Nepal Becomes First South Asian Country to Legally Recognize Same-Sex Marriage

NEW DELHI: In a surprising triumph for LGBTQ+ rights, Nepal has become the first nation in historically conservative South Asia to formally accept same-sex unions. On June 28, the Supreme Court of Nepal made the momentous decision that all same-sex weddings must be officially registered.

While legislation to change the law is being prepared, Supreme Court judge Til Prasad Shrestha ordered the Nepalese government to start registering same-sex weddings and non-traditional heterosexual relationships right away.

The court also instructed anybody who disagreed with its historic decision to submit their objections within two weeks.

In South Asia, where Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives have all opposed same-sex civil unions, the decision makes Nepal the first nation to accept same-sex weddings.

Only Taiwan has legalised same-sex marriage in the rest of Asia.

The decision came after LGBTQ+ campaigners submitted a petition in June demanding the enforcement of previous decisions. The Nepalese government has been given orders going back to 2007 to recognise same-sex marriage and set up a committee to draw a law to make it lawful. But each new administration has delayed its heels and failed to pass new legislation.

According to a 2011 census, 1,500 persons in Nepal identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, or having other sexual orientations or gender identities, while activists assert that there are actually 2.5 million queer people living in the 30 million-person nation.

A same-sex couple who lawfully wed in Germany but battled to get their marriage recognised in Nepal received a favourable ruling from the top court in May. Judges deemed it a violation of the constitution and commanded the government to take action.

Ever since a ten-year Maoist rebellion came to an end in 2006 and the 239-year-old Hindu monarchy was overthrown two years later, Nepal has worked to eradicate societal prejudice.

Also Read: ISRO to Transfer SSLV to the Private Sector, Says ISRO Chairman S Somanath

Also Watch: