Pénama is governed by federal Vanuatu law. Learn more
- Homosexuality
- ⚢✔ Legal
- Gay Marriage
- ⚭✖ Banned
- Censorship
- ✔ No censorship
- Changing Gender
- ✖ Illegal
- Gender-Affirming Care
- ✔ Legal
- Non-Binary Gender Recognition
- ✖ Not legally recognized
- Hate Crime Protections
- ✖ Protected in some contexts
- Discrimination
- ✖ Illegal in some contexts
- Employment Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Housing Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Adoption
- ✖ Single only
- Intersex Infant Surgery
- ✖ Not banned
- Military
- N/A
- Donating Blood
- ✔ Legal
- Conversion Therapy
- ✖ Not banned
- Age of Consent
- ✔ Equal
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Public Opinion
Pénama is lacking public opinion data.
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Homosexual activity in Pénama is legal.
Current status
Legal
Homosexuality has never been criminalised in Vanuatu.
Censorship of LGBT issues in Pénama is no censorship.
Current status
No censorship
In Vanuatu, there are no laws restricting the discussion or promotion of LGBTQ+ topics. However, in 2024, the government has announced plans to criminalising advocacy for the rights of LGBTIQ+ people.
Right to change legal gender in Pénama is illegal.
Current status
Illegal
There is no legal gender recognition provided in Vanuatu.
Gender-affirming care in Pénama is legal.
Current status
Legal
Gender-affirming care in Vanuatu is legal but restricted by the lack of training and resources in practice.
Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Pénama is not legally recognized.
Current status
Not legally recognized
Vanuatu does not currently recognize intersex as a biological sex on legal documents. Intersex individuals in Vanuatu may face challenges in accessing basic human rights and healthcare, not to mention discrimination and social stigma.
Hate crime protections in Pénama is protected in some contexts.
Current status
Protected in some contexts
The Prosecutors’ Code and the Prosecution Guidelines consider:
"Prosecutors must also have regard to whether the offence was motivated by any form of discrimination against the victim’s ethnic or national origin, gender, disability, age, religion or belief, sexual orientation or gender identity; or the suspect demonstrated hostility towards the victim based on any of those characteristics. The presence of any such motivation or hostility will mean that it is more likely that prosecution is required. In deciding whether a prosecution is required in the public interest, prosecutors should take into account the views expressed by the victim about the impact that the offence has had. In appropriate cases, this may also include the views of the victim’s family." (Section 3.10.c)
"Prosecutors must also have regard to whether the offence was motivated by any form of discrimination against the victim’s ethnic or national origin, gender, disability, age, religion or belief, sexual orientation or gender identity; or the suspect demonstrated hostility towards the victim based on any of those characteristics. The presence of any such motivation or hostility will mean that it is more likely that prosecution is required. In deciding whether a prosecution is required in the public interest, prosecutors should take into account the views expressed by the victim about the impact that the offence has had. In appropriate cases, this may also include the views of the victim’s family." (Section 3.10.c)
LGBT discrimination in Pénama is illegal in some contexts.
Current status
Since Mar 17, 2014
Illegal in some contexts
LGBT employment discrimination in Pénama is no protections.
Current status
No protections
The Employment Act does not provide explicit protections for LGBT people.
LGBT housing discrimination in Pénama is no protections.
Current status
No protections
There are no legal protections based on sexual orientation or gender identity in housing.
Same-sex adoption in Pénama is single only.
Current status
Single only
Joint adoptions are only possible in Vanuatu by married couples and same-sex marriage is not recognised leaving LGBTIQ+ couple's unable to jointly adopt. However, LGBTIQ+ singles can adopt.
Intersex infant surgery in Pénama is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
Surgery on intersex infants is legal in Vanuatu.
Serving openly in military in Pénama is n/a.
Current status
N/A
Vanuatu has no standing army.
Blood donations by MSMs in Pénama is legal.
Current status
Legal
There are no known restrictions or bans on blood donations from men who have sex with men in Vanuatu.
Conversion therapy in Pénama is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
There is no ban on conversion therapy in Vanuatu.
Equal age of consent in Pénama is equal.
Current status
Since Mar 1, 2007
Legal Rights
45 / 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 Pénama to help improve its accuracy.
Top Contributors
- DaisyGeekyTrans 15 contributions
- Nathan 6 contributions
- robertshippey 2 contributions
- JordanB3047 1 contribution
- Markissik 1 contribution
- Clara 1 contribution
Pénama LGBT Organizations
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Alternative names: Ambae-Maewo, Aoba-Maewo, Omba-Aurora, Omba-Maewo, Pentecost