The Swedish Federation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Rights and the Gay and Lesbian Coalition of Quebec are now officially able to have input into United Nations policy. Samantha Songson of the Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute says the head of the Canadian group is wasting no time in spreading his message.

“He’s been saying that we’re going to take this as an opportunity to use our UN status as a platform to promote rights for homosexuals in basically the countries that opposed us.”

The U.S. was among the nations that voted for the groups’ inclusion. Thomas Jacobson of Focus on the Family says it’s been U.S. policy since last year.

“There was a decision made that the US would support non-governmental organizations that were homosexual and lesbian based as long as there were not direct connections to pedophilia.”

As NGO’s, the groups will have a say in UN decisions and international policy.

“They can do enormous damage. The primary battles that we’ve had for years at the UN are over sexual issues and over the construct of the family.”

Ambassador Grover Joseph Rees of the State Department looks forward to sparring with these groups.

“We hope to meet them in the field of ideas and convince people that they’re wrong and we’re right.”

The US opposed inclusion of gay right groups as NGO’s until it received vociferous protests from members of Congress and pro-gay organizations.