The Netherlands has voted to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation. This means that individuals cannot be discriminated against because of their sexual orientation in areas such as employment, housing, and healthcare.
The ban, which has seen lawmakers amend the nation’s constitution, was approved in a 56-15 vote by the Dutch senate and is the final step in a years-long process toward the amendment.
The Netherlands has a long history of LGBTQ+ rights. In 1811, the country became the first in the world to decriminalise homosexuality. In 2001, the Netherlands became the first country in the world to legalise same-sex marriage and allows joint adoption by same-sex couples.
Throughout the 20th century, LGBTQ+ activists in the Netherlands fought for their rights, with significant progress made in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1979, the Dutch government established the Equal Treatment Commission to investigate discrimination complaints, including those related to sexual orientation.
The new amendment to the constitution and the newly enacted anti-discrimination laws will further protect LGBTQ+ people, establish LGBTQ+ rights organisations, and create policies to ensure that LGBTQ+ people have equal access to education, employment, and healthcare.
