HISTORIC DAY FOR SAME-SEX COUPLES

Amado Boudo is executive director of the national social security administration.

He says same-sex couples must prove they have been living together for at least five years to receive the benefit.

Boudou said the measure will "put the rights of all cohabitants on a level playing field."

Pedro Paradiso Sottile is an activist with the Argentine Homosexual Community organisation. He calls the measure "historic" because it is the country's first nationwide gay rights law.

At the local level, gay civil unions already are legal in five cities, including Buenos Aires.