On the Island of Mauritius, Human Rights Advocates Call to Legalize Same-Sex Marriage
In early October 2026, international watchdog Human Rights Watch called on the parliament of the East African island nation of Mauritius to legally recognize same-sex marriage. The appeal followed a formal position paper issued by Mauritius’s National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), which concluded that the refusal of civil status offices to register same-sex marriages is discriminatory and lacks justification under domestic law.
According to a statement by Human Rights Watch syndicated on AllAfrica, the NHRC carried out an inquiry after two same-sex couples lodged formal complaints when registry authorities refused to process their marriage applications. During public proceedings, couples and LGBT community members testified about the legal and financial disadvantages they face without official partnership recognition, including exclusion from joint spousal taxation, inheritance rights, immigration protections, and the legal inability to make critical medical decisions for an incapacitated partner.
The Commission found that the language of the Mauritian Civil Code is sufficiently neutral and contains no express prohibition against two people of the same sex marrying. Denying equal recognition to these unions amounts to discrimination based on sexual orientation under the nation’s constitution and international obligations. Consequently, the NHRC recommended that the government establish a dedicated committee to eliminate discrimination in civil status and marriage recognition. Human Rights Watch emphasized that Mauritian lawmakers should now take decisive action to codify marriage equality into statute.
Mauritius has increasingly emerged as a regional pioneer in protecting the rights of sexual minorities: in 2008, the country enacted the Equal Opportunities Act prohibiting sexual orientation discrimination in employment, housing, and education, and in October 2023, the Supreme Court struck down colonial-era sodomy provisions criminalizing consensual same-sex activity between men. To date, South Africa remains the only African nation with fully legalized same-sex marriage, though legal and societal debates continue across several other countries in the region.
The National Human Rights Commission of Mauritius (NHRC) is an independent statutory oversight body established under the UN Paris Principles, tasked with investigating human rights violations, reviewing public complaints, and offering policy recommendations to the national government and parliament.
Previously, Urania reported on the launch of the national campaign for marriage equality in Mauritius led by the advocacy group OUT Moris following the NHRC findings. The outlet also examined regional developments, including Cape Verde’s top ranking in the regional Equality Index and ongoing court disputes regarding same-sex unions in Botswana .
