The Ministry of Justice has reportedly drafted a law to allow for legal unions between same-sex couples in Taiwan.

This move is in line with President Chen Shui-bian's pledge to advance human rights protection and comes in the wake of his public opposition to a proposal by the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) to bar citizens who were not born in Taiwan from running for president. Chen referred to the TSU proposal as a violation of human rights.

According to one clause of the Human Rights Protection Law, "the country should respect the rights of homosexuals, whose couples are entitled to join in civil unions and adopt children."

A local Chinese-language newspaper, the China Times Express reported that Chen also plans to form a national human rights committee that he would empower to investigate reports of human rights violations in both the public and private sectors.

Meanwhile local homosexual groups welcomed the Ministry of Justice's draft law but also expressed concern about the legal process.

"We're pleased to see the government noticing the global trend," said Lai Yu-lin, spokesman for the Tongzhi Hotline Association.

"But it may take a long time before the law can be approved by the Legislative Yuan," he added.

Source: taiwanheadlines.gov.tw