LGBT discrimination

LGBTQ+ people are protected from discrimination in 47 countries.

DATE

LGBT discrimination

Prohibition of discrimination based on sexual orientation and/or gender identity.

Summary

47
Protected
47 regions (24%)
Protected
96
Some protections
96 regions (48%)
Some protections
48
No protections
48 regions (24%)
No protections
7
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
7 regions (4%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
Europe
64%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Protected
32 regions (64%)
Some protections
10 regions (20%)
No protections
6 regions (12%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
2 regions (4%)
Oceania
21%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Protected
3 regions (21%)
Some protections
11 regions (79%)
No protections
regions (0%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
regions (0%)
South America
50%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Protected
6 regions (50%)
Some protections
5 regions (42%)
No protections
regions (0%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
1 regions (8%)
North America
13%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Protected
3 regions (13%)
Some protections
18 regions (78%)
No protections
regions (0%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
2 regions (9%)
Africa
2%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Protected
1 regions (2%)
Some protections
38 regions (70%)
No protections
15 regions (28%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
regions (0%)
Asia
5%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Protected
2 regions (5%)
Some protections
14 regions (32%)
No protections
27 regions (61%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
1 regions (2%)

Timeline of lgbt discrimination

Number of countries to ban lgbtq+ discrimination over the past 61 years.

Recent Changes

2025

2024

2023

LGBT discrimination by Country

Illegal

LGBT discrimination is illegal in 47 regions.

  1. Asia (2)
  2. Mongolia 2017
  3. Nepal 2015
  4. Europe (32)
  5. Albania 2010
  6. Andorra 2019
  7. Austria 2004
  8. Belgium 2003
  9. Bosnia and Herzegovina 2016
  10. Bulgaria 2023
  11. Croatia 2009
  12. Cyprus 2013
  13. Czechia 2009
  14. Denmark 1996
  15. Finland 2004
  16. France 2004
  17. Georgia 2014
  18. Germany 2006
  19. Greece 2024
  20. Hungary 1998
  21. Iceland
  22. Ireland 2015
  23. Kosovo 2015
  24. Luxembourg 2006
  25. Malta 2014
  26. Moldova 2023
  27. Montenegro 2010
  28. Netherlands 2023
  29. North Macedonia 2020
  30. Norway 1981
  31. Portugal 2008
  32. Serbia 2009
  33. Slovakia 2013
  34. Slovenia 2016
  35. Spain 2022
  36. Sweden 2009
  37. North America (3)
  38. Antigua and Barbuda 2022
  39. Canada 2017
  40. Cuba 2019
  41. Africa (1)
  42. South Africa 1996
  43. Oceania (3)
  44. Australia 2013
  45. Fiji 2013
  46. Marshall Islands 2019
  47. South America (6)
  48. Bolivia 2010
  49. Brazil 2019
  50. Chile 2012
  51. Ecuador 2008
  52. Peru 2017
  53. Uruguay 2004

Illegal in some contexts

LGBT discrimination is illegal in some contexts in 96 regions.

  1. Asia (14)
  2. Bhutan 2018
  3. India
  4. Israel 1992
  5. Japan 2018
  6. Myanmar 2019
  7. Pakistan 2018
  8. Palestine
  9. Philippines 2003
  10. Singapore 2019
  11. Sri Lanka 2022
  12. Taiwan 2004
  13. Thailand 2015
  14. Timor-Leste 2002
  15. Vietnam 2022
  16. Europe (10)
  17. Estonia 2009
  18. Latvia 2006
  19. Liechtenstein 2016
  20. Lithuania 2000
  21. Monaco 2005
  22. Poland 2018
  23. Romania 2000
  24. San Marino 2019
  25. Switzerland 2020
  26. Ukraine 2015
  27. North America (18)
  28. Bahamas 2003
  29. Barbados
  30. Belize 2019
  31. Costa Rica 2015
  32. Dominica 2020
  33. Dominican Republic 2000
  34. El Salvador 2009
  35. Grenada 2013
  36. Guatemala 2021
  37. Haiti 2014
  38. Honduras 2013
  39. Jamaica 2008
  40. Nicaragua 2008
  41. Panama 2002
  42. Saint Kitts and Nevis 2020
  43. Saint Lucia 2006
  44. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2020
  45. Trinidad and Tobago 2004
  46. Africa (38)
  47. Angola 2021
  48. Benin
  49. Botswana 2010
  50. Burkina Faso 2019
  51. Cape Verde 2007
  52. Central African Republic 2016
  53. Chad 2017
  54. Côte d’Ivoire 2014
  55. Democratic Republic of the Congo 2008
  56. Djibouti 2016
  57. Equatorial Guinea 2016
  58. Eswatini 2017
  59. Gabon 2023
  60. Ghana 2008
  61. Guinea 2016
  62. Guinea-Bissau 2014
  63. Kenya 2009
  64. Lesotho 2012
  65. Liberia 2015
  66. Madagascar 2005
  67. Malawi 2018
  68. Mali 2013
  69. Mauritius 2012
  70. Mozambique 2007
  71. Namibia 2018
  72. Niger 2015
  73. Nigeria 2019
  74. Republic of the Congo 2019
  75. Rwanda 2021
  76. Sao Tome and Principe 2012
  77. Senegal 2008
  78. Seychelles 2006
  79. Sierra Leone 2023
  80. South Sudan 2020
  81. Tanzania 2018
  82. Togo 2020
  83. Zambia 2002
  84. Zimbabwe 2020
  85. Oceania (11)
  86. Federated States of Micronesia 2018
  87. Kiribati 2015
  88. Nauru 2016
  89. New Zealand 1994
  90. Palau 2011
  91. Papua New Guinea 2013
  92. Samoa 2007
  93. Solomon Islands 2014
  94. Tonga 2010
  95. Tuvalu 2016
  96. Vanuatu 2014
  97. South America (5)
  98. Colombia 2000
  99. Guyana 2008
  100. Paraguay 2017
  101. Suriname 2015
  102. Venezuela 2011

No protections

LGBT discrimination is no protections in 48 regions.

  1. Asia (27)
  2. Afghanistan
  3. Bahrain
  4. Bangladesh
  5. Brunei
  6. Cambodia
  7. China
  8. Indonesia
  9. Iran
  10. Iraq
  11. Jordan
  12. Kazakhstan
  13. Kuwait
  14. Kyrgyzstan
  15. Laos
  16. Lebanon
  17. Malaysia
  18. Maldives
  19. North Korea
  20. Oman
  21. Qatar
  22. Saudi Arabia
  23. Syria
  24. Tajikistan
  25. Turkmenistan
  26. United Arab Emirates
  27. Uzbekistan
  28. Yemen
  29. Europe (6)
  30. Armenia
  31. Azerbaijan
  32. Belarus
  33. Russia
  34. Turkey 2016
  35. Vatican City
  36. Africa (15)
  37. Algeria
  38. Burundi
  39. Cameroon
  40. Comoros
  41. Egypt
  42. Eritrea
  43. Ethiopia
  44. Gambia
  45. Libya
  46. Mauritania
  47. Morocco
  48. Somalia
  49. Sudan
  50. Tunisia
  51. Uganda

Varied, unclear, or unknown laws

Data on lgbt discrimination is unclear, not applicable, or missing in 7 regions.

  1. Asia (1)
  2. South Korea Varies by Region
  3. Europe (2)
  4. Italy Varies by Region
  5. United Kingdom Varies by Region
  6. North America (2)
  7. Mexico Varies by Region
  8. United States Varies by Region
  9. South America (1)
  10. Argentina Varies by Region
  11. Antarctica (1)
  12. Antarctica N/A

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