Hong Kong’s Legislative Council has overwhelmingly rejected a bill that would have offered limited legal recognition to same-sex partnerships.
On Wednesday, lawmakers voted 71 against, 14 in favour, and one abstention to dismiss the proposed legislation. The bill would only have applied to same-sex couples who had registered their partnership outside Hong Kong.
According to Human Rights Watch, the draft law would have granted these couples some basic rights in areas such as medical decision-making and post-death arrangements.
Amnesty International Reacts
“Today the Hong Kong authorities failed to address the inequality faced by same-sex couples in all areas of their lives. The proposed bill on same-sex partnerships was flawed, but in rejecting it lawmakers have shown an alarming disdain for LGBTI rights,” said Amnesty International’s Researcher and Policy Advisor on Gender, Nadia Rahman.
The bill stemmed from a September 2023 Court of Final Appeal ruling which ordered the Hong Kong government to establish a legal framework to recognise same-sex relationships. The court gave the government until 27 October 2025 to comply.
Rahman acknowledged that while the bill was a potential step forward, it was extremely limited:
“This bill would have provided the bare minimum of protection for same-sex couples – but notably, only those who registered their partnership overseas. On this and other grounds, the draft considered today falls far short of the intentions of the Court ruling that triggered it two years ago.”
Calls for Full Equality
Hong Kong is a semi-autonomous region, but China retains ultimate authority over defence, foreign affairs, and can veto changes to the political system.
In a joint letter, more than 31 Asian LGBTIQ and human rights groups urged the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) government to fully comply with the Court of Final Appeal’s 2023 ruling. They called for a comprehensive legal framework that would allow all same-sex couples to enter into locally registered partnerships.
The groups noted that Hong Kong lagged behind countries such as Nepal, Taiwan and Thailand, which have adopted legislation recognising same-sex relationships. They argued this demonstrates “that there is no contradiction between rights and recognition of same-sex partnerships and Asian or ‘traditional’ values.”
They added: “Hong Kong has the opportunity to demonstrate leadership in upholding equality, strengthening the rule of law, welcoming and fostering an inclusive society where the rights and dignity of LGBTI people are respected and protected.”
