Homosexuality
    ✖ Illegal (imprisonment as punishment)
    Gay Marriage
    ✖ Banned
    Censorship
    ✖ State-enforced
    Changing Gender
    ✖ Illegal
    Gender-Affirming Care
    ✖ Restricted
    Non-Binary Gender Recognition
    ✖ Not legally recognized
    Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Employment Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Housing Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Adoption
    ✖ Illegal
    Intersex Infant Surgery
    ✖ Not banned
    Military
    ✖ Illegal
    Donating Blood
    ✖ Banned (indefinite deferral)
    Conversion Therapy
    ✖ Not banned
    Age of Consent
    N/A
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Research in attittudes towards LGBTQ+ issues in Ethiopia have identified a strong opposition to LGBTQ+ rights, reflecting underlying homophobic sentiments.

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History

Homosexual activity in Ethiopia

?

Homosexual activity in Ethiopia is illegal (imprisonment as punishment).

Current status
Illegal (imprisonment as punishment)
Homosexuality is illegal in Ethiopia and penalties can range from 10 days to three years, according to the UN Refugee Agency. There is a maximum sentence of 10 years that can be imposed if an offender "uses violence, intimidation or coercion, trickery or fraud, or takes unfair advantage of the victim’s inability to offer resistance."

This status may change soon as anti-gay organizations are pushing for the death penalty.

Same-sex marriage in Ethiopia

?

Same-sex marriage in Ethiopia is banned.

Current status
Since Jan 1, 2009
Banned
Ethiopia's federal law places a statutory ban on same-sex marriage.
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Until Dec 31, 2008
Unrecognized
Homosexuality is currently illegal.
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Censorship of LGBT issues in Ethiopia

?

Censorship of LGBT issues in Ethiopia is state-enforced.

Current status
State-enforced
Article 640 of the Penal Code (2004) criminalises the possession or dissemination of “grossly indecent material”, including providing information on how to procure them.

A wide range of websites is reported to be blocked in Ethiopia, including the websites of LGBTI groups and organisations.
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Right to change legal gender in Ethiopia

?

Right to change legal gender in Ethiopia is illegal.

Current status
Illegal
Unsafe to be LGBT
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Gender-affirming care in Ethiopia

?

Gender-affirming care in Ethiopia is restricted.

Current status
Restricted
In Ethiopia, gender-affirming care is not explicitly regulated by law. However, there is limited access to gender-affirming healthcare services due to various factors, including societal stigma, lack of awareness among healthcare providers, and limited resources. Additionally, there are no specific legal protections or regulations regarding gender-affirming treatments or procedures. As a result, individuals seeking gender-affirming care in Ethiopia may face significant challenges in accessing appropriate and comprehensive healthcare services.
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Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Ethiopia

?

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Ethiopia is not legally recognized.

Current status
Not legally recognized
Non-binary identities are not legally recognized.
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LGBT discrimination in Ethiopia

?

LGBT discrimination in Ethiopia is no protections.

Current status
No protections
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LGBT employment discrimination in Ethiopia

?

LGBT employment discrimination in Ethiopia is no protections.

Current status
No protections
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LGBT housing discrimination in Ethiopia

?

LGBT housing discrimination in Ethiopia is no protections.

Current status
No protections
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Same-sex adoption in Ethiopia

?

Same-sex adoption in Ethiopia is illegal.

Current status
Illegal
Ethiopian law prohibits same-sex couples from adopting a child.
Jan 1, 2018–Jul 29, 2018
Single only
In one region it is single only as part of Eritrea.
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Intersex infant surgery in Ethiopia

?

Intersex infant surgery in Ethiopia is not banned.

Current status
Not banned
Not banned in Ethiopia.
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Serving openly in military in Ethiopia

?

Serving openly in military in Ethiopia is illegal.

Current status
Illegal
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Blood donations by MSMs in Ethiopia

?

Blood donations by MSMs in Ethiopia is banned (indefinite deferral).

Current status
Banned (indefinite deferral)
There is no ban on MSM blood donations. While homosexuality is illegal in Ethiopia, simply because homosexuality is illegal does not automatically mean that msm blood donations are not accepted.
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Conversion therapy in Ethiopia

?

Conversion therapy in Ethiopia is not banned.

Current status
Not banned
LGBT people here are attacked by neighbors.
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Equal age of consent in Ethiopia

?

Equal age of consent in Ethiopia is n/a.

Current status
N/A
Homosexuality is illegal, so the age of consent does not apply.
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LGBT Rights by State

View the LGBT laws in each individual state of Ethiopia.