LGBT employment discrimination

LGBTQ+ people are protected from employment discrimination in 60 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

60
Protected
60 regions (30%)
Protected
29
Some protections
29 regions (15%)
Some protections
101
No protections
101 regions (51%)
No protections
8
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
8 regions (4%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
Europe
72%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Protected
36 regions (72%)
Some protections
5 regions (10%)
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
26%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Protected
6 regions (26%)
Some protections
6 regions (26%)
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
41 regions (76%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
2 regions (4%)
Asia
7%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Protected
3 regions (7%)
Some protections
5 regions (11%)
No protections
33 regions (75%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
3 regions (7%)

Timeline of lgbt employment discrimination

Number of countries to ban lgbtq+ employment discrimination over the past 61 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 60 regions.

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

Sexual orientation only

LGBT employment discrimination is sexual orientation only in 26 regions.

  1. Asia (2)
  2. Philippines
  3. Timor-Leste 2017
  4. Europe (5)
  5. Austria 2004
  6. Latvia 2006
  7. Lithuania 2000
  8. Romania 2000
  9. San Marino 2019
  10. North America (6)
  11. Barbados 2020
  12. Belize 2019
  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

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

No protections

LGBT employment discrimination is no protections in 101 regions.

  1. Asia (33)
  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. Lebanon
  17. Malaysia
  18. Maldives
  19. Myanmar
  20. Nepal
  21. North Korea
  22. Oman
  23. Palestine
  24. Qatar
  25. Saudi Arabia
  26. Singapore
  27. Sri Lanka
  28. Syria
  29. Tajikistan
  30. Turkmenistan
  31. United Arab Emirates
  32. Uzbekistan
  33. Vietnam
  34. Yemen
  35. Europe (9)
  36. Armenia
  37. Azerbaijan
  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 (41)
  57. Algeria
  58. Benin
  59. Burkina Faso
  60. Burundi
  61. Central African Republic
  62. Chad
  63. Comoros
  64. Côte d’Ivoire
  65. Democratic Republic of the Congo
  66. Djibouti
  67. Egypt
  68. Eritrea
  69. Eswatini
  70. Ethiopia
  71. Gabon
  72. Gambia
  73. Ghana
  74. Guinea
  75. Kenya
  76. Libya
  77. Madagascar
  78. Malawi
  79. Mali
  80. Mauritania
  81. Morocco
  82. Mozambique 2024
  83. Namibia 2007
  84. Niger
  85. Nigeria
  86. Republic of the Congo
  87. Rwanda
  88. Senegal
  89. Somalia
  90. South Sudan
  91. Sudan
  92. Tanzania
  93. Togo
  94. Tunisia
  95. Uganda
  96. Zambia
  97. Zimbabwe
  98. Oceania (6)
  99. Nauru
  100. Palau
  101. Papua New Guinea
  102. Solomon Islands
  103. Tonga
  104. Vanuatu
  105. South America (2)
  106. Guyana
  107. Paraguay

Varied, unclear, or unknown laws

Data on lgbt employment discrimination is unclear, not applicable, or missing in 8 regions.

  1. Asia (3)
  2. Japan Varies by Region
  3. Laos
  4. South Korea Varies by Region
  5. North America (1)
  6. Mexico Varies by Region
  7. Africa (2)
  8. Cameroon
  9. Guinea-Bissau
  10. South America (1)
  11. Argentina Varies by Region
  12. Antarctica (1)
  13. Antarctica N/A

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