LGBT discrimination

LGBTQ+ people are protected from discrimination in 44 countries.

DATE

LGBT discrimination

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

Summary

44
Protected
44 regions (22%)
Protected
102
Some protections
102 regions (52%)
Some protections
42
No protections
42 regions (21%)
No protections
10
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
10 regions (5%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
Europe
56%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Protected
28 regions (56%)
Some protections
14 regions (28%)
No protections
6 regions (12%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
2 regions (4%)
Oceania
29%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Protected
4 regions (29%)
Some protections
9 regions (64%)
No protections
regions (0%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
1 regions (7%)
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
41 regions (76%)
No protections
12 regions (22%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
regions (0%)
Asia
5%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Protected
2 regions (5%)
Some protections
15 regions (34%)
No protections
24 regions (55%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
3 regions (7%)

Timeline of lgbt discrimination

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

Recent Changes

2026

2025

2024

LGBT discrimination by Country

Illegal

LGBT discrimination is illegal in 44 regions.

  1. Asia (2)
  2. Mongolia 2017
  3. Nepal 2015
  4. Europe (28)
  5. Albania 2010
  6. Andorra 2019
  7. Belgium 2003
  8. Bosnia and Herzegovina 2016
  9. Bulgaria 2015
  10. Croatia 2009
  11. Czechia 2009
  12. Denmark 1996
  13. Finland 2004
  14. France 2004
  15. Georgia 2014
  16. Germany 2006
  17. Greece 2024
  18. Iceland
  19. Kosovo 2015
  20. Luxembourg 2006
  21. Malta 2014
  22. Moldova 2023
  23. Montenegro 2010
  24. Netherlands 2023
  25. North Macedonia 2020
  26. Norway 1981
  27. Portugal 2008
  28. Serbia 2009
  29. Slovakia 2013
  30. Slovenia 2016
  31. Spain 2022
  32. Sweden 2009
  33. North America (3)
  34. Antigua and Barbuda 2022
  35. Canada 2017
  36. Cuba 2019
  37. Africa (1)
  38. South Africa 1996
  39. Oceania (4)
  40. Australia 2013
  41. Fiji 2013
  42. Marshall Islands 2019
  43. New Zealand 1994
  44. South America (6)
  45. Bolivia 2010
  46. Brazil 2019
  47. Chile 2012
  48. Ecuador 2008
  49. Peru 2017
  50. Uruguay 2004

Illegal in some contexts

LGBT discrimination is illegal in some contexts in 102 regions.

  1. Asia (15)
  2. Bhutan 2018
  3. China 2026
  4. India
  5. Indonesia 2012
  6. Israel 1992
  7. Laos 2017
  8. Myanmar 2019
  9. Pakistan 2018
  10. Palestine
  11. Singapore 2019
  12. Sri Lanka 2022
  13. Taiwan 2004
  14. Thailand 2015
  15. Timor-Leste 2002
  16. Vietnam 2022
  17. Europe (14)
  18. Austria 2004
  19. Cyprus 2014
  20. Estonia 2009
  21. Hungary 2025
  22. Ireland 2015
  23. Latvia 2006
  24. Liechtenstein 2016
  25. Lithuania 2000
  26. Monaco 2005
  27. Poland 2018
  28. Romania 2000
  29. San Marino 2019
  30. Switzerland 2020
  31. Ukraine 2015
  32. North America (18)
  33. Bahamas 2003
  34. Barbados
  35. Belize 2019
  36. Costa Rica 2015
  37. Dominica 2020
  38. Dominican Republic 2000
  39. El Salvador 2009
  40. Grenada 2013
  41. Guatemala 2021
  42. Haiti 2014
  43. Honduras 2013
  44. Jamaica 2008
  45. Nicaragua 2008
  46. Panama 2002
  47. Saint Kitts and Nevis 2020
  48. Saint Lucia 2006
  49. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2010
  50. Trinidad and Tobago 2004
  51. Africa (41)
  52. Angola 2021
  53. Benin
  54. Botswana 2010
  55. Burkina Faso 2019
  56. Cameroon 2024
  57. Cape Verde 2007
  58. Central African Republic 2016
  59. Chad 2017
  60. Comoros 2014
  61. Côte d’Ivoire 2014
  62. Democratic Republic of the Congo 2008
  63. Djibouti 2016
  64. Equatorial Guinea 2016
  65. Eswatini 2017
  66. Gabon 2023
  67. Ghana 2008
  68. Guinea 2016
  69. Guinea-Bissau 2014
  70. Kenya 2009
  71. Lesotho 2012
  72. Liberia 2015
  73. Madagascar 2005
  74. Malawi 2018
  75. Mali 2013
  76. Mauritius 2012
  77. Mozambique 2007
  78. Namibia 2018
  79. Niger 2023
  80. Nigeria 2019
  81. Republic of the Congo 2019
  82. Rwanda 2018
  83. Sao Tome and Principe 2012
  84. Senegal 2008
  85. Seychelles 2006
  86. Sierra Leone 2023
  87. South Sudan 2020
  88. Tanzania 2018
  89. Togo 2020
  90. Uganda 2019
  91. Zambia 2002
  92. Zimbabwe 2020
  93. Oceania (9)
  94. Federated States of Micronesia 2018
  95. Kiribati 2015
  96. Nauru 2016
  97. Palau 2011
  98. Papua New Guinea 2013
  99. Solomon Islands 2014
  100. Tonga 2010
  101. Tuvalu 2016
  102. Vanuatu 2014
  103. South America (5)
  104. Colombia 2000
  105. Guyana 2008
  106. Paraguay 2017
  107. Suriname 2015
  108. Venezuela 2011

No protections

LGBT discrimination is no protections in 42 regions.

  1. Asia (24)
  2. Afghanistan
  3. Bahrain
  4. Bangladesh
  5. Brunei
  6. Cambodia
  7. Iran
  8. Iraq
  9. Jordan
  10. Kazakhstan
  11. Kuwait
  12. Kyrgyzstan
  13. Lebanon
  14. Malaysia
  15. Maldives
  16. North Korea
  17. Oman
  18. Qatar
  19. Saudi Arabia
  20. Syria
  21. Tajikistan
  22. Turkmenistan
  23. United Arab Emirates
  24. Uzbekistan
  25. Yemen
  26. Europe (6)
  27. Armenia
  28. Azerbaijan 2006
  29. Belarus
  30. Russia
  31. Turkey 2016
  32. Vatican City
  33. Africa (12)
  34. Algeria
  35. Burundi
  36. Egypt
  37. Eritrea
  38. Ethiopia
  39. Gambia
  40. Libya
  41. Mauritania
  42. Morocco
  43. Somalia
  44. Sudan
  45. Tunisia

Varied, unclear, or unknown laws

Data on lgbt discrimination is unclear, not applicable, or missing in 10 regions.

  1. Asia (3)
  2. Japan Varies by Region
  3. Philippines Varies by Region
  4. South Korea Varies by Region
  5. Europe (2)
  6. Italy Varies by Region
  7. United Kingdom Varies by Region
  8. North America (2)
  9. Mexico Varies by Region
  10. United States Varies by Region
  11. Oceania (1)
  12. Samoa Ambiguous
  13. South America (1)
  14. Argentina Varies by Region
  15. Antarctica (1)
  16. Antarctica N/A

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