Thursday, January 2, 2003
Switzerland unveils partnership measure
A story released today by Reuters News reports that Switzerland's Federal Council unveiled a same-sex partnership legislation Nov. 29.
"The recognition by the state of the partnership between persons of the same sex will contribute to ending discrimination, which hits homosexual couples particularly hard, and to lessening prejudice against homosexuality," the government said in a press release.
Same-sex partners would register at the Civil State office, where they would commit to living together and to mutual respect, assistance and economic life. A non-Swiss partner would be granted residency.
Those who register would acquire marriage rights in the areas of inheritance, social security and divorce. Adoption and assisted-procreation rights are not included.
The government said about 30 federal laws would have to be modified to accommodate the partnership scheme.
Activist groups welcomed the measure while simultaneously denouncing the adoption and assisted-procreation restrictions and lamenting that same-sex couples are not simply being granted access to regular marriage.
