Hong Kong: Rejection of same-sex partnerships bill shows disdain for LGBTI rights
Responding to the Hong Kong legislature’s rejection of a bill that proposed a new legal framework for registering same-sex partnerships, Amnesty International’s Researcher/Policy Advisor on Gender, Nadia Rahman, said:
“Today the Hong Kong authorities failed to address the inequality faced by same-sex couples in all areas of their lives. The proposed bill on same-sex partnerships was flawed, but in rejecting it lawmakers have shown an alarming disdain for LGBTI rights.
“This bill would have provided the bare minimum of protection for same-sex couples – but notably, only those who registered their partnership overseas. On this and other grounds, the draft considered today falls far short of the intentions of the Court ruling that triggered it two years ago.
“Yet even a small step forward in rights for same-sex couples has proved unpalatable to the Legislative Council. It is a setback which shows just how far Hong Kong has to go before everyone in the city can enjoy equal rights.
“The failure of this bill must not be the end of efforts to improve the rights of same-sex couples in Hong Kong. On the contrary, it should be the catalyst for the authorities to produce a stronger bill that enables LGBTI people in Hong Kong to live with equality and dignity.
“Authorities must now urgently introduce a revised bill that establishes a comprehensive legal framework to recognize and protect the rights of same-sex couples, in full compliance with the Court’s ruling. No one should face discrimination because of who they are or whom they love.”
