The Hong Kong legislature has rejected a bill proposing a new legal framework for registering same-sex partnerships. In response, Amnesty International’s Researcher/Policy Advisor on Gender, Nadia Rahman, stated:

“Today the Hong Kong authorities failed to address the inequality faced by same-sex couples in all areas of their lives. the proposed bill on same-sex partnerships was flawed, but in rejecting it lawmakers have shown an alarming disdain for LGBTI rights.”

According to Rahman, the rejected bill would have provided minimal protection, specifically for couples who registered their partnership overseas, falling short of a Court ruling from two years prior.

“Yet even a small step forward in rights for same-sex couples has proved unpalatable to the Legislative Council. It is a setback which shows just how far Hong Kong has to go before everyone in the city can enjoy equal rights,” Rahman added.

Rahman urged authorities to introduce a stronger bill that enables LGBTI people in hong Kong to live with equality and dignity, establishing a comprehensive legal framework to recognise and protect the rights of same-sex couples, in full compliance with the Court’s ruling. “No one should face discrimination as of who they are or whom they love,” she said.

background

The Legislative Council rejected the bill by a vote of 71 to 14, with one abstention. The proposed framework would have applied only to couples who registered their partnership outside of Hong Kong, granting limited rights related to medical decision-making and post-death arrangements.

The bill was a result of a Court of Final Appeal ruling on 5 September 2023, which mandated that the Hong Kong government establish a legal framework to recognize same-sex relationships, a partial victory for LGBTI rights advocate Jimmy Sham. The Court set a deadline of 27 October 2025 for compliance.

“Today the Hong Kong authorities failed to address the inequality faced by same-sex couples in all areas of their lives.”

Currently,Hong Kong law does not recognize same-sex relationships,denying same-sex couples the right to marry or enter civil partnerships. While courts have acknowledged the discriminatory nature of denying rights to same-sex couples, progress has been slow. Limited rights have been extended to couples married or in civil partnerships overseas,including spousal benefits,taxation,public housing eligibility,and inheritance rights. However, a comprehensive framework remains absent.

Prior to the vote, Amnesty International Hong Kong Overseas, along with othre LGBTI rights groups from asia, issued a joint letter calling on the Hong Kong government to comply with the Court’s ruling and establish a comprehensive legal framework for same-sex partnerships.