Rio's state government
grants pensions to
homosexual partners of
public servants
Rio de Janeiro's state
government Tuesday
granted pensions to
partners of homosexual
public servants, an
unprecedented measure in
Brazil.
State legislature
approved the draft
submitted by State
Governor Sergio Cabral
in May. Four partners
were declared grantees
Tuesday, and over 20
have requested the
benefit.
According to the State
Secretariat of
Assistance and Human
Rights, there are about
30,000 homosexual public
servants in Rio.
"Actually, the figure is
even bigger, including
the 6 percent of
homosexual females in
public services, which
increases it (the
number) to 50,000
servants," said the
Secretariat's
Superintendent Claudio
Nascimento.
Secretary of Environment
Carlos Minc participated
in the ceremony to grant
the benefits, and
announced that the state
government would submit
another bill to be voted
by the state's
Legislative Assembly,
under which companies
will be penalized if
they are proven to
discriminate
homosexuals.
Minc and Governor Cabral
were the authors of the
bill asking for pensions
for homosexual partners
of civil servants, which
was presented in 2002,
when they both were
Rio's state lawmakers.
Since then, the bill
faced opposition from
conservative members,
especially those related
to religious groups. On
May 31, it was finally
approved by 40 members,
with 15 others voting
against it.
In his speech at the
ceremony, Cabral took
the opportunity to favor
another controversial
draft aimed at
legalizing abortion.
"We know that thousands
of women appeal to the
interruption of
pregnancy in Brazil.
Other countries have
approved it," said the
governor.It was the
public health system's
role to offer that
service, he said.
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