Controversial new law means blind and deaf people in Spain need medical consent to marry

BLIND and deaf people in Spain will now need to present a medical certificate proving their ability to give consent ahead of getting married.

The move comes following changes to the Civil Code. Previously, article 56 stated that persons affected by ‘deficiencies or physical anomalies’ had to present a medical certificate on ‘their ability to give consent’ as part of the paperwork needed to get married. Now, the code has been modified to include all those affected by ‘mental, intellectual or sensory deficiencies’ which affects a large group of citizens across Spain who are blind and deaf.

The Spanish Committee of Representatives of Persons with Disabilities (CERMI) want the article amended saying it is discriminatory assuming that this sort of disability questions they understand the meaning of marriage and the ability to consent to it.

The platform reminds that the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities stresses that ‘all persons are equal before the law’ and therefore urges that the discrimination of the group be ended in matters related to “marriage, family, parenthood and personal relationships.”