The Family Equality Project
In July 2019, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office funded Our Circle's "Family Equality Project". The activities in this project are geared towards assisting the 112 LGBT couples identified and those who we were unable to capture in our previous research, Demographics of Same-Sex Couples in Belize-2019. This project, through the partnership with civil society, human rights organizations, private sector and government departments will continue to build the capacity of actors to be able to effectively support the already identified needs of same sex couples in Belize. Several systems in Belize work on the principle of equality; however, because of the homophobia which riddles numerous laws in Belize, same sex couples and the families they create are faced with the reality of not being able to receive basic services. Concurrent to the capacity development of policy makers and civil society, this project will support the lobbying for and drafting of at least one actively positive legislation for same-sex couples and their families in Belize. By using this two-prong approach, it is expected that there will be a positive shift in social norms within society and institutions can truly create supporting environment to cater to LGBT persons and their families.
In our recent study, the Demographic Survey of Same-Sex Couples in Belize shows that same-sex families do exist in Belize. With just a small study group of 112 persons, we were able to identify that over 100 children are being raised by rainbow (same-sex) families in Belize, and that number is expected to grow in the coming years. More than 1/3 of the lesbians without a child want to have children; and 2/3 of the bisexual women
without children want to have children; of gay men who have not had children 14% of them want to have children as to 52% of bisexual men.
Rainbow families are often excluded from national systems protecting families in Belize such as Social Security and Survivors and Disability Benefits, Inheritance, Health Disparities, Limited Access to Health Insurance and Unwelcoming Healthcare Environments, just to name a few.
Throughout the first quarter of the project we will have a 2 days analysis and action based work session with CSOs, GO, FBOs and key actors in advancing the rights of children and family to collectively develop and action plan to aid in the inclusion of LGBT families in Belize. From this engagement a Family Inclusion Legislation Committee (FILC) will be formed from varying entities to guide the process of legislative reform. Information gathered from the work session coupled with the 6 district community meetings, will afford the committee a direction in regards to legislative reform. A legal adviser will be sought to aid in the process of ensuring the process is conducted in an acceptable fashion.
In conclusion, this project will assist Our Circle in contributing to and the country in working towards achieving several SD Goals, namely goals 3, 5, 10, 11, 12, 16 and 17.
In our recent study, the Demographic Survey of Same-Sex Couples in Belize shows that same-sex families do exist in Belize. With just a small study group of 112 persons, we were able to identify that over 100 children are being raised by rainbow (same-sex) families in Belize, and that number is expected to grow in the coming years. More than 1/3 of the lesbians without a child want to have children; and 2/3 of the bisexual women
without children want to have children; of gay men who have not had children 14% of them want to have children as to 52% of bisexual men.
Rainbow families are often excluded from national systems protecting families in Belize such as Social Security and Survivors and Disability Benefits, Inheritance, Health Disparities, Limited Access to Health Insurance and Unwelcoming Healthcare Environments, just to name a few.
Throughout the first quarter of the project we will have a 2 days analysis and action based work session with CSOs, GO, FBOs and key actors in advancing the rights of children and family to collectively develop and action plan to aid in the inclusion of LGBT families in Belize. From this engagement a Family Inclusion Legislation Committee (FILC) will be formed from varying entities to guide the process of legislative reform. Information gathered from the work session coupled with the 6 district community meetings, will afford the committee a direction in regards to legislative reform. A legal adviser will be sought to aid in the process of ensuring the process is conducted in an acceptable fashion.
In conclusion, this project will assist Our Circle in contributing to and the country in working towards achieving several SD Goals, namely goals 3, 5, 10, 11, 12, 16 and 17.