Categoies
International Updates
Hong Kong Court of Appeal allows grant of spousal visa to homosexual woman
In a unanimous decision, the Hong Kong Court of Appeal has held that the Immigration Department’s refusal to recognize the UK civil partnership of a homosexual woman and grant her visa was unlawful and amounted to indirect discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender, and the nature of the relationship between the spouses. However, […]
Turkey mulls ban on surrogacy, restrictions on other ART
The Turkish government has proposed a draft law that seeks to ban surrogacy by Turkish citizens, including abroad, and also seeks to prohibit “mediation,” “assistance,” “encouragement” or “advertisement” for the same. The draft law also seeks to outlaw in vitro fertilisation unless the couple is married and cannot reproduce biologically. Discussions around Assisted Reproductive Technology have […]
Pakistan rejects proposal to raise minimum age of marriage to 18
On the United Nations International Day of the Girl, the Pakistani Senate rejected a bill to raise the minimum age for a woman to legally marry from 16 to 18 on the basis that it was “un-Islamic” and “contrary to Islamic injunctions”. The bill was intended to combat the frequent marriages between girls as young […]
Myanmar set to introduce draft law on gender based violence, in Parliament
A new law to punish gender based violence has been drafted, and is set to be introduced in the current session of the Burmese Parliament. The law, called the Prevention and Protection of Violence against Women Bill carries a broad definition of violence, which includes domestic violence, marital rape, sexual violence, harassment and assault in […]
Saudi Arabia permits women to drive, enter stadiums; access to essentials still limited
The Saudi King has issued decrees legalizing driving of cars by Saudi women, and permitting them to enter sports stadiums. The former decree orders the creation of a ministerial body for the purposes of implementation, and stipulates the necessity of applying these changes in a manner compliant with Sharia standards. The latter decree will open […]
Indonesia accepts two UN recommendations for upholding LGBT rights, but seeks to outlaw their representation on television
Indonesia has accepted two recommendations made during its universal periodic review regarding LGBT rights. The recommendations pertain to ensuring a safe and enabling environment for all human rights defenders, and implementing freedom of expression, association, and assembly with an emphasis on non-discrimination, especially for LGBT people. Yet, a proposed draft bill seeks to outlaw the […]
Philippines House passes the SOGIE Equality Bill.
The Philippines House of Representatives approved the SOGIE Equality Bill on its second reading, advancing the legality of the measure to criminalize and penalize discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression (SOGIE). The bill cites 15 forms of discrimination action including denial of access to public, health, or education services, harassment of any […]
Supreme Court of Nepal allows Nepali citizens to change their birth-assigned sex.
The Supreme Court of Nepal issued a ruling which enables Nepali citizens to apply for their citizenship documents to reflect their gender identity rather than birth-assigned sex identity. The Supreme Court reaffirmed article 12 of the Constitution, ensuring citizenship on the basis of identity. The Court also asserted their support of individuals with different sexual […]
Ukraine amends disclosure law, tightens grip over NGOs
The Ukrainian government amended its e-declaration law on financial disclosures, to include all non-governmental organisations. The law mandates stringent reporting requirements with respect to the funding and expenditure of NGOs. Earlier in the year, the legislature had enacted another law, purportedly for curbing corruption, which requires anti-corruption activists to register their assets. It also made […]
Denmark approves same-sex marriage in the Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands became the final Nordic country to recognise marriage equality and legalise same-sex marriage. The islands, regarded as a territory of Denmark, had authorized same-sex marriage the previous year itself but required a change in law for its legislation from the government of Denmark in order for it to be put into practice. […]