The LGBTQ+ community has been fighting for equal rights for a very long time across the world. While the fight for equal rights is still ongoing in some nations, other nations have found victory after a protracted struggle. In a major win for the LGBTQ+ community, Hong Kong’s highest court upheld rulings supporting equal inheritance rights and subsidised housing advantages for same-sex married couples.
Rights Of Couples In Same-Sex Marriage, Ruling By The Hong Kong Court
Years of legal disputes over the unequal treatment of same-sex couples married abroad under Hong Kong’s Housing Authority rules and two inheritance laws came to an end when the Court of Final Appeal rejected the government’s appeals.
In three different judicial assessments, a panel of five judges unanimously rendered decisions that mandated the Court of First Instance to look into the decision-making procedures of administrative bodies and make sure that matters affect the general public interest.
The orders are anticipated to have a major effect on same-sex couples’ lives, as they have historically been denied greater privileges in the world’s financial centre than their heterosexual counterparts.
Some couples choose to get married outside of Hong Kong because same-sex marriage is not accepted there. At the moment, it recognises same-sex marriage for only specific purposes, such as dependent visas, taxes, and civil service benefits. Due to legal challenges, the government has made concessions, and social acceptance of same-sex marriage has grown.
Also Read: From Netherlands To Nepal, Same-Sex Marriage Is Legal Nationwide In THESE Countries
Timeline of Same-Sex Partnership Recognition
A framework for recognising same-sex relationships should be provided by the government, according to a September 2023 ruling by the top courts. In 2020 and 2021, a lower court declared that housing regulations that excluded same-sex spouses from inheritance law benefits were unlawful discrimination against them and breached constitutional equality.
In October 2023, the government challenged these decisions in favour of the same-sex marriages in the Court of Appeal but lost. They then brought the cases before the highest court.
Although same-sex relationships were legalised in 1991, Hong Kong does not have any regulations that would shield the LGBTQ population from hate speech, discrimination in the workplace, or in the sale of products or services. According to a 2023 survey, 60% of Hong Kong citizens support equal marriage, but it is still illegal, as reported by the Hong Kong Free Press.
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