RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Rio de Janeiro's state government Tuesday granted pensions to partners of homosexual public servants, an unprecedented measure in Brazil.

    State legislature approved the draft submitted by State Governor Sergio Cabral in May. Four partners were declared grantees Tuesday, and over 20 have requested the benefit.

    According to the State Secretariat of Assistance and Human Rights, there are about 30,000 homosexual public servants in Rio.

    "Actually, the figure is even bigger, including the 6 percent of homosexual females in public services, which increases it (the number) to 50,000 servants," said the Secretariat's Superintendent Claudio Nascimento.

    Secretary of Environment Carlos Minc participated in the ceremony to grant the benefits, and announced that the state government would submit another bill to be voted by the state's Legislative Assembly, under which companies will be penalized if they are proven to discriminate homosexuals.

    Minc and Governor Cabral were the authors of the bill asking for pensions for homosexual partners of civil servants, which was presented in 2002, when they both were Rio's state lawmakers. Since then, the bill faced opposition from conservative members, especially those related to religious groups. On May 31, it was finally approved by 40 members, with 15 others voting against it.

    In his speech at the ceremony, Cabral took the opportunity to favor another controversial draft aimed at legalizing abortion.

    "We know that thousands of women appeal to the interruption of pregnancy in Brazil. Other countries have approved it," said the governor.It was the public health system's role to offer that service, he said.