Jump to content

Recognition of same-sex unions in Ukraine

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 92.253.239.82 (talk) at 11:41, 29 May 2023. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Part of the LGBT rights series
Marriage

Recognized

Civil unions and
registered partnerships
Minimal recognition
See also
Notes
  1. KoN: Performed in the Netherlands proper (including the Caribbean Netherlands), as well as in Aruba and Curaçao. May be registered in Sint Maarten in such cases, but the rights of marriage are not guaranteed.
  2. NZ: Neither performed nor recognized in Niue, Tokelau, or the Cook Islands.
  3. UK: Neither performed nor recognized in six British Overseas Territories.
  4. US: Neither performed nor recognized in some tribal nations. Recognized but not performed in several other tribal nations and American Samoa.
  5. Israel: Registered foreign marriages confer all marriage rights. Domestic common-law marriages confer most rights of marriage. Domestic civil marriage recognized by some cities.
  6. EU: The Coman v. Romania ruling of the European Court of Justice obliges the state to provide residency rights for the foreign spouses of EU citizens. Some member states, including Romania, do not follow the ruling.
  7. Cambodia: Recognition of a "declaration of family relationship", which may be useful in matters such as housing, but they are not legally binding.
  8. China: Guardianship agreements, conferring some limited legal benefits, including decisions about medical and personal care.
  9. HK: Inheritance, guardianship rights, and residency rights for foreign spouses of legal residents.
  10. India: Courts have recognised guru–shishya, nata pratha or maitri karar–type contractual relationships, but they are not legally binding.
  11. Japan: Some cities and prefectures issue partnership certificates, but they are not legally binding.
  12. Namibia: Marriages conducted abroad between a Namibian national and a foreign spouse recognized for residency rights.
  13. Romania: Hospital visitation rights through a "legal representative" status.
  14. South Korea: Spousal health insurance benefits
* Not yet in effect
LGBT portal

Ukraine does not recognize same-sex marriage or civil unions. The Constitution of Ukraine defines marriage as between "a woman and a man". The issue of the introduction of same-sex marriages has become particularly acute after the start of Ukraine's accession to the European Union in 2022 and the Russian large-scale invasion of Ukraine during the Russo-Ukrainian War.[1][2] In August 2022, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his government was working on passing a civil partnership law that would provide same-sex couples with some of the rights and benefits of marriage.[3]

In March 2023, a petition for registered partnerships [uk] for same-sex and opposite-sex couples was registered in support of draft law No. 9103 "On the Institute of Registered Partnerships", in April 2023 it collected 25,000 signatures.[4][5] In May 2023, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyi, responded to the petition, noting that the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine is working on the legislative introduction of the civil partnership institute in Ukraine in order to eliminate discriminatory provisions that violate the property and non-property rights of partners who cannot register a marriage.[6][7]

Polls in the 2020s show that the majority of Ukrainians rather support the introduction of same-sex registered partnerships.[8][9][10] Separately, the LGBT community of Ukraine fears that the emergence of the institution of civil partnerships will make the prospect of introducing same-sex marriages in Ukraine unattainable.[11]

Background

Laws regarding same-sex partnerships in Europe¹
  Marriage
  Civil union
  Limited domestic recognition (cohabitation)
  Limited foreign recognition (residency rights)
  Unrecognized
  Constitution limits marriage to opposite-sex couples
¹ May include recent laws or court decisions that have not yet entered into effect.

Article 51 of the Constitution of Ukraine, adopted by the Verkhovna Rada in 1996, states: "Marriage is based on the free consent of a woman and a man. Each of the spouses has equal rights and duties in the marriage and family."[12] In June 2018, the Ministry of Justice said that "there is no legal grounds" for same-sex marriage in Ukraine.[13] The wording of Article 51 is interpreted as banning same-sex marriage; however, Olha Sovgirya, a justice of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, believes that the Constitution does not prohibit same-sex marriage, arguing that the "emphasis in Article 51 is on the freedom of marrying a member of the opposite sex, and not on the fact that the parties should be of different sexes."[14]

On 23 November 2015, the Government of Ukraine approved an action plan to implement a "National Strategy on Human Rights" in the period up to 2020, which include the promise of drafting a bill creating civil partnerships for opposite-sex and same-sex couples by 2017.[15][16][17] However, in early 2018, the Ministry of Justice, led by Pavlo Petrenko, stated that "the development and submission to the government of a draft law on the legalization of a registered civil partnership in Ukraine cannot be implemented" due to "numerous appeals from the regional councils, the Council of Churches and other religious organizations".[18]

2022 petition calling for equal rights

On 3 June 2022, an online petition was launched on the official website of the President of Ukraine calling for the legalization of same-sex marriage. Citing the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the text of the petition stated: "At this time, every day may be the last. Let people of the same sex have the opportunity to start a family and have an official document confirming this. They need the same rights as traditional couples." Oksana Solonska, the media communications manager of Kyiv Pride, said, "It is important that LGBTQ people have the right to see their partner and take their body from the morgue, and seek compensation if needed. All married couples have these rights. We really hope that same-sex marriage will be legalised, so people will be able to take care of each other." The petition quickly gained signatures, and by 13 July, the petition had gathered more than 28,000 signatures. Any petitions that gather more than 25,000 signatures automatically trigger the president's consideration.[19]

On 2 August 2022, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy issued an official response to the petition. Zelenskyy said it would be impossible to legalize same-sex marriage without an amendment to the Constitution of Ukraine, and that "[t]he Constitution of Ukraine cannot be changed during martial law or a state of emergency". "The Family Code of Ukraine defines that the family is the primary and main unit of society. A family consists of persons who live together, are connected by common life, have mutual rights and obligations. According to the Constitution of Ukraine, marriage is based on the free consent of a woman and a man (Article 51).",[3] Zelenskyy wrote. However, Zelenskyy said that his government would work on a bill to legalize civil partnerships in Ukraine. "In the modern world, the level of democratic society is measured, among other things, through state policy aimed at ensuring equal rights for all citizens. Every citizen is an inseparable part of civil society, he is entitled to all the rights and freedoms enshrined in the Constitution of Ukraine. All people are free and equal in their dignity and rights."[20] He called on Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal to address the issue.[21] Shmyhal instructed the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Social Policy to consider the issues raised in the petition. Ukraine is obliged under the European Court of Human Rights' ruling in Fedotova and Others v. Russia to provide legal recognition to same-sex couples.[22]

Same-sex couples do not have a right to inheritance, hospital visitations or to make medical decisions for an ill partner. "If [my] (partner) dies ... [I] won't be allowed even to bury [him] ... they might not let [me] into the hospital", said a cadet specialising in aerial reconnaissance who had joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the wake of the Russian invasion. LGBT groups described Zelenskyy's statement as "historic", and called on a bill to be passed as soon as possible: "People need this now", said Olena Shevchenko.[23] The introduction of civil partnerships (Ukrainian: цивільне партнерство, pronounced [t͡seˈʋ⁽ʲ⁾ilʲne pɐrtˈnɛrstwɔ])[a] would allow same-sex couples to enjoy some of the rights and benefits of marriage, including property rights, maintenance, inheritance, spousal privilege, etc. MP Inna Sovsun said she was considering introducing her own civil union bill to Parliament should the government fail to do so.[14] Sovsun introduced a civil partnership bill with 18 cosponsors in March 2023.[25] The bill passed two parliamentary committees with unanimous support in May.[26] The government has vowed to approve the bill by the end of 2023.[27]

The Russo-Ukrainian War has spurred efforts within the military to legalize same-sex marriage, because the partners of gay soldiers are not afforded the same rights and privileges as opposite-sex partners, "although they are fighting just as bravely as their fellow straight combat troops". A soldier in Donbas said, "When we defend the country, we dismantle Russian propaganda about all gay people being communists, Marxists, and anti-Ukraine. We have destroyed these homophobic myths by fighting the Russians and risking our lives for Ukraine."[28]

Public opinion

Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has bolstered support for the recognition of same-sex unions in Ukraine. Surveys by Nash Svit for the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology showed that opposition to same-sex civil unions had decreased from 69% in 2016 to 42% in 2022. Jul Sirous, a coordinator for volunteers and teamwork at Kyiv Pride, said, "[People are] now looking at some things in a completely different light because compared to the fact that a person might be gone tomorrow, the fact that they are gay or a lesbian – we're not paying attention to that."[23][29]

A 2022 poll conducted by the Center for Social Expertise of the Institute of Sociology at the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine showed that 27% of Ukrainians supported same-sex marriage and 26% supported it with "some exceptions", meaning that 53% supported the recognition of same-sex unions in some form. This represented a large increase from 2016 when 33% of the population supported recognising same-sex unions.[30]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Russian: гражданское партнёрство, pronounced [ɡrɐʐˈdanskəjə pɐrt⁽ʲ⁾ˈnʲɵrstvə];[24] Crimean Tatar: vatandaşlıq ortaqlıq, Template:IPA-crh

References

  1. ^ Війна загострила питання легалізації одностатевих шлюбів, - Злобіна (in Ukrainian), retrieved 2023-05-29
  2. ^ Донбас.Реалії (2022-12-15). "«Ми захищаємо країну нарівні з іншими» – ЛГБТ-військові про важливість легалізації одностатевих стосунків". Радіо Свобода (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2023-05-29.
  3. ^ a b Pietsch, Bryan (2022-08-04). "Zelensky floats civil unions amid gay marriage push in Ukraine". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2022-08-28.
  4. ^ Суспільне Новини (29 березня 2023). "На сайті президента з'явилась петиція на підтримку закону про реєстровані партнерства". Retrieved 06 травня 2023. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  5. ^ "Цивільне партнерство в Україні: чому це актуально під час війни". Гречка - інформаційний портал кіровоградщини (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  6. ^ "Рухаємось назустріч європейським стандартам. Зеленський відповів на петицію про реєстрацію партнерства для одностатевих пар — Delo.ua". delo.ua (in Ukrainian). 2023-05-26. Retrieved 2023-05-29.
  7. ^ "Зеленський відповів на петицію про цивільні партнерства". Українська правда _Життя. Retrieved 2023-05-29.
  8. ^ https://www.the-village.com.ua/users/1215889 (2022-06-03). "Більше половини українців ставиться до ЛГБТ-людей позитивно або байдуже – опитування". The Village Україна. Retrieved 2023-05-29. {{cite web}}: External link in |last= (help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  9. ^ "За майже десять років побільшало українців, які підтримують права гомосексуальних пар на реєстрацію сімейних стосунків – дослідження | ZMINA". zmina.info (in Ukrainian). 2022-07-15. Retrieved 2023-05-29.
  10. ^ https://www.the-village.com.ua/users/1203385 (2022-08-15). "Одностатевим союзам – так? Що таке цивільне партнерство й коли його чекати в Україні". The Village Україна. Retrieved 2023-05-29. {{cite web}}: External link in |last= (help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  11. ^ Oprishchenko, Anastasiya (2023-03-08). "Що таке цивільне партнерство та чи дозволить воно зареєструвати шлюб одностатевим парам в Україні". Заборона (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2023-05-29.
  12. ^ "Constitution of Ukraine" (PDF). www.refword.org. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
  13. ^ "Justice ministry: No legal grounds in Ukraine currently for same-sex marriage | KyivPost - Ukraine's Global Voice". KyivPost. 18 June 2018.
  14. ^ a b "Одностатевим союзам – так? Що таке цивільне партнерство й коли його чекати в Україні". The Village (in Ukrainian). 15 August 2022.
  15. ^ "Ukrainian government plans to submit a bill on same-sex 'civil partnership' legalization". uatoday.tv. 11 March 2016. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  16. ^ "The Cabinet plans to legalize same-sex unions and HIV-positive can be allowed to adopt children". reporter-ua.ru. 11 March 2016. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  17. ^ "Текст документа: "Про затвердження плану дій з реалізації Національної стратегії у сфері прав людини на період до 2020 року" № 1393-р — редакція від 23.11.2015". Ukrainian Government Portal (in Ukrainian). 23 November 2015. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  18. ^ Same-sex marriage in Ukraine: accept or deny?, UNIAN (14 February 2018)
  19. ^ "Ukraine to consider legalising same-sex marriage amid war". BBC News. 12 July 2022.
  20. ^ "Zelensky opens door to same-sex civil partnerships in Ukraine". CNN. 3 August 2022.
  21. ^ "Ukraine president asks gov't to study legalising same-sex marriages". Reuters. 2 August 2022.
  22. ^ "ECtHR: refusal of any form of legal recognition and protection for same-sex couples breaches Convention". EU Law Live. 17 January 2023.
  23. ^ a b Vikhrov, Natalie (25 August 2022). "Ukraine war fuels public support for same-sex marriage". Thomas Reuters Foundation News.
  24. ^ "Что на самом деле ответил Зеленский про однополые браки? Читаем между строк". Life.nv.ua (in Russian). 4 August 2022.
  25. ^ "Ukrainian MP introduces bill to legally recognize same-sex couples". Washington Blade. 7 March 2023.
  26. ^ Shmigel, Pete (19 May 2023). "New Developments in Same-Sex Partnership Registration for LGBTQ Soldiers in Ukraine". Kyiv Post.
  27. ^ "Zelenskyy responds to civil partnerships petition". Yahoo!. 27 May 2023.
  28. ^ Javaid, Maham; Bilefsky, Dan (August 4, 2022). "War Spurs Ukrainian Efforts to Legalize Same-Sex Marriage: The role of gay soldiers, the lack of legal rights for their partners, and the threat of Russia imposing anti-L.G.B.T. policies have turned the war into a catalyst for change in Ukraine". New York Times. p. A4. Archived from the original on 2 August 2022. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  29. ^ "Більше половини українців ставиться до ЛГБТ-людей позитивно або байдуже – опитування". The Village (in Ukrainian). 3 June 2022.
  30. ^ "Право гомосексуальних пар на реєстрацію шлюбу підтримує удвічі більше українців, ніж 10 років тому". The Village (in Ukrainian). 16 July 2022.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Recognition_of_same-sex_unions_in_Ukraine&oldid=1157555503"