Portugal

Civil Same Sex Marriage (2010)

In 2010 the Portuguese Parliament passed a law permitting same sex marriage, altering the corresponding articles of the Civil Code.

Case No. 554/06.8TMSTB.E1.S1 (2010)

The husband (plaintiff) initially filed a contested divorce lawsuit against his wife, based on the couple's de facto separation over more than three years ago. The wife (defendant) then filed a counterclaim, alleging that the marital separation occurred after discovering that the plaintiff had an extramarital relationship with another woman.

Case No. 93/09.5TAABT.E1.S1 (2013)

Portuguese Civil Code (2024)

The Civil Code codifies private law relating to personal and personality rights, contracts, property, inheritance, and obligations. The rights and obligations governed by the Civil Code make no distinction between genders. 

Section 29 of the Portuguese Labor Law ensures equal opportunity in labor and and prevents gender discrimination. The Code also guarantees maternity and paternity leave, bans harassment, establishes universal preschool for children until the age of five, and requires children to attend school.

Portuguese Labor Code Law No. 13/2023 Subsections III and IV

The Labor Code governs the rights and obligations in employment relations between employers and employees in Portugal. It establishes equal rights for all people to work, to choose work and a profession without discrimination and prohibits forced labor.

Articles 154-A and B, 159, and 160 ban harassment (sentencing to up to three years in prison), forced marriage (sentencing to up to five years in prison), slavery (imprisonment from 5-15 years), and human trafficking (imprisonment from 3-10 years), respectively. Article 169 punishes the economic exploitation of prostitution by third parties, even though prostitution itself is not a crime in Portugal.

Constitution of the Republic of Portugal (2005)

The Constitution of the Republic of Portugal sets forth the Republic’s fundamental principles, values, norms, and guarantees, including (among other enumerated rights and protections) the following:

Victim Status Law 

The victim status law sets forth measures to protect victims of crimes, transposing European Directive 2012/29 EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2012. Article 3 establishes the principle of equality, wherein all victims enjoy fundamental rights, independent of gender, sexual orientation or identity, inherent to their human dignity, with the right to live free of violence and to preserve their mental and ph

Measures to Guarantee and Promote Equal Opportunities (2013)