Marriage equality continues to advance and expand around the world (not just in the United States). For example,
Ireland voters will vote on marriage equality legislation in mid-2015.
And, now The United Nations has announced that it will give equal benefits to persons who have legally entered into a same sex marriage. These benefits will be given even if the marriage is not legal in the couple's home country.
From Gay Star News:
The United Nations has announced that it will extend equal benefits to its employees who have entered into same-sex unions in jurisdictions where they are legal.
Under the new policy staff who have married a same-sex spouse in a jurisdiction will receive the same benefits and recognition as those in heterosexual marriages regardless of whether same-sex marriage is legal in their country of citizenship.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon made the policy announcement yesterday, saying 'equality begins at home'.
'Human rights are at the core of the mission of the United Nations,' he said.
'I am proud to stand for greater equality for all staff, and I call on all members of our UN family to unite in rejecting homophobia as discrimination that can never be tolerated at our workplace.'
The United Nations LGBTI employee group UN-GLOBE welcomed the policy change, saying they hoped it will be recognized throughout the many arms and programs.
'With this new policy in place at the UN, I believe that the entire UN system will follow suit, if history is any guide. And if any agency, fund or programme still refuses to change, we will make sure they hear from us,' UN-GLOBE president Hyung Hak Nam said.