The UK Secretary of State for Education took the Russian Education Minister to task at the international political event Education World Forum, on the issue of Russia’s terrible LGBT rights record.
The UK Secretary of State for Education and Minister for Women and Equalities, Nicky Morgan, spoke with Dmitry Livanov, the Russian Education Minister, this week.
Morgan and Livanov discussed Russia’s LGBT rights record and equality issues in the country.
The two met a day after Russian Parliament debated a bill that would make it a criminal offence for two men to kiss in public. Fortunately, the bill was rejected by a committee.
Last year, Morgan pledged to advocate for global LGBT rights. She has also launched a program to tackle homophobic, biphobic, and transphobic bullying in schools, setting aside £2 million ($4 million AUD) to fund initiatives to handle the issue.
Morgan said, “We have to look beyond our own shores and continue to use our influence to help LGBT people around the world.”
She said she believes that this will not be achieved “by lecturing or pointing fingers, but by supporting activists and groups on the ground, helping them to learn the lessons from our journey towards equality under the law.”
On the topic of LGBT bullying, Morgan said, “The tragic fact is that young people who suffer homophobic bullying often pull back from school life. Many, of course, may avoid school altogether.” She mentioned that many LGBT people “choose universities or colleges where they think they will be accepted. They tend to choose careers where they think they will be safe.”
Morgan announced that the Government Equality Office has produced £100,000 ($200,000 AUD) to support international projects fighting equal rights.