Hong Kong court rulings on same-sex couples spur calls for swift drafting of rights framework

Major rulings by Hong Kong’s high court upholding housing benefits and inheritance rights for people in same-sex relationships have increased calls for authorities to quickly formulate a legal framework that recognizes the rights of such couples.

The Court of Final Appeal ruled on Tuesday that same-sex couples have the same rights as other families to apply for public rental housing and can live together in subsidized flats under the government’s Home Ownership Scheme.

It granted equal inheritance rights to same-sex couples and allowed them to bequeath property to their surviving partners.

The latest decisions mark a new milestone for Hong Kong’s LGBTQ community, following legal victories in areas such as taxation, civil servant benefits and the ability to use their preferred gender on identity documents.

In a ruling last year, the court asked the government to create a formal legal framework recognizing same-sex unions within two years, despite Hong Kong’s decision not to recognize same-sex marriage.

Jerome Yau, co-founder of Hong Kong Marriage Equality, called on the administration to share details about the upcoming framework and implement the necessary policies as soon as possible so that same-sex couples can enjoy the same marriage rights enjoyed by their heterosexual counterparts.