The New Zealand Human Rights Commission has formally endorsed same gender marriage and a non-discriminatory approach to adoption that gives primacy to the best interests of the child.
The conclusion to The HRC’s short paper states:
“In order to ensure formal legal equality, including the right to found and form a family regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, the Commission formally:
- endorses marriage equality – namely the right to marry, form a civil union or a de facto partnership regardless of one’s sexual orientation, sex or gender identity.
- endorses adoption equality – ensuring primacy is given to the best interests of the child irrespective of each person’s sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability or the couple’s marital status.”
The paper can be downloaded from the Human Rights Commission.
The Commission also recommends legislative change to allow same gender couples to adopt children.
“Restricting the right to adopt to couples who are married or to opposite sex de-facto couples amounts to discrimination under the Human Rights Act and the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act. The Commission recommends amending the Adoption Act to ensure adoption equality that focuses on the best interests of the child, and does not discriminate against parents because of their sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability or marital status.”
“The Commission’s paper notes two proposed members’ bills that would allow same-sex couples to adopt.”
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