Lesbian couple sues Poland over birth certificate

A Polish woman living in the UK with her partner, a British woman, have filed a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg against Poland, which refused to issue a birth certificate for a girl of which both women are legal parents. The girl was born in the UK in 2011 and in the British birth certificate, local authorities described the Pole as a "parent", while her British partner as a mother. When the couple applied for the Polish version of a birth certificate, an appropriate office in Łódź declined their request as Poland does not recognize civil partnerships. Their appeals to the Regional Administrative Court in Łódź, and Poland's Supreme Administrative Court were also rejected. Dorota Pudzianowska who represents the couple argues that Poland violated Article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which concerns the prohibition on discrimination. She also added that by refusing to issue the birth certificate, the girl is being deprived of the right to obtain Polish citizenship.