Nepal has become the 40th country in the world to legally recognize same-sex marriage, according to PinkNews. A lawsuit filed three years ago mandated that the Nepali government create a new marriage register for couples from LGBTQ+ communities, but a new ruling further solidifies the ability of LGBTQ+ Nepali citizens to marry.
“This landmark ruling marks a historic milestone for equality, dignity, and human rights in Nepal, while providing crucial legal clarity and protection for the rights of same-sex couples,” said monk and former politician Sunil Babu Pant to Nepali non-profit Pahichan.
Babu Pant claims the ruling “reaffirms” the constitutional principles established in their own case brought against the Nepali government back in 2007. The Supreme Court case – Sunil Babu Pant vs. Nepal — first established the recognition of LGBTQIA+ people as equal citizens of Nepal.
The new ruling makes LGBTI citizens eligible to enjoy all constitutional rights, including the right to non-discrimination and equality, as per South Asian Translaw Database. Nepal is one of only three Asian nations that has legalized same-sex marriage along with Thailand and Taiwan.
LGBTQ+ individuals, couples and organizations all celebrated the win. Nepal LGBTQ+ rights organization The Blue Diamond released a statement on Instagram, writing: “the ruling is now the fourth Supreme Court decision over nearly two decades that makes clear: the freedom to marry the person you love is a guarantee under Nepal’s Constitution, and LGBTQIA+ couples and their families must be afforded the dignity, respect and protections that only marriage can provide.”
