Svalbard is governed by federal Norway law. Learn more
- Homosexuality
- ⚢✔ Legal
- Gay Marriage
- ⚭✔ Legal
- Censorship
- ✔ No censorship
- Changing Gender
- ✔ Legal, no restrictions
- Gender-Affirming Care
- ✔ Legal
- Non-Binary Gender Recognition
- ✖ Not legally recognized
- Discrimination
- ✔ Illegal
- Employment Discrimination
- ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
- Housing Discrimination
- ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
- Adoption
- ✔ Legal
- Intersex Infant Surgery
- ✖ Not banned
- Military
- ✔ Legal
- Donating Blood
- ✖ Banned (6-month deferral)
- Conversion Therapy
- ✔ Banned
- Age of Consent
- ✔ Equal
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Public Opinion
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Homosexual activity in Svalbard is legal.
Current status
Since Apr 21, 1972
Legal
Norway fully repealed Section 213 of the Norwegian Penal Code, legalizing homosexual activity.
Until Apr 21, 1972
Male illegal, female legal
Section 213 of the Norwegian Penal Code defined sexual intercourse between men to be a crime with the punishment being up to one year of imprisonment.
The law did not include homosexual activity between women.
The law did not include homosexual activity between women.
Censorship of LGBT issues in Svalbard is no censorship.
Current status
No censorship
In Norway, there are no laws restricting the discussion or promotion of LGBTQ+ topics.
Gender-affirming care in Svalbard is legal.
Current status
Since 1996
Legal under federal Norway law
Since Norway adopted the ICD-10 classification, which contains codes for diagnosing transsexualism in adulthood and childhood in 1996, trans people have the right to access gender-affirming care through the country's public healthcare system if they are over the age of 16 and have a physician's letter proving that they're transgender. Teens are given the right to puberty blockers after puberty has started. Treatment is not offered to non-binary patients. Surgeries are not recommended under 18, but some can get top surgery.
Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Svalbard is not legally recognized.
Current status
Not legally recognized
Norway does not recognise non-binary genders. Intersex infants are assigned a gender at birth, which may include medical procedures.
LGBT discrimination in Svalbard is illegal.
Current status
Since 1981
Illegal
Section 5 of the Act on the Prohibition of Discrimination on the grounds of Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Gender Expression bans discrimination towards LGBTQ+ persons.
Norway was the first country in the world to enact a law against the discrimination of LGBT people by amending Paragraph 349a of the Norwegian Penal Code. In the same year Paragraph 135a was amended to prohibit hate speech directed at sexual minorities.
Norway was the first country in the world to enact a law against the discrimination of LGBT people by amending Paragraph 349a of the Norwegian Penal Code. In the same year Paragraph 135a was amended to prohibit hate speech directed at sexual minorities.
LGBT housing discrimination in Svalbard is sexual orientation and gender identity.
Current status
Since 1981
Sexual orientation and gender identity under federal Norway law
Section 5 of the Act on the Prohibition of Discrimination on the grounds of Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Gender Expression bans discrimination towards LGBTQ+ persons.
Norwegian law prohibits discrimination against sexual orientation and gender identity. This extends to housing and employment sectors.
Norwegian law prohibits discrimination against sexual orientation and gender identity. This extends to housing and employment sectors.
Same-sex adoption in Svalbard is legal.
Current status
Since Jan 1, 2009
Intersex infant surgery in Svalbard is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
According to two reports published in March 2019 by the Norwegian Directorate for Children, Youth and Family Affairs, it was recommended to postpone medical interventions on intersex babies until they are able to consent, but so far there have been no further updates on these reports.
Blood donations by MSMs in Svalbard is banned (6-month deferral).
Current status
Since Jan 1, 2024
Banned (6-month deferral)
From 2024, the deferral period for gay and bisexual men to donate blood will be lowered from 1 year to 6 months, the same deferral period applies to everyone.
Until Mar 31, 2017
Banned (indefinite deferral)
Indefinitely banned.
Conversion therapy in Svalbard is banned.
Current status
Since Dec 12, 2023
Banned
By a vote of 85-15, the norwegian parliament gave a final approval to a law banning conversion therapy.
Until Dec 12, 2023
Not banned
Conversion therapy is not banned in Norway. In 2022, the government introduced a proposal to ban the practice, but the adoption of a new law according to this proposal has been delayed over concerns that a total ban would infringe on the rights of those who consent to conversion therapy. The Minister of Culture and Equality, who originally proposed the ban, hopes it will come into effect in autumn 2023, despite these concerns.
Although legal, conversion therapy has been considered malpractice by the Norwegian Psychiatric Association for over 20 years. Approximately 90% of all authorized psychologists in Norway belong to this organization (as claimed by the organization itself).
Although legal, conversion therapy has been considered malpractice by the Norwegian Psychiatric Association for over 20 years. Approximately 90% of all authorized psychologists in Norway belong to this organization (as claimed by the organization itself).
Equal age of consent in Svalbard is equal.
Current status
Since Mar 1, 1972
Equal
Age of consent equal at 16 years of age.
Legal Rights
87 / 100
This region's Equality Index is based on legal rights alone. Please submit survey results that show the public opinion of LGBTQ+ issues in Svalbard to help improve its accuracy.
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