Following a Supreme Court ruling in 2007, the Nepalese government was ordered to introduce legislation allowing marriage equality. But for over 15 years they have dragged their feet. Take action and tell Nepalese officials enough is enough!
Update 29. November 2023: Nepal's Supreme Court gave a temporary order for places to register same-sex marriages, and for the first time, a town called Dordi followed it. On November 29, they officially recognized the marriage of Maya Gurung and Surendra Pandey.
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Nepal’s Supreme Court has a record of upholding the rights of LGBT+ people, but government officials have frequently failed to adhere to the court’s rulings.
On June 28, 2023, the Supreme Court directed the government to “temporarily register” same-sex marriages, while legislation making it permanent worked its way through government. This ruling effectively legalized marriage equality, making Nepal the second country in Asia and the first in South Asia to legalize same-sex marriage.
However, just a few weeks later, a lower court refused to issue marriage licenses to Maya Gurung and Surendra Pandey - a Nepali couple who just from a non government organization called Maya ko Pahichan Nepal (Recognition of Love, Nepal) to establish marriage equality for all regardless of one’s sexual orientation and gender identity, proving that LGBT+ Nepalese are still being denied their basic rights.
Since a landmark 2007 Supreme Court ruling, ordering the government to study same-sex marriage, and a committee recommending “legal recognition to same-sex marriage on the basis of the principle of equality,” government inaction has meant LGBT+ people feel unequal in their own country and with zero recognition of their relationships.
The government’s failure to protect the LGBT+ community is undermining Nepal’s reputation as a regional leader on sexual orientation, gender identity, and human rights, and risks violating legal protections for sexual and gender minorities enshrined in the constitution.
Ramping up the pressure on the Nepalese government could be a chance to finally (after more than 15 years!) secure equal rights for LGBT+ couples. Sign now to demand that Nepal’s government finally legalizes marriage quality!
