LGBT employment discrimination

LGBTQ+ people are protected from employment discrimination in 59 countries.

DATE

LGBT employment discrimination

Prohibition of discrimination based on sexual orientation and/or gender identity in employment, including hiring, promotion, termination, harassment, etc.

Summary

59
Protected
59 regions (30%)
Protected
30
Some protections
30 regions (15%)
Some protections
103
No protections
103 regions (52%)
No protections
6
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
6 regions (3%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
Europe
68%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Protected
34 regions (68%)
Some protections
8 regions (16%)
No protections
8 regions (16%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
regions (0%)
Oceania
29%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Protected
4 regions (29%)
Some protections
4 regions (29%)
No protections
6 regions (43%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
regions (0%)
South America
67%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Protected
8 regions (67%)
Some protections
1 regions (8%)
No protections
2 regions (17%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
1 regions (8%)
North America
30%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Protected
7 regions (30%)
Some protections
5 regions (22%)
No protections
10 regions (44%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
1 regions (4%)
Africa
6%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Protected
3 regions (6%)
Some protections
8 regions (15%)
No protections
43 regions (80%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
regions (0%)
Asia
7%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Protected
3 regions (7%)
Some protections
4 regions (9%)
No protections
34 regions (77%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
3 regions (7%)

Timeline of lgbt employment discrimination

Number of countries to ban lgbtq+ employment discrimination over the past 45 years.

Recent Changes

2025

2024

2023

LGBT employment discrimination by Country

Sexual orientation and gender identity

LGBT employment discrimination is sexual orientation and gender identity in 59 regions.

  1. Asia (3)
  2. Israel 2015
  3. Mongolia 2022
  4. Taiwan 2007
  5. Europe (34)
  6. Albania 2010
  7. Andorra 2019
  8. Austria 2024
  9. Belgium 2014
  10. Bosnia and Herzegovina 2016
  11. Bulgaria 2015
  12. Croatia 2009
  13. Czechia 2009
  14. Denmark 1996
  15. Estonia 2009
  16. Finland 2004
  17. France 2012
  18. Georgia 2014
  19. Germany 2006
  20. Greece 2016
  21. Iceland 2018
  22. Italy 2023
  23. Kosovo 2015
  24. Luxembourg 2006
  25. Malta 2004
  26. Moldova 2023
  27. Montenegro 2010
  28. Netherlands 2019
  29. North Macedonia 2020
  30. Norway 1981
  31. Poland 2022
  32. Portugal 2015
  33. Serbia 2009
  34. Slovakia 2018
  35. Slovenia 2016
  36. Spain 2022
  37. Sweden 1999
  38. Ukraine 2015
  39. United Kingdom 2010
  40. North America (7)
  41. Antigua and Barbuda 2022
  42. Belize 2024
  43. Canada 2017
  44. Cuba 2019
  45. El Salvador 2010
  46. Honduras 2013
  47. United States 2025
  48. Africa (3)
  49. Lesotho 2024
  50. Liberia 2015
  51. South Africa 1995
  52. Oceania (4)
  53. Australia 2013
  54. Fiji 2015
  55. Marshall Islands 2019
  56. Samoa 2013
  57. South America (8)
  58. Bolivia 2010
  59. Brazil 2019
  60. Chile 2012
  61. Colombia 2018
  62. Ecuador 2008
  63. Peru 2017
  64. Suriname 2022
  65. Uruguay 2004

Gender identity only

LGBT employment discrimination is gender identity only in 4 regions.

  1. Asia (3)
  2. India 2020
  3. Pakistan 2018
  4. Thailand 2015
  5. Europe (1)
  6. Azerbaijan 2006

Sexual orientation only

LGBT employment discrimination is sexual orientation only in 26 regions.

  1. Asia (1)
  2. Timor-Leste 2017
  3. Europe (7)
  4. Cyprus 2004
  5. Hungary 2025
  6. Ireland 1999
  7. Latvia 2006
  8. Lithuania 2000
  9. Romania 2000
  10. San Marino 2019
  11. North America (5)
  12. Barbados 2020
  13. Costa Rica 2016
  14. Haiti 2014
  15. Nicaragua 2008
  16. Saint Lucia 2006
  17. Africa (8)
  18. Angola 2021
  19. Botswana 2010
  20. Cape Verde 2008
  21. Equatorial Guinea 2022
  22. Mauritius 2012
  23. Sao Tome and Principe 2019
  24. Seychelles 2006
  25. Sierra Leone 2023
  26. Oceania (4)
  27. Federated States of Micronesia 2018
  28. Kiribati 2015
  29. New Zealand 1994
  30. Tuvalu 2017
  31. South America (1)
  32. Venezuela 2012

No protections

LGBT employment discrimination is no protections in 103 regions.

  1. Asia (34)
  2. Afghanistan
  3. Bahrain
  4. Bangladesh
  5. Bhutan
  6. Brunei
  7. Cambodia
  8. China
  9. Indonesia
  10. Iran
  11. Iraq
  12. Jordan
  13. Kazakhstan
  14. Kuwait
  15. Kyrgyzstan
  16. Laos
  17. Lebanon
  18. Malaysia
  19. Maldives
  20. Myanmar
  21. Nepal
  22. North Korea
  23. Oman
  24. Palestine
  25. Qatar
  26. Saudi Arabia
  27. Singapore
  28. Sri Lanka
  29. Syria
  30. Tajikistan
  31. Turkmenistan
  32. United Arab Emirates
  33. Uzbekistan
  34. Vietnam
  35. Yemen
  36. Europe (8)
  37. Armenia
  38. Belarus
  39. Liechtenstein
  40. Monaco
  41. Russia
  42. Switzerland
  43. Turkey 2018
  44. Vatican City
  45. North America (10)
  46. Bahamas
  47. Dominica
  48. Dominican Republic 2021
  49. Grenada
  50. Guatemala
  51. Jamaica
  52. Panama
  53. Saint Kitts and Nevis
  54. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  55. Trinidad and Tobago
  56. Africa (43)
  57. Algeria
  58. Benin
  59. Burkina Faso
  60. Burundi
  61. Cameroon
  62. Central African Republic
  63. Chad
  64. Comoros
  65. Côte d’Ivoire
  66. Democratic Republic of the Congo
  67. Djibouti
  68. Egypt
  69. Eritrea
  70. Eswatini
  71. Ethiopia
  72. Gabon
  73. Gambia
  74. Ghana
  75. Guinea
  76. Guinea-Bissau
  77. Kenya
  78. Libya
  79. Madagascar
  80. Malawi
  81. Mali
  82. Mauritania
  83. Morocco
  84. Mozambique 2024
  85. Namibia 2007
  86. Niger
  87. Nigeria
  88. Republic of the Congo
  89. Rwanda
  90. Senegal
  91. Somalia
  92. South Sudan
  93. Sudan
  94. Tanzania
  95. Togo
  96. Tunisia
  97. Uganda
  98. Zambia
  99. Zimbabwe
  100. Oceania (6)
  101. Nauru
  102. Palau
  103. Papua New Guinea
  104. Solomon Islands
  105. Tonga
  106. Vanuatu
  107. South America (2)
  108. Guyana
  109. Paraguay

Varied, unclear, or unknown laws

Data on lgbt employment discrimination is unclear, not applicable, or missing in 6 regions.

  1. Asia (3)
  2. Japan Varies by Region
  3. Philippines Varies by Region
  4. South Korea Varies by Region
  5. North America (1)
  6. Mexico Varies by Region
  7. South America (1)
  8. Argentina Varies by Region
  9. Antarctica (1)
  10. Antarctica N/A

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