LGBT employment discrimination

LGBTQ+ people are protected from employment discrimination in 57 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

57
Protected
57 regions (29%)
Protected
30
Some protections
30 regions (15%)
Some protections
104
No protections
104 regions (53%)
No protections
7
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
7 regions (4%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
Europe
68%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Protected
34 regions (68%)
Some protections
7 regions (14%)
No protections
9 regions (18%)
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
22%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Protected
5 regions (22%)
Some protections
6 regions (26%)
No protections
10 regions (44%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
2 regions (9%)
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 57 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 (5)
  41. Antigua and Barbuda 2022
  42. Canada 2017
  43. Cuba 2019
  44. El Salvador 2010
  45. Honduras 2013
  46. Africa (3)
  47. Lesotho 2024
  48. Liberia 2015
  49. South Africa 1995
  50. Oceania (4)
  51. Australia 2013
  52. Fiji 2015
  53. Marshall Islands 2019
  54. Samoa 2013
  55. South America (8)
  56. Bolivia 2010
  57. Brazil 2019
  58. Chile 2012
  59. Colombia 2018
  60. Ecuador 2008
  61. Peru 2017
  62. Suriname 2022
  63. Uruguay 2004

Gender identity only

LGBT employment discrimination is gender identity only in 3 regions.

  1. Asia (3)
  2. India 2020
  3. Pakistan 2018
  4. Thailand 2015

Sexual orientation only

LGBT employment discrimination is sexual orientation only in 27 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 (6)
  12. Barbados 2020
  13. Belize 2019
  14. Costa Rica 2016
  15. Haiti 2014
  16. Nicaragua 2008
  17. Saint Lucia 2006
  18. Africa (8)
  19. Angola 2021
  20. Botswana 2010
  21. Cape Verde 2008
  22. Equatorial Guinea 2022
  23. Mauritius 2012
  24. Sao Tome and Principe 2019
  25. Seychelles 2006
  26. Sierra Leone 2023
  27. Oceania (4)
  28. Federated States of Micronesia 2018
  29. Kiribati 2015
  30. New Zealand 1994
  31. Tuvalu 2017
  32. South America (1)
  33. Venezuela 2012

No protections

LGBT employment discrimination is no protections in 104 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 (9)
  37. Armenia
  38. Azerbaijan
  39. Belarus
  40. Liechtenstein
  41. Monaco
  42. Russia
  43. Switzerland
  44. Turkey 2018
  45. Vatican City
  46. North America (10)
  47. Bahamas
  48. Dominica
  49. Dominican Republic 2021
  50. Grenada
  51. Guatemala
  52. Jamaica
  53. Panama
  54. Saint Kitts and Nevis
  55. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  56. Trinidad and Tobago
  57. Africa (43)
  58. Algeria
  59. Benin
  60. Burkina Faso
  61. Burundi
  62. Cameroon
  63. Central African Republic
  64. Chad
  65. Comoros
  66. Côte d’Ivoire
  67. Democratic Republic of the Congo
  68. Djibouti
  69. Egypt
  70. Eritrea
  71. Eswatini
  72. Ethiopia
  73. Gabon
  74. Gambia
  75. Ghana
  76. Guinea
  77. Guinea-Bissau
  78. Kenya
  79. Libya
  80. Madagascar
  81. Malawi
  82. Mali
  83. Mauritania
  84. Morocco
  85. Mozambique 2024
  86. Namibia 2007
  87. Niger
  88. Nigeria
  89. Republic of the Congo
  90. Rwanda
  91. Senegal
  92. Somalia
  93. South Sudan
  94. Sudan
  95. Tanzania
  96. Togo
  97. Tunisia
  98. Uganda
  99. Zambia
  100. Zimbabwe
  101. Oceania (6)
  102. Nauru
  103. Palau
  104. Papua New Guinea
  105. Solomon Islands
  106. Tonga
  107. Vanuatu
  108. South America (2)
  109. Guyana
  110. Paraguay

Varied, unclear, or unknown laws

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

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

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