Yesterday, at the start of the UN Human Rights Council’s historic hearing on LGBT equality, UN Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon denounced violence and discrimination against LGBT people:

Said the Secretary General:

"To those who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender, let me say, you are not alone. Your struggle for an end to violence and discrimination is a shared struggle. Any attack on you, is an attack on the universal values the United Nations and I have sworn to uphold. Today, I stand with you and I call upon all countries and people to stand with you too. A historic shift is underway. More states see the gravity of the problem…We must tackle the violence, decriminalize consensual same-sex relationships, end discrimination and educate the public."

Several leaders from Islamic and African nations from the 57-nation Organization of Islamic Cooperation walked out, Think Progress LGBT reports:

A diplomat from Pakistan described homosexuality as “licentious behavior promoted under the concept of ‘sexual orientation’ is against the fundamental teachings of various religions including Islam.” He added, “From this perspective, legitimizing homosexuality and other personal sexual behaviors in the name of sexual orientation is unacceptable to the OIC,” he added.

Representatives from Nigeria joined the walkout, “saying that violence against citizens based on their sexual orientation or gender identity simply didn’t occur in the state, while Mauritania, of another Arab group, all of whose members are also in the OIC, warned that any so-called attempt to impose ‘the controversial topic of sexual orientation’ would threaten to undermine progress on other human rights issues.”

Watch Ban-Ki Moon's address, AFTER THE JUMP…