Updated 1 February 2011

Many countries now have the freedom to marry for same-sex couples. These include the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Canada, South Africa, Norway, Sweden, Portugal, Iceland, and Argentina. Many more provide some protections for such couples.  Protection at some level is offered in three other areas.

On December 10, 2010, the government of Brazil issued an executive order ensuring that members of same-sex couples would receive survivor’s benefits in the event of a partner’s death.  Although the freedom to marry has not yet been achieved in Brazil, in 2000 a court in Rio Grande do Sul granted same-sex couples inheritance rights and allowed them to add their partners to their health insurance and retirement plans.

Mexico City’s Legislative Assembly voted 39-20 to uphold the freedom to marry for same-sex couples on December 21, 2009. The law defines marriage as “the free uniting of two people.” The bill also legalizes adoption by gay couples. In August 2010, the Mexican Supreme Court ruled that the law honoring the freedom to marry in Mexico City is constitutional and all states must honor same-sex marriages from other jurisdictions.

Other countries that offer many rights to same-sex couples, but stop short of marriage, include Ireland, Denmark, Finland, Germany, New Zealand, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Uruguay. Countries that offer some spousal rights to same-sex couples, which are far from full marriage equality, include: Andorra, Austria, Colombia, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Hungary, Luxembourg, Slovenia, and Switzerland.[1]

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[1] Freedom to Marry. The Freedom to Marry Internationally. http://freedomtomarry.org/landscape/entry/c/international. (Accessed January 31, 2011).

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