Costa Rica Backs
International Day
Against Homophobia
Gay activists have
welcomed the decision of
the government of Costa
Rica to officially
declare IDAHO Day on May
17.
The International Day
Against Homophobia
(IDAHO) is marked in
over 50 countries on the
anniversary of the day
in 1990 when the World
Health Organization
removed homosexuality
from its list of mental
illnesses.
Costa Rica's president,
Oscar Arias Sanchez, and
the Health Minister,
Maria Luisa Avila. said
that public institutions
in Costa Rica must
"facilitate, promote and
support activities
directed at the
eradication of
homophobia."
The health minister
emphasized that
homophobia had been a
constraint for those who
want to fight against
AIDS.
This achievement was due
to the work of the LGBT
Rights Organisation,
CIPAC who declared “this
decision will help to
eradicate the norms and
social practice which
favour rejection and
discrimination of those
who only want to use, at
a sexual level, their
right to self
determination : moreover
this decision will
encourage conviviality,
peace, and social
justice”.
Louis-Georges Tin,
founder of IDAHO
congratulated CIPAC and
the Costa Rican
president for this
“remarkable
achievement”. IDAHO is
now officially
recognized by the
European Parliament,
Belgium, the United
Kingdom, Mexico, and
several provinces of
Canada, Brazil and
Spain.
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