Vanuatu’s parliament has passed an amendment to its Marriage Act to declare marriage the union of a male and female, amid a concerning LGBTQIA+ crackdown in the Pacific nation.
Minister of Internal Affairs Andrew Napuat said that same-sex marriages can’t be registered and threatened to “revoke the licenses” of those who try.
Vanuatu’s constitution already defines marriage as a union of a male and a female.
“When the law was passed, it made clear the government’s full intention, along with our leaders, that every pastor who performs marriage ceremonies must understand that they cannot conduct a ceremony that is against the law and expect it to be registered,” Mr Napuat said, per the Vanuatu Daily Post.
“As minister, I am signing to approve their names so they can officiate marriages.
“Let this serve as a notice that the government has decided: marriage is defined as being between a male and a female.
“If anyone conducts a marriage that does not follow the spirit of the law passed today and seeks our registration, his or her license will be revoked to prevent further marriages.
“This applies to religious, civil, or traditional ceremonies.”
‘Constant attacks from government’
The recent move comes amid a concerning, wider crackdown on Vanuatu’s LGBTQIA+ communities.
Vanuatu’s Ministry of Justice and Community Services recently ordered a committee to draft a national policy to ban all LGBTQIA+ “advocacy and promotion”.
National Human Rights Coordinator Albert Nalpini said the government wants “no advocacy, funding, or activities” relating to the LGBTQIA+ community in Vanuatu.
Religious groups in Vanuatu have welcomed the government’s anti-gay rhetoric. But human rights advocates and legal groups are alarmed.
Pacific Sexual and Diversity Network CEO Isikeli Vulavou told ABC Radio the government is further marginalising Vanuatu’s LGBTQIA+ communities and subjecting them to greater stigma.
“They feel very marginalised and also feel so threatened by these constant attacks from government parliamentarians [and] church groups,” Vulavou said.
“They have been too afraid to respond to these public attacks.
“[We are] highlighting the need for global advocacy efforts to protect human rights because we know there’s been a lot of rollback in other parts of the world.
“This is also now happening here in the Pacific.”
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Well that decides where my next cruise is not going. I wonder what other human rights will be eroded with policies like these.