Gibraltar set to approve Civil Partnership Bill

Gibraltar is set to pass a bill legalising civil partnerships for same-sex couples.

The law will be passed before the end of the current parliament, according to the Gibraltar Chronicle.

The Equality Rights Group has praised the decision, adding that it has taken 14 years of hard work to reach this point.

It is the latest move towards LGBT equality in the country, following the legalisation of gay sex in 1993 and the lowering of the age of consent more recently in 2011.

Felix Alvarez, chairman of the Equality Rights Group, said: “Most of these goals have today been reached, with civil partnership – justly extended to heterosexual partners – the most long-awaited and desired of these measures.

“And they have been reached because we were determined to campaign in a democratic, open manner. Without apology and without recourse to anything other than an open dialogue with society in general, and the political parties.”

He added: “It has been very difficult at times, but we never doubted the changes would eventually come, as we witnessed how support grew larger and wider as we counted the years.”

“For us, it is a source of much pride that this respect for open discussion and constitutional means has, with patience and determination, brought the fruits of much labour.”

Alvarez said that more work needs to be done “to care for the human and civil rights of all in this community who are still aggrieved by injustice”, calling for all organisations to “redouble their efforts”.

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