Recognition of same-sex unions in Barbados

Part of the LGBTQ rights series
Legal status of same-sex unions
Marriage Andorra Argentina Australia Austria Belgium Brazil Canada Chile Colombia Costa Rica Cuba Denmark Ecuador Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Iceland Ireland Liechtenstein Luxembourg Malta Mexico Netherlands[i] New Zealand[ii] Norway Portugal Slovenia South Africa Spain Sweden Switzerland Taiwan Thailand United Kingdom[iii] United States[iv] Uruguay Recognized Israel[v] United States:[iv]  • American Samoa
Civil unions or registered partnerships but not marriage Bolivia Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Hungary Italy Latvia Monaco Montenegro San Marino United Kingdom:  • Bermuda  • Cayman Islands
Minimal recognition Bulgaria[vi] Cambodia[vii] China[viii]  • Hong Kong[ix] India[x] Japan[xi] Lithuania[vi] Namibia[xii] Nepal Netherlands:[i]  • Sint Maarten Poland[vi] Romania[vi][xiii] Slovakia[vi]
See also Same-sex union legislation Same-sex union court cases Timeline of same-sex marriage Recognition of same-sex unions in Africa Recognition of same-sex unions in Asia Recognition of same-sex unions in Europe Recognition of same-sex unions in the Americas Recognition of same-sex unions in Oceania Marriage privatization Divorce of same-sex couples Domestic partnership Military policy Adoption Listings by country LGBTQ rights by country or territory
Notes ^ a b Performed in the Netherlands proper (including the Caribbean Netherlands), as well as in Aruba and Curaçao. May be registered in Sint Maarten in such cases, but the rights of marriage are not guaranteed. ^ Neither performed nor recognized in Niue, Tokelau, or the Cook Islands. ^ Neither performed nor recognized in six British Overseas Territories. ^ a b Neither performed nor recognized in some tribal nations of the US. Recognized but not performed in several other tribal nations and American Samoa. ^ Registered foreign marriages confer all marriage rights in Israel. Domestic common-law marriages confer most rights of marriage. Domestic civil marriage recognized by some cities. ^ a b c d e 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. Some member states, including Romania, do not follow the ruling. ^ A "declaration of family relationship" is available in several of Cambodia's communes which may be useful in matters such as housing, but is not legally binding. ^ Guardianship agreements confer some limited legal benefits in China, including decisions about medical and personal care. ^ Hong Kong provides inheritance, guardianship rights, and residency rights for foreign spouses of legal residents. ^ Indian courts have recognised guru–shishya, nata pratha or maitri karar–type contractual relationships, but they are not legally binding. ^ Most Japanese cities and prefectures issue partnership certificates, but they are not legally binding. ^ Marriages conducted abroad between a Namibian national and a foreign spouse provide residency rights in Namibia. ^ Romania provides hospital visitation rights through a "legal representative" status.
LGBTQ portal
v t e

Barbados does not recognise same-sex unions. In September 2020, the government announced its intention to enact civil unions for same-sex couples, providing several of the rights, benefits and obligations of marriage. It also announced the possibility of holding a referendum on legalising same-sex marriage.

In July 2020, the government launched the "Welcome Stamp" visa program, allowing foreign workers to stay on Barbados for up to one year. After receiving criticism that the program only allowed workers to bring their opposite-sex spouse with them, the government changed the program rules to allow workers to bring their same-sex spouse as well.^[1]

On 15 September 2020, the government announced its intention to pass a form of civil union, providing same-sex couples with a subset of the rights and benefits of marriage, and after that hold a referendum on the issue of same-sex marriage.^[2] Governor General Sandra Mason (since 2021 the President of Barbados) said in a speech to the Parliament that the country must have a "frank discussion" and "end discrimination in all forms".

Mr President, my Government is prepared to recognise a form of civil unions for couples of the same gender so as to ensure that no human being in Barbados will be discriminated against, in exercise of civil rights that ought to be theirs.

LGBT activist Alexa Hoffmann said Mason's speech was filed with "smoke and mirrors, tiptoeing around and the use of buzz words. […] A nod is being given to civil unions but yet anything that relates to the LGBT community physically being able to practice that relationship is still criminalized and completely forbidden",^[3] referencing the fact that Barbados law at the time criminalised same-sex sexual relations. Homosexuality was decriminalised in Barbados in 2022.^[4][5] Bishop Michael Maxwell said that no priest within the Diocese of Barbados would be permitted to officiate at a civil union ceremony, "The position really is that our church continues to stand against what it considers to be same-sex marriages."^[6]

In June 2016, Attorney General Adriel Brathwaite said the Government of Barbados was not considering changing the law to allow for same-sex marriages; "As a lawmaker, if Jane decides she wants to live with Janice, that is their business as far I am concerned. But I will not change the law to allow them to be married in Barbados. I will not stop them from being able to access health care, being able to have a job, or to be able to eat and sleep and do all the things I do." Activist Donnya Piggott said at the time that the local LGBT community was "not interested in pressuring authorities to legalize same-sex marriages".^[7]

In March 2022, attorney at law Lalu Hanuman suggested that the Marriage Act may not prohibit same-sex marriage, and called on same-sex couples to challenge the law in court. "It does not say in the prohibited or void sections that a man can't marry a man or a woman can't marry a woman. I think it ought to be considered a test case where an LGBTQ person approaches the magistrate to get the bands published … and tries to get married to someone of their same gender. I am confident it will be refused at the Magistrate's Court level, but then challenge it all the way up to the Caribbean Court of Justice and I think it could well succeed", Hanuman said. The Act uses gender-neutral language, with parties to a marriage referred to as "persons", except in section 3 which states that "a marriage solemnised between a man and a woman" is void if the partners are related.^[8]

On 9 January 2018, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR) issued an advisory opinion that parties to the American Convention on Human Rights should grant same-sex couples "accession to all existing domestic legal systems of family registration, including marriage, along with all rights that derive from marriage".^[9][10][11] The advisory opinion states that:^[12][13]

The State must recognize and guarantee all rights derived from a family bond between persons of the same sex in accordance with the provisions of Articles 11.2 and 17.1 of the American Convention. (...) in accordance with articles 1.1, 2, 11.2, 17, and 24 of the American Convention, it is necessary to guarantee access to all the existing figures in domestic legal systems, including the right to marry. (..) To ensure the protection of all the rights of families formed by same-sex couples, without discrimination with respect to those that are constituted by heterosexual couples.

Barbados ratified the American Convention on Human Rights on 27 November 1982 and recognized the court's jurisdiction on 4 June 2000.^[14]

• Buggery Act
• LGBT rights in Barbados
• Recognition of same-sex unions in the Americas

• Abramschmitt, Céline (2007). "Is Barbados Ready for Same-Sex Marriage?: Analysis of Legal and Social Constructs" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 March 2007. Retrieved 9 July 2024.