UN says Australia’s gay divorce ban breaches human rights

THE United Nations has found Australia’s ban on divorce for same-sex couples who married overseas is a human rights violation.

The UN Human Rights Committee has ruled that an Australian woman has been denied equal legal protection because Australia won’t let her end her Canadian marriage to another woman, SBS Sexuality has reported.

Dr Fiona Kumari Campbell, who married her wife in Canada in 2004, took the case to the UN.

Because their marriage is not legally recognised in Australia, it cannot be subject to divorce proceedings.

Dr Campbell also cannot divorce in Canada because she did not live there for at least a year.

“The UNHRC has recognised the unacceptability of differential treatment between different categories of foreign marriages,” said Dr Campbell.

“This is another nail in the coffin of Australia’s prohibition on marriage equality.”

The news comes as the Liberal Party prepares to meet today on a new marriage equality bill.

“This decision is a timely reminder to the Australian government that banning same-sex couples from marriage is a breach of human rights,” said marriage equality activist Rodney Croome.