Anti-Gay Discrimination Rife in Northern Ireland
365Gay.com,
August 24, 2001
By Peter Moore
London—Northern Ireland’s Human Rights Commission
says laws and policies in the province "discriminate extensively"
against lesbians, gays and bisexuals.
In a report released Thursday in Belfast, it called on the British
government and Northern Ireland Assembly to repeal or amend any law that
discriminated against gays. It also recommended recognition of same-sex
partnerships with an official registry.
The Commission said discrimination reaches into the criminal law,
employment, education, health care, housing, immigration and the taxation and
social security systems.
The report said that while public authorities are required to promote
equality of opportunity, many showed "little evidence of policies or
practices that affect lesbian, gay and bisexual people".
It recommended the repeal of the law on sexual offences relating to
consensual sexual activity between gay, lesbian and bisexual couples
The Commission called on the British government to create equal standards
of human rights throughout the United Kingdom.
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