Sexual orientation and family law

On 29th March 2000 the Scottish Parliament passed its fifth piece of legislation, the Adults with Incapacities (Scotland) Act 2000. One small provision tucked away in this important legislation amends the definition of "nearest relative" in the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984, in order to include within that phrase members of conjugal same-sex couples1. The relative obscurity of this provision must not hide its import, for this is the first time that legislation anywhere in the United Kingdom has expressly and intentionally given recognition, for civil law purposes, to the existence of same-sex family relationships

For Richer for Poorer, in Sickness and in Health: Should Australia Embrace Same-Sex Marriage?

In 2004, the Marriage Act 1961 (Cth) was amended to clarify that legal marriage requires a heterosexual union. This article will examine whether this amendment was consistent with the existing state of the common law, legislative trends throughout Australia and current societal values. It will also canvass the legal and social arguments in support of and in opposition to same-sex marriage. Arguments in support of legal same-sex unions based on equality before the law and international obligations will also be discussed. The recent amendments in Australia will then be contrasted with legal reforms in Canada aimed at ensuring that their Federal legislation is consistent with the equality provisions of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Finally, an alternative system of relationship registration will be posed as a possible compromise

ACORN Organizing & Chicago Homecare Workers

[Excerpt] Every few months our office receives some piece of direct mail concerning a conference or seminar on union organizing put on by some professional salesperson. The piece extolls the virtues of professional sales techniques for selling the union to prospective union members. We throw these advertisements away. Nothing could be more foreign to ACORN\u27s way of doing things. The idea that a union organizer\u27s job is to sell his or her union is totally alien to our model for labor organizing, a model which was developed out of ACORN\u27s years of experience with successful community organizing. When we organize a company, the organizer\u27s job is to be a catalyst or contact person, to listen to peoples\u27 perceptions of what they would like to see improved where they work and to help them realize these aspirations through self-organization and action. ACORN — the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now — formed the United Labor Unions (ULU) in 1978 with the purpose of organizing low-wage workers in industries and regions that traditional unions were not organizing

Characteristics of Vernacular Architecture Malay Deli Traditional House Based on Technical Aspects of Building Structure

Local wisdom in an architectural context is part of cultural heritage, passed down from generation to the next generation and gone through a long process of gaining community recognition as a reflection of the region's culture, also known as vernacular architecture. Vernacular architecture can be found in almost every region, as is the city of Medan. Medan city is famous for its culture, especially its Malay culture, formed by the Sultan of Deli's influence so that Malay Deli emerged. In its formation, aspects of the creation of vernacular architecture also influenced the development of Malay Deli, mainly traditional houses. These traditional houses is visible from one of its forming aspects in the form of technical aspects such as building structure systems. This study discusses the characteristic of system structure in the Malay Deli traditional house and aims to identify and examine these problems. This study adopted a qualitative descriptive method approach to collect and analyze data so that the results obtained in the form of technical aspects of the structure of vernacular building structures from traditional Malay. This study's findings are a reference source for traditional Malay houses' vernacular architecture, specifically Malay deli or design considerations

Hundeeffama Mana Murtii Aadaa Naannoo Oromiyaa

Traditional justice systems are normally community-level dispute resolution mechanisms with non-state origins, even if subsequently recognized and regulated by the state. Some states retain a vertical structure, with the traditional system forming the lowest levels of the court system while others have a parallel system, with the traditional forum and the formal court serving alongside one another and providing the parties with a choice of forum. The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia’s Constitution under Art.34 (5) stipulates that the House of Peoples’ Representatives and State Councils can establish or give official recognition to religious and customary courts. And added under the same provision that religious and customary courts that had state recognition and functioned prior to the adoption of the Constitution shall be organized on the basis of recognition accorded to them by this Constitution. The same provision is enshrined under Art.62 of Oromia Regional National State Constitution. Even though, it is about three decades since these Constitutions come to effect, there is neither any customary court that is established, nor recognized by Oromia State Council. This article is about to address the opportunities and challenges there for establishment of customary court and the possible structure the customary court need to have in case of establishment. Meanwhile, qualitative research method that includes review of literature, about 67 in-depth interviews, about 36 focus group discussions and about 80 open-ended questioners are employed. And it is found that as there is good opportunity, Customary Court at kebele level and customary appellate court at Woreda Level, with its decision to be reviewed at regular court, shall be established through out the region