- Homosexuality
- ⚢✔ Legal
- Gay Marriage
- ⚭✖ Banned
- Censorship
- ✔ No censorship
- Changing Gender
- ✖ Illegal
- Gender-Affirming Care
- ✖ Restricted
- Non-Binary Gender Recognition
- ✖ Not legally recognized
- Discrimination
- ✖ Illegal in some contexts
- Employment Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Housing Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Adoption
- ✖ Illegal
- Intersex Infant Surgery
- ✖ Not banned
- Military
- ✖ Don't Ask, Don't Tell
- Donating Blood
- ✖ Banned (indefinite deferral)
- Conversion Therapy
- ✖ Not banned
- Age of Consent
- ✔ Equal
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Public Opinion
Surveys in Rwanda have revealed a prevalence of resistance towards LGBTQ+ rights.
OPPOSE
SUPPORT
LGBT people are unnatural
(APHRC, 2022)
I support LGBT rights
(APHRC, 2022)
History
Homosexual activity in Rwanda is legal.
Current status
Legal
Rwanda does not criminalise gay sex, but homophobic attitudes are common throughout the nation.
Censorship of LGBT issues in Rwanda is no censorship.
Current status
No censorship
In Rwanda, there are no laws restricting the discussion or promotion of LGBTQ+ topics.
However, LGBTIQ+ people are frequently detained by police under vaguely worded laws against "deviant acts or behaviours" and laws against "acts which hurt public decency".
However, LGBTIQ+ people are frequently detained by police under vaguely worded laws against "deviant acts or behaviours" and laws against "acts which hurt public decency".
Right to change legal gender in Rwanda is illegal.
Current status
Illegal
There is no legal gender recognition provided in Rwanda.
Gender-affirming care in Rwanda is restricted.
Current status
Restricted
Rwanda provides sex reassignment surgery but not hormone therapy. However, access to surgery is inhibited by laws often used to target transgender people.
Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Rwanda is not legally recognized.
Current status
Not legally recognized
There is no legal recognition in Rwanda.
LGBT discrimination in Rwanda is illegal in some contexts.
Current status
Since Oct 15, 2021
Illegal in some contexts
Laws relating to the Protection of Personal Data and Privacy (Law 58 of 2021) defines sensitive personal data as information revealing a person’s sexual life.
There are some protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity issued by the Government of Rwanda:
-Standard Operating Procedures on identifying and safeguarding
vulnerable persons under the Migration and Economic Development Partnership, April 2024.
-Asylum and humanitarian protection decision making Standard Operating
Procedures, April 2024.
-Manual on Refugee Appeal Tribunal Standard Operating Procedures,
April 2024.
There are some protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity issued by the Government of Rwanda:
-Standard Operating Procedures on identifying and safeguarding
vulnerable persons under the Migration and Economic Development Partnership, April 2024.
-Asylum and humanitarian protection decision making Standard Operating
Procedures, April 2024.
-Manual on Refugee Appeal Tribunal Standard Operating Procedures,
April 2024.
LGBT employment discrimination in Rwanda is no protections.
Current status
No protections
Discrimination on basis of sexual orientation or gender identity in employment is not explicitly banned in Rwanda.
LGBT housing discrimination in Rwanda is no protections.
Current status
No protections
There are no legal provisions that explicitly ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. Articule 16 of the Constitution protects equality under the law.
Same-sex adoption in Rwanda is illegal.
Current status
Illegal
Law 32/2016 governing Persons and Family limits joint adoption only by married couples (spouses). Single people may not adopt.
Intersex infant surgery in Rwanda is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
Surgery on intersex infants are legal and widely practiced in Rwanda.
Serving openly in military in Rwanda is don't ask, don't tell.
Current status
Since Sep 24, 2012
Don't Ask, Don't Tell
Law No. 64/2024 Governing the Rwanda Defence Force and Ministerial Order no. 01/Minadef/2012 Establishing the Disciplinary Code in the Rwanda Defence Forces do not specifically exclude LGBT people from serving. However, they include provisions relating to morality and unethical behaviour as grounds for dismissal, prohibitions and serious offences.
Blood donations by MSMs in Rwanda is banned (indefinite deferral).
Current status
Banned (indefinite deferral)
MSMs are not eligible to donate blood, due to the Rwandan Blood Transfusion Service having concerns over HIV infection rates.
Conversion therapy in Rwanda is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
Conversion therapy is legal in Rwanda but not widely practiced.
Equal age of consent in Rwanda is equal.
Current status
Equal
Age of consent is set at 18 years of age, regardless of gender or orientation.
LGBT Rights by Province
View the LGBT laws in each individual province of Rwanda.
Equality Rank
#130
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Common queries:
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Alternative names: Rwanda/Urwanda (local name)
