North-East is governed by federal Botswana law. Learn more
    Homosexuality
    ⚢
    ✔ Legal
    Gay Marriage
    ⚭
    ✖ Unrecognized
    Censorship
    ✔ No censorship
    Changing Gender
    ✔ Legal, no restrictions
    Gender-Affirming Care
    ✖ Restricted
    Non-Binary Gender Recognition
    ✖ Not legally recognized
    Discrimination
    ✔ Illegal
    Employment Discrimination
    ✖ Sexual orientation only
    Housing Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Adoption
    ✖ Single only
    Intersex Infant Surgery
    Unknown
    Military
    ✖ Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned
    Donating Blood
    ✔ Legal
    Conversion Therapy
    ✖ Not banned
    Age of Consent
    ✔ Equal
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Public Opinion

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History

Homosexual activity in North-East

?

Homosexual activity in North-East is legal.

Current status
Since Jun 11, 2019
Legal
Botswana's High Court has ruled in favour of decriminalising homosexuality in a landmark decision for campaigners.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
bbc.com/news/world-africa-48594162
Added by stillinbeta  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log
Jun 10, 1964–Jun 11, 2019
Illegal (imprisonment as punishment)
Fine; up to seven years imprisonment. Although same-sex sexual acts remain illegal, their prosecution is rare according to a 2004 publication.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
vertic.org/media/National%2…
kinseyinstitute.org/ccies/p…
Added by brennen  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Same-sex marriage in North-East

?

Same-sex marriage in North-East is unrecognized.

Current status
Since Jun 10, 1964
Unrecognized
only allows straight couples to get married
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
vertic.org/media/National%2…
Added by brennen  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log
Apr 22, 2016–Sep 7, 2018
Unrecognized
from a ruling in the supreme Botswana Court. legalization rejected.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
allafrica.com/stories/20160…
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Censorship of LGBT Issues in North-East

?

Censorship of LGBT Issues in North-East is no censorship.

Current status
No censorship
In Botswana, there are no laws restricting the discussion or promotion of LGBTQ+ topics.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Added by equaldex  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Right to change legal gender in North-East

?

Right to change legal gender in North-East is legal, no restrictions.

Current status
Since Sep 29, 2017
Legal, no restrictions
In 2017, before Botswana's High Court, a transgender man and a transgender woman each successfully contested the Registrar of National Registration's refusal to amend the gender marker on their identity documents. Both individuals invoked Section 16 of the National Registration Act (Act No. 26) (1986), which empowers the Registrar to alter any particulars of a registered person and issue new identity documentation in the event of a significant change in circumstances. These landmark cases have established a precedent for other transgender individuals seeking to update their gender markers on official documents. Subsequently, following the court's rulings, at least 10 transgender individuals have been able to amend their legal gender markers without resorting to legal action.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
mambaonline.com/2017/12/06/…
web.archive.org/web/2019062…//allafrica.com/stories/201710090073.html
independent.co.uk/news/worl…
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log
Until Sep 29, 2017
Illegal
Before September 29th, 2017, no transgender person had legally changed their gender. On that date, a court ruled in favor of allowing a transgender man to legally change his gender, and he became the first to be able to do so in Botswana.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
southernafricalitigationcen…
Added by Unknownmiles  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Gender-Affirming Care in North-East

?

Gender-Affirming Care in North-East is restricted.

Current status
Since 1985
Restricted
In 1985, Botswana legalized sterilization, which de facto meant legalizing sex reassignment surgery, however, medical records regarding transsexualism had to be obtained abroad.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
rhsupplies.org/uploads/tx_r…
Added by JuliaB  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log
Until 1985
Banned
Medical transition is not possible
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
rhsupplies.org/uploads/tx_r…
Added by JuliaB  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in North-East

?

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

Current status
Not legally recognized
No laws in place to recognize non-binary people.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
dw.com/en/from-bhutan-to-bo…
Added by maddyksf  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

LGBT discrimination in North-East

?

LGBT discrimination in North-East is illegal.

Current status
Since 2019
Illegal
Discrimination and hate speech against LGBTQIA+ persons is banned completely in Botswana.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
africanlii.org/article/2019…
Added by brennen  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

LGBT employment discrimination in North-East

?

LGBT employment discrimination in North-East is sexual orientation only.

Current status
Since Aug 10, 2010
Sexual orientation only
LGB people are protected here. No laws in place for trans people.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
bonela.org/index.php?option….
Added by murrayhawthorne  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

LGBT housing discrimination in North-East

?

LGBT housing discrimination in North-East is no protections.

Current status
No protections
No protections available in Botswana for sexual orientation or gender identity for housing.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
database.ilga.org/botswana-lgbti
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Same-sex adoption in North-East

?

Same-sex adoption in North-East is single only.

Current status
Single only
No other laws in place.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
travel.state.gov/content/ad…
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Intersex infant surgery in North-East

?

Intersex infant surgery in North-East is unknown.

Current status
Unknown

Serving openly in military in North-East

?

Serving openly in military in North-East is lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned.

Current status
Since Aug 10, 2010
Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned
All discrimination is illegal in all areas. Unfortunately Like every other African countries, trans people cannot serve
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
cbc.ca/news/world/countries…
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Blood donations by MSMs in North-East

?

Blood donations by MSMs in North-East is legal.

Current status
Legal
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Sources:
achap.org/blood-safety-and-…
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Conversion therapy in North-East

?

Conversion therapy in North-East is not banned.

Current status
Since Mar 17, 2016
Not banned
Botswana Court of Appeal Denied Ban.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Equal age of consent in North-East

?

Equal age of consent in North-East is equal.

Current status
Equal
Set at 16 years old.
Details  ·  Accurate? Yes No
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log
Equality Index ?
N/A
There is not enough information on North-East for an Equality Index to be assigned. Please contribute LGBTQ+ rights information or survey results that show the public opinion of LGBTQ+ issues in North-East to help improve its accuracy.

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