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Part of the LGBT rights series
Marriage

Recognized

Civil unions and
registered partnerships
Minimal recognition
Unclear legal status
See also
Notes
  1. KoN: Performed in the Netherlands proper, including the Caribbean Netherlands. Registered in Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten in such cases, but the rights of marriage are not guaranteed.
  2. NZ: Neither performed nor recognized in Niue, Tokelau, or the Cook Islands.
  3. UK: Neither performed nor recognized in six British Overseas Territories.
  4. US: Neither performed nor recognized in some tribal nations. Recognized but not performed in several other tribal nations and American Samoa.
  5. Israel: Registered foreign marriages confer all marriage rights. Domestic common-law marriages confer most rights of marriage. Domestic civil marriage recognized by some cities.
  6. EU: The Coman v. Romania ruling of the European Court of Justice obliges the state to provide residency rights for the foreign spouses of EU citizens. All EU member states except Romania follow the ruling.
  7. Cambodia: Recognition of a "declaration of family relationship", which may be useful in matters such as housing, but they are not legally binding.
  8. China: Guardianship agreements, conferring some limited legal benefits, including decisions about medical and personal care.
  9. HK: Inheritance, guardianship rights, and residency rights for foreign spouses of legal residents.
  10. India: Courts have recognised guru–shishya, nata pratha or maitri karar–type contractual relationships, but they are not legally binding.
  11. Japan: Some cities and prefectures issue partnership certificates, but they are not legally binding.
  12. Namibia: Marriages conducted abroad between a Namibian national and a foreign spouse recognized for residency rights.
  13. Romania: Hospital visitation rights through a "legal representative" status.
* Not yet in effect
LGBT portal

Fiji does not recognise same-sex marriage, civil unions or any other form of recognition for same-sex couples.

Background

  Marriage
  Recognition of marriages performed elsewhere in the country (American Samoa)
  No recognition of same-sex couples
  Constitution limits marriage to opposite-sex couples (Palau, Tuvalu)
  Same-sex sexual activity illegal
  Same-sex sexual activity illegal, but ban not enforced
(Country names will appear with mouse-overs when map is viewed at full size. Encircling lines are the exclusive economic zones of each state.)

On 26 March 2013, Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama expressed opposition to the recognition of same-sex marriage. Answering a question raised by a caller on a radio talk-back programme, he stated that same-sex marriage "will not be allowed because it is against religious beliefs". [1] [2] In April 2013, a support group representing LGBT students, the Drodrolagi Movement, called for a discussion on the issue. [3] In January 2016, Bainimarama reiterated his opposition to same-sex marriage, saying "there will be no same-sex marriage in Fiji" and suggested that lesbian couples seeking to marry move to Iceland. [4]

In April 2019, Bainimarama reiterated his opposition to same-sex marriage, saying, "As long as we are in government – Fiji will not allow same-sex marriage", because Fiji is a "God-fearing country". [5] His stance was backed by the Catholic Church, the Methodist Church of Fiji and Rotuma and the Fiji Muslim League. [6] That same month, the director of the Fiji Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission, Ashwin Raj, said that "same-sex marriage is not a right" and that "there needs to be more clarity on what the Constitution of Fiji states on the issue of same-sex marriage". Raj said "the priority must be towards addressing discrimination faced by the LGBTI community", and called for "a calm and rational debate". [7] The Fiji Coalition on Human Rights said it was "disappointed and disturbed" by the Prime Minister's stance, arguing that his remarks go against the basis of Fiji's laws and contradicted his commitment to the United Nations Human Rights Council. [8]

The Methodist Church, the largest Christian denomination in Fiji, has been vociferously opposed to same-sex marriage and LGBT rights, arguing that homosexuality "threatens the stability of key institutions in Fiji's society" and violates "Christian standards of morality". Historically, prior to European colonisation and the conversion of the local Fijian population to Christianity in the 19th century, Fijian society authorised homosexual activity through ritual or in the cultural practice of gender liminality. While they may be homosexual, gender-liminal males, known in Fijian as vakasalewalewa (pronounced [βakaˈsaːleɰaleɰa]), [9] are "deemed not to emphasise their sexual orientation as a fixed aspect of their identity but rather are seen to borrow a range of 'social and cultural attributes and symbols' from the opposite sex in ways that are 'foregrounded and backgrounded according to social context'". This "deeply embedded" tradition has been shaped by the Western introduction of "conservative Christian morality", and leading gender-liminal males to experience social marginalisation and discrimination today. The modern term qauri (pronounced [ŋɡɔu̯ˈriː]), of Hindi origin, is used to collectively describe all non-heterosexual male-bodied people in Fiji. [10]

Fijian-New Zealand activist Shaneel Lal has called on the Fijian Government to allow same-sex marriage. [11] When asked to comment on the recognition of same-sex marriage in May 2022, spokespeople for the Unity Fiji Party, the Social Democratic Liberal Party and the National Federation Party said their parties had no official position on the matter. [12]

Legal situation

Fiji family law does not provide legal recognition to same-sex marriages or civil unions. In 2002, the Marriage Act 1968 ( Fijian: Lawa ni Vakamau 1968, pronounced [ˈlaɰa ni βakaˈmɔu̯]; Fiji Hindi: विवाह कानून 1968, Vivaah Kanoon; Rotuman: Foho ne ʻInoso 1968) was amended to state that "marriage in Fiji shall be the voluntary union of one man to one woman to the exclusion of all others". [13] [14] In May 2022, the director of the Fiji Human Rights Commission, Shaista Shameem, called on same-sex couples to challenge the Act in court. [12] Shameem said the same-sex marriage ban may violate Article 26(3) of the Constitution, which bans discrimination based on sexual orientation: [15]

A person must not be unfairly discriminated against, directly or indirectly on the grounds of his or her

(a) actual or supposed personal characteristics or circumstances, including race, culture, ethnic or social origin, colour, place of origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, birth, primary language, economic or social or health status, disability, age, religion, conscience, marital status or pregnancy; or
(b) opinions or beliefs, except to the extent that those opinions or beliefs involve harm to others or the diminution of the rights or freedoms of others,

or on any other ground prohibited by this Constitution.

Despite opposition from religious groups, protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation had been introduced in 1998; Fiji being among the first three countries in the world to adopt such a constitutional protection, alongside South Africa and Ecuador. [16]

See also

References

  1. ^ "No same-sex marriage: PM - Fiji Sun". Retrieved 27 July 2015.
  2. ^ "Fiji prime minister says no to gay marriage". Archived from the original on 3 December 2013.
  3. ^ "Group for gay Fiji students calls of discussuion on same-sex marriage". Radio New Zealand. 5 April 2013. Retrieved 27 July 2015.
  4. ^ D'Angelo, Chris (6 January 2016). "Fiji Prime Minister Tells Gay Couples To Move To Iceland". HuffPost.
  5. ^ Bia, Aliki (8 April 2019). "Same-sex marriage will never happen in Fiji: PM". FBC News.
  6. ^ Bolatika, Maika (10 April 2019). "Faiths Back PM on Same-Sex Marriage Stance". Fiji Sun.
  7. ^ Bia, Aliki (9 April 2019). "Raj gives clarification on same-sex marriage issue". FBC News.
  8. ^ "Fiji NGO chief condemns Bainimarama's no same-sex marriage stance". Radio New Zealand. 10 April 2019.
  9. ^ "Fijian-English Dictionary" (PDF). Cornell eCommons. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  10. ^ George, Nicole (2008). "Contending Masculinities and the Limits of Tolerance: Sexual Minorities in Fiji". University of Hawaii Press. 20.
  11. ^ Shaneel Lal | Untold Fijian Stories | Genda Diaspora Auckland 05/10/19, retrieved 2021-12-02
  12. ^ a b "Marriage Act can be tested in court: Shameem". FBC News. 21 May 2022.
  13. ^ "Marriage Act [Cap 50]". Retrieved 27 July 2015.
  14. ^ "Same-sex marriage in Fiji". Go-fiji.com. Retrieved 20 January 2011.
  15. ^ "Yavunivakavulewa ni Matanitu Tugalala o Viti" (PDF). Paclii.org (in Fijian). Retrieved 9 July 2019.
  16. ^ "Constitution of the Republic of Fiji" (PDF). www.laws.gov.fj. Retrieved 22 May 2022.

External links

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