Dutch Senate expands constitutional ban on discrimination

By MIKE CORDER
Associated Press

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The Dutch Senate has approved a change to the country’s constitution to expand its first article to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation or disability. The vote on Tuesday has been hailed as historic by rights groups. The Dutch Constitution’s first article now will mandate that all people in the country must be treated equally and that “discrimination on the basis of religion, belief, political opinion, race, gender, disability, sexual orientation or on any other basis is not allowed.” The chair of the country’s COC gay rights organization called the vote “a historic victory for the rainbow community and a crown on years of work” by the group.