Children in registered relationships
The status of children in registered relationships is the subject of fresh by the MSAH that aim to overcome present legal and social obstacles faced by some families.
The ministry committee set up to look at the issue over a 14-month period from April 2002 has proposed giving the right to inter-family adoption in registered relationships.
The aim would be that the registered spouse could adopt a child of his or her spouse so that the child would be considered the common child of the registered couple. According to the committee, the enactment of this proposal would solve most problems in the present status of children of parents in a registered relationship.
In addition, couples would be entitled to adopt a child in common when he or she is from the couple’s immediate circle of relatives or friends in circumstances such as the death of the child’s parents.
Changes are also proposed to the procedure of adoption counselling and to legislation on parental leave and benefits to take account of the new measures.