Daily Mail. The Queen to sign historic charter promoting gay rights across the Commonwealth

Queen Elizabeth II is about to sign a historic charter promoting gay rights, gender equality and “women’s empowerment”, a key part of a new drive to boost human rights and living standards across theCommonwealth. This is the first time that a single document outlining such values is adopted, and the first time that the Queen openly supports gay rights in her 61-year reign.

The charter, described as a “21st Century Magna Carta”, also includes affirmations on democracy, human rights, international peace and security. But the most controversial part of the document concerns the gay rights. More than 80 percent of Commonwealth countries still operate under antiquated anti-gay legislation left over from the days of the Empire, with 41 former British colonies including Jamaica, Singapore and Malaysia, still criminalizing homosexuality.

The Magna Carta declares: “We are implacably opposed to all forms of discrimination, whether rooted in gender, race, color, creed, political belief or other grounds”. The “other grounds” refers to sexuality, but the wording “gays and lesbians” was omitted in deference to Commonwealth countries with draconian anti-gay laws.

Queen Elizabeth II will sign the document at London’s Marlborough House, the Pall Mall HQ of the Commonwealth Secretariat on the Commonwealth Day on March 11.