Austria rescinds ban on adoption by same-sex couples

The Austrian Constitutional Court has rescinded the country's ban on same-sex couples adopting children. The Austrian Press Agency reports that Judge Gerhart Holzinger announced the judgment today.
Gays and lesbians in Austria have been able to adopt their partner's child since 2013, but same-sex couples have been banned from adopting a child together. The court has now stated in its judgment that the ban on such adoption is unconstitutional and that there is no reason to restrict adoption on the basis of parents' sexual orientation.
The judgment references the European Convention on Human Rights, which guarantees the right to family and private life. The APA reports that while the Convention does not mention a right to adoption, the court believes that when a country makes adoption possible, such a right must be enjoyed equally and without discrimination.
Two years ago Austria permitted gays and lesbians to adopt their partner's child after the European Court of Human Rights ordered the Alpine republic to rescind its same-sex adoption ban. Elsewhere in Europe, Denmark and the Netherlands are pioneers in the field of gay rights.
Denmark became the first country in the world to facilitate registered partnership for gays and lesbians in 1989, and in 2001 the Netherlands became the first state to introduce marriage for same-sex couples and to permit gays and lesbians to adopt children. Currently roughly 20 countries permit same-sex marriages and many other states have registered partnerships including adoption or property settlement provisions.
In the Czech Republic a law on registered partnership has been in force since 2006, but gays and lesbians are not able to adopt children. According to data from the 2011 census, roughly 1 000 children throughout the country are being raised by same-sex couples.
Don't miss:
- Britain: Parents from Slovakia sue to halt adoption of their children by gay couple
- Czech Republic: Unique meeting of gay and lesbian Roma in Prague
- Austria: Former Czech Foreign Minister warns of racism
- Austrian court convicts seven men of neo-Nazi activity
- Austrian authorities destroy Hitler's parents' grave after it becomes a pilgrimage site
- Austrian authorities halt investigation into alcohol labels with images of Hitler
- Serbia: Authorities ban Gay Pride March in Belgrade
- IHT: Czech Pres. unusually isolated in opposition to gay parade
- Right-wing extremist incidents rose by one-third in Austria last year
- Bátora criticizes US Ambassador for standing up for gays and lesbians
- Czech President defends critique of Prague Mayor over Gay Pride Parade
- Prague's first-ever Gay Pride Parade and Festival of Tolerance scheduled for first half of August
- Austrian Police arrest operator of Nazi propaganda website housed on US server
- Austria takes part in international effort to help Roma
Related articles:
- Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia: NGO reports that LGBT+ Roma face discrimination from their own families as well as majority societies in these EU Member States
- LGBT+ members of Romani communities were part of Prague Pride this year, activists introduced program to aid people experiencing multiple discrimination
- Czech LGBT Romani activist says LGBT Roma are used to being scorned, but have their allies as well
- Czech town ordered to pay Romani residents evicted in 2006, may appeal
- Czech ombudsman to control discrimination agenda, head of the legal section steps down to work for his deputy
- Czech Deputy Public Defender of Rights wants to investigate human rights, new Public Defender is downplaying that aspect of the office
- In twist of fate, new Public Defender of Rights sworn in by chair of ultranationalist party
- Czech media reports Human Rights Commissioner co-authored communist-era paper alleging Roma are predetermined to commit crimes
- Czech President's nominee for ombudsman says he would not deal with discrimination against Roma if chosen because that's what the courts are for
- Czech court again acquits youths accused of assaulting man because of his skin color, prosecutor may appeal
- For a third time, Slovak court acquits police of brutalizing Romani children a decade ago, prosecutor appealing
- Czech Deputy Public Defender of Rights is now Monika Šimůnková, a former Human Rights Commissioner
Tags:
Adopce, Lgbt, Lidská práva, Rakousko, SoudHEADLINE NEWS
