ベルギー：同性カップルの養子縁組認める

Gay Couples in Belgium Get Adoption Rights
Friday April 21, 2006 6:16 AM

BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) - The Belgian parliament has narrowly approved a bill to grant same-sex couples equal rights in adoption.

Senators backed the proposal Thursday by a vote of 34 to 33 with two abstentions. The House had earlier voted 77-62 in favor of the bill.

With the adoption of the bill, Belgium becomes the fourth European Union member state to allow same-sex couples equal rights in adoption, after Spain, the Netherlands and Sweden.

Up to now, only heterosexual couples or single people were granted adoption rights.

``It is a memorable day for the children of gays. Finally they earn the right of a worthy legal link with both their parents,'' said Mieke Stessens of the Belgian Federation of Gays.

Belgium OK's Co-Parenting For Gay Couples
by Malcolm Thornberry, 365Gay.com European Bureau Chief
April 21, 2006 - 12:01 am ET

(Brussels) The Belgian Senate on Thursday passed legislation recognizing the rights of same-sex couples to be parents. The measure passed the lower house in December.

The law will recognize both partners where one is the biological parent and allow couples to jointly adopt children.

The bill passed by only one vote in the Senate.

In the case of adoption, the law will cover children from Belgium or who were adopted abroad.

"This bill means children can enjoy a genuine statute, which is essential for their development. Their situation is not a shameful one," Justice Minister Laurette Onkelinx told the Senate.

LGBT rights groups had been fighting for the change in the law ever since Belgium became the second country in the world to permit same-sex marriage, arguing that many gay and lesbian couples are already raising children but that those children are not protected by law.

The new law will provide for custody, visitation and child support when a same-sex couple breaks up and provides rights for non biological parents if the other parent should die.

Belgium legalized same-sex marriage in 2003 but the law did not permit co-parenting.