Recognition of same-sex unions in Nepal

Legal status of same-sex unions
Marriage
Performed

Argentina
Australia
Austria*
Belgium
Brazil
Canada
Colombia
Costa Rica+
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Iceland
Ireland
Luxembourg
Malta
Mexico:
· 12 states & CDMX
Netherlands1
New Zealand2
Norway
Portugal
South Africa
Spain
Sweden
Taiwan+
United Kingdom3
United States4
Uruguay

Recognized
  1. Not performed in Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten
  2. Neither performed nor recognized in Niue, Tokelau or the Cook Islands
  3. Neither performed nor recognized in Northern Ireland, the dependency of Sark or six of the fourteen overseas territories
  4. Neither performed nor recognized in American Samoa or many tribal jurisdictions with the exception of federal recognition benefits
  5. When performed in Mexican states that have legalized same-sex marriage
  6. When performed in the Netherlands proper
  7. If performed before 1 June 2018
  8. Registration schemes open in all jurisdictions except Hualien County, Penghu County, Taitung County and Yunlin County

* Not yet in effect
+ Automatic deadline set by judicial body for same-sex marriage to become legal

LGBT portal

Same-sex marriage is not recognized or performed in Nepal. In 2011 and 2012, as the nation was undergoing a transition, there was an attempt to add LGBT-inclusive language to a newly drafted Constitution. However, negotiations among political factions failed in the spring of 2012 and the implementation of an interim constitution was placed on hold until new elections were held.

The new Constitution, approved by the Constituent Assembly on 16 September 2015,[1] includes several provisions pertaining to the rights of LGBT people, but does not address same-sex marriage.[2]

History

Asia
Same-sex sexual activity legal
  Marriage
  Other type of partnership
  Unregistered cohabitation
  Foreign same-sex marriages recognized
  No recognition of same-sex couples
  Restrictions on freedom of expression
Same-sex sexual activity illegal
  Not enforced or unclear
  Penalty
  Life in prison
  Death penalty

On November 17, 2008, Nepal’s Supreme Court ruled in favor of laws to guarantee full rights to LGBT people, and all gender minorities must be defined as "natural persons" under the law; this included the right to marry. "This is a landmark decision for the sexual minorities and we welcome it," said Sunil Babu Pant, Nepal's first publicly gay lawmaker and a leading gay rights activist in South Asia.[3] The court asked the Government to form a committee to study same-sex partnership laws in other countries and mandated that the new law not discriminate against sexual minorities, including cross-dressing and transgender people.[4][5]

On March 22, 2009, Pant said in an interview with the Indo-Asian News Service that "Though the court has approved of same-sex marriage, the Government is yet to enact a law," signaling that while a same-sex marriage bill has been ordered by the Supreme Court, it has yet to be drafted or voted on, much less legislated.[6] In June 2009, Pant said the process has just started: "Nepal is going through transition and everything seems to move slowly. The seven-member committee has formed and just started working to study same-sex marriage bills in other countries. Hopefully they will draft the suggestion to make same-sex marriage law soon and give it to the Government to approve."[7]

Several sources reported that same-sex marriage and protections for sexual minorities will be included in the new Nepalese Constitution being drafted.[8][9] The Interim Constitution provided for a Constituent Assembly, which was charged with writing Nepal's permanent Constitution. Under the terms of the Interim Constitution, the new Constitution was to be promulgated by November 30, 2011,[10] but a final six month extension was granted just before this deadline bringing the date to May 31, 2012. Negotiations on the new Constitution failed and Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai dissolved the Constituent Assembly on May 28, 2012 in preparations for the 2013 elections.[11] As a result, the future of same-sex marriage is uncertain.

The elections were held on 19 November 2013.[12] The vote was repeatedly delayed,[13] having previously been planned for 22 November 2012 following the dissolution of the Constituent Assembly on 27 May 2012, but it was put off by the election commission.[14] On 10 February 2014, Sushil Koirala was elected as prime minister with a large majority, breaking the political deadlock and opening the way for the Constitution to be finalised.[15]

In January 2014, Chaitanya Mishra, member of the committee formed to study international laws on same-sex marriage and prepare the report for the Government on the matter, stated that the work on the report has been completed, except for a summary to be drafted by the chairman of the committee. The chairman, Laxmi Raj Pathak, promised to submit the report to the Government within a month, but said that the Cabinet is not interested in the matter. Bhumika Shrestha of the Blue Diamond Society, a Nepalese gay rights group, has not ruled out the possibility of another lawsuit with the Supreme Court.[16]

In August 2014, the Associated Press reported that the committee had decided to recommend the legalization of same-sex marriage.[17] The same month, Narahari Acharya, the country's Minister of Law, Justice, Constituent Assembly and Parliamentary Affairs, stated that his ministry will present a bill to allow such marriages.[18] The committee submitted its report to the Government on 9 February 2015.[19][20]

In January 2016, a government official stated that the recommendations of the committee were under consultation within the Government.[21] In February 2016, the National Human Rights Commission asked the Government to introduce a bill to allow same-sex marriage.[22] In October 2016, the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare created a committee for the purpose of preparing a draft bill on the issue.[23] Provisions legalising same-sex marriage were not included in a proposed new civil code, and the Government later stated that same-sex marriage would be addressed in a separate bill.[24][25][26]

In July 2017, a couple (one partner identifies as third gender) successfully registered their marriage in the far-western Dadeldhura District. LGBT activist Sunil Babu Pant congratulated the married couple and said that a same-sex marriage law is still being discussed in Parliament.[27] Home Ministry spokesman Deepak Kafle said that the marriage could be invalid.[28]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Sharma, Bhadra (2015-09-16). "Assembly in Nepal Approves New Constitution". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2015-09-17.
  2. ↑ "Nepal lawmakers approve first LGBTI protections in new constitution - Gay Star News". 2015-09-15. Retrieved 2015-09-17.
  3. ↑ Nepal's Supreme Court OKs same-sex marriage Archived 2008-12-07 at the Wayback Machine.
  4. ↑ Nepal Supreme Court orders full LGBT rights Archived 2010-02-05 at the Wayback Machine.
  5. ↑ Nepal SC approves same-sex marriage Archived 2008-12-05 at the Wayback Machine.
  6. ↑ Gay Nepalese MP looks towards greater acceptance of gays and lesbians
  7. ↑ Progress in new republic of Nepal
  8. ↑ Nepal charter to grant gay rights Archived 2010-01-23 at the Wayback Machine.
  9. ↑ Nepal 'to stage gay weddings on Everest'
  10. ↑ Nepali interim Constitution to be amended for extension of CA term
  11. ↑ Narayan, John (2012-05-28). "Nepal enters crisis mode as constitution talks fail". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-04-05.
  12. ↑ Nepal voting ends for new Constituent Assembly
  13. ↑ "Channel NewsAsia". Channel NewsAsia. Retrieved 2013-11-24.
  14. ↑ "Nepal fails to meet constitution deadline". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 2012-05-28. Retrieved 2012-05-27.
  15. ↑ Nepal Picks New Premier, Putting End to Stalemate
  16. ↑ Report on same-sex marriage
  17. ↑ Nepal’s LGBT community parades for same-sex marriage
  18. ↑ Nepal to legalise homosexuality and same-sex marriages, says law minister
  19. ↑ Nepal panel recommends legalising same sex marriage
  20. ↑ Nepal committee calls for legalising same-sex marriage
  21. ↑ Once hailed, now failed?
  22. ↑ NHRC writes to implement report on same sex marriage
  23. ↑ All set to get legal status
  24. ↑ Civil Code Bill draws flak from rights advocates
  25. ↑ Govt to introduce special laws to address the same-sex marriage
  26. ↑ We need special laws: Karna
  27. ↑ Same-sex marriage has been registered for the first time in Nepal
  28. ↑ Nepali couple registers the country's first transgender marriage
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