The Slovenian Parliament should adopt the new Family Code proposed by the Slovenian Government, Human Rights Watch said today in a letter to parliament members. The law would extend civil marriage to lesbian and gay couples and put heterosexual and homosexual partnerships on equal legal footing, including the right of same-sex partners to adopt.
“In recent years many European states have extended civil marriage and adoption rights to same-sex couples,” said Boris Dittrich, acting director of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights Program at Human Rights Watch. “The proposed Family Code is Slovenia’s chance to join others in Europe in enabling same-sex couples to participate fully in family life.”
Many governments within Europe have grasped the urgency of ending discrimination in access to civil marriage and adoption, Human Rights Watch said. The Netherlands’ legislature extended full civil marriage and adoption rights to same-sex couples in 2001; Belgium did the same in 2003 for civil marriage and in 2006 for adoption. Spain followed suit in 2005. Same-sex marriage became legal in Norway on January 1, 2009; in Sweden on May 1, 2009; in Portugal on June 5, 2010; and in Iceland on June 27, 2010. Outside Europe, South Africa, Canada, Argentina, Mexico City, and several states within the US recognize same-sex marriage.
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