ILGA_State_Sponsored_Homophobia_2012

Same-sex couples offered most or all rights of marriage
(Civil Partnerships, Registered Partnerships, Civil Unions etc.) (14 countries)
Asia Israel (1994)
Europe Austria (2010), Denmark (1989), 103 Finland (2002), Germany (2001), Hungary (2009),
Ireland (2011), 104 Liechtenstein (2011), 105 Switzerland (2007), United Kingdom (2005),
and The United Kingdom associate Isle of Man (2011) 106
Latin America
& Caribbean
Brazil (2011) 107 , Colombia (2009) 108 and the state of Coahuila (2007)in Mexico 109
North America some parts of the United States 110
Oceania New Zealand (2005), as well as some parts of Australia 111
Same-sex couples offered some rights of marriage (8 countries)
Europe Andorra (2005), Croatia (2003), Czech Republic (2006), France (1999), 112
Luxembourg (2004), Slovenia (2006)
Latin America
& Caribbean
North America
Ecuador (2009), Uruguay (2008)
Some parts of the United States 113
102 Connecticut (2008), District of Columbia (2010), Iowa (2009), Massachusetts (2004), New Hampshire (2010), New
York (2011) and Vermont (2009).
103 The law was extended to Greenland in 1996, however still not applicable to the Faeroe Islands.
104 See Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants act of 2010 passed, available at
http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/pdf/2010/en.act.2010.0024.PDF.
105 See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recognition_of_same-sex_unions_in_Liechtenstein.
106 See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recognition_of_same-sex_unions_in_the_Isle_of_Man.
107 On 5 May 2011, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of recognizing same-sex couples living in ’stable unions’ as
family units and therefore entitled to the same rights of heterosexual couples living in the same kind of unions. The
original text of the decision is available here:
http://direitohomoafetivo.com.br/2011/uploads_jurisprudencia/2011.05.05_-_stf_-_adi_4.277.pdf. In another decision
of 25 October 2011, the Court indicated that same-sex stable unions should be converted to marriage and
recommended the Congress to do it so. The text of this decision is available here: http://www.gontijofamilia.adv.br/direito-de-familia-casamento-civil-entre-pessoas-do-mesmo-sexo/.
108 On 29 January 2009, the Constitutional Court ruled in favour of giving cohabitating same-sex couples the same
rights offered to unmarried heterosexual couples (which enjoy most rights of marriage). See:
http://www.corteconstitucional.gov.co/relatoria/2009/c-029-09.htm. On another decision of 26 July 2011 the Court
recognized same-sex couples as family entities and ordered the Congress to legislate on the matter of same-sex
marriage until June 20th 2013. In case they fail to do it, same-sex couples will be granted all marriage rights
automatically. The original text of this decision is available here:
http://www.corteconstitucional.gov.co/comunicados/No.%2030%20comunicado%2026%20de%20julio%20de%20201
1.php
109 Text of the law is available at:
http://sgob.sfpcoahuila.gob.mx/admin/uploads/Documentos/modulo3/PactoCivilSolidaridad.pdf.
110 California (several acts from 2000 and onwards), Delaware (2012), Illinois (2011), Nevada (2009), New Jersey
(2007), Oregon (2008), Washington (2007–2009) and Wisconsin (2009)
111 Australian Capital Territory (2008), New South Wales (2010), Tasmania (2004) and Victoria (2008). See also the
Family Law Amendment Act 2008, available at http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/C2008A00115.
112 The law applies to the following overseas departments and territories upon adoption: French Guiana,
Guadeloupe, Martinique, Réunion, St Barthélemy, St Martin, St Pierre & Miquelon, and to New Caledonia and Wallis
and Futuna in 2009.
State-Sponsored Homophobia – May 2012
ILGA – The International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association - www.ilga.org
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