution that continues to this day not just in this country but around the world. The measures he advocated here – including new laws to protect people from discrimination – are the same measures that, today, we advocate to Governments everywhere,” he said.