WFP ADOPTS THE JURISDICTION APPROACH TO RECOGNIZE SAME-SEX UNIONS

Dear UN-GLOBE colleagues,

I wanted to share with you great news.

The World Food Programme is the latest UN agency to change its same-sex unions policy and move towards inclusiveness.

WFP has adopted the jurisdiction approach, which means that all same-sex unions legally recognized by a competent national authority regardless of the staff member’s country of nationality will now be recognized. If you manage to get married or enter into a legal union, it is this legality which will now be recognized.

We feel that this is a great step forward, and we will continue to push for change in the rest of the organizations of the UN system, including the UN Secretariat. We will also continue to advocate for the affidavit approach as the most inclusive one, as not all of us can afford or secure the requirements to get married or legally partnered in a third country.

I wanted to thank our coordinators in Rome: Antonio Brina, who is the overall UN-GLOBE coordinator for Rome, as well as the coordinator for WFP; Susan Beccio who is the coordinator for IFAD; Michael Riggs who left his post as coordinator for FAO this past January; and Nicoletta who is the incoming UN-GLOBE coordinator for FAO.

Given the many discussions we’ve had, I know they have worked hard on this issue, and on other issues as well. Thank you.

We will send a thank you letter on behalf of UN-GLOBE to Ms. Ertharin Cousin, Executive Director of WFP.

An update on other issues will be coming very soon.

Best,

Hyung Hak Nam (Alfonso)

President, UN-GLOBE