Homosexuality
    ⚢
    ✖ Male illegal, female legal
    Gay Marriage
    ⚭
    ✖ Banned
    Censorship
    ✔ No censorship
    Changing Gender
    ✖ Illegal
    Gender-Affirming Care
    Unknown
    Non-Binary Gender Recognition
    ✖ Not legally recognized
    Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Employment Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Housing Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Adoption
    ✖ Single only
    Intersex Infant Surgery
    Unknown
    Military
    N/A
    Donating Blood
    ✔ Legal
    Conversion Therapy
    ✖ Not banned
    Age of Consent
    Female equal, male N/A
💬 Join Equaldex's LGBTQ+ Discord to discuss LGBT rights and chat!

Public Opinion

Suggest Public Opinion Data

Surveys in Eswatini have revealed a prevalence of resistance towards LGBTQ+ rights.

Eswatini Surveys

Treated disrespectfully at health facilities due to SOGIE

(Eswatini Minorities, 2019)
29.81%
Sometimes
8.65%
Often
20.19%
Rarely
41.35%
Never

Called names or insulted at health facilities due to SOGIE

(Eswatini Minorities, 2019)
10.58%
Sometimes
7.69%
Often
23.08%
Rarely
58.65%
Never

Denied healthcare at health facilities due to SOGIE

(Eswatini Minorities, 2019)
10.68%
Sometimes
2.91%
Often
16.5%
Rarely
69.9%
Never

Have you lived in or visited Eswatini?

Share your experience of being LGBTQ+ in Eswatini.

Take Survey

History

Homosexual activity in Eswatini

?

Homosexual activity in Eswatini is male illegal, female legal.

Current status
Since Feb 22, 1907
Male illegal, female legal
Sodomy in Eswatini is considered illegal under the 1907 Roman-Dutch common law, that Eswatini uses as their own. The common laws carry penalties ranging from death to lesser punishments as decided by the court. The term “sodomy” was defined by the courts as “unlawful and intentional sexual relations per anum between two human males.” However, punishment is not enforced, and The Minister of Justice has consistently stated that their policy is to refrain from prosecuting consenting adults.
Details
Sources:
aceproject.org/ero-en/regio…
Report error  ·  Log

Same-sex marriage in Eswatini

?

Same-sex marriage in Eswatini is banned.

Current status
Banned
Homosexuality is currently illegal.
Details
Sources:
lgbtnet.dk/countries/africa…
ilga.org/downloads/2017/ILG…
ilga.org/downloads/2017/ILG…
Report error  ·  Log

Censorship of LGBT issues in Eswatini

?

Censorship of LGBT issues in Eswatini is no censorship.

Current status
No censorship
In Swaziland, there are no laws restricting the discussion or promotion of LGBTQ+ topics.
Details
Report error  ·  Log

Right to change legal gender in Eswatini

?

Right to change legal gender in Eswatini is illegal.

Current status
Illegal
No laws in place. Missing non binary options on documents.
Details
Sources:
nationalgeographic.com/maga…
Report error  ·  Log

Gender-affirming care in Eswatini

?

Gender-affirming care in Eswatini is unknown.

Current status
Unknown

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Eswatini

?

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

Current status
Not legally recognized
There is no recognition in Eswatini.
Details
Sources:
nationalgeographic.com/maga…
Report error  ·  Log

LGBT discrimination in Eswatini

?

LGBT discrimination in Eswatini is no protections.

Current status
Since Jan 1, 1907
No protections
None exist.
Details
Sources:
hrw.org/sites/default/files…
Report error  ·  Log

LGBT employment discrimination in Eswatini

?

LGBT employment discrimination in Eswatini is no protections.

Current status
Since Jan 1, 1907
No protections
None exist in article 20 of the criminal code.
Details
Sources:
lgbtnet.dk/countries/africa…



thedailybeast.com/the-lgbt-…


hrw.org/video-photos/intera…
Report error  ·  Log

LGBT housing discrimination in Eswatini

?

LGBT housing discrimination in Eswatini is no protections.

Current status
Since Jan 1, 1907
No protections
Homosexuality is illegal.
Details
Report error  ·  Log

Same-sex adoption in Eswatini

?

Same-sex adoption in Eswatini is single only.

Current status
Since Sep 6, 1968
Single only
Details
Sources:
adoption.state.gov/country_…
aceproject.org/ero-en/regio…
Report error  ·  Log

Intersex infant surgery in Eswatini

?

Intersex infant surgery in Eswatini is unknown.

Current status
Unknown

Serving openly in military in Eswatini

?

Serving openly in military in Eswatini is n/a.

Current status
N/A
Unknown as of May 9th 2023, They heard a court case in that day but it seems that nothing come of it
Details
Sources:
washingtonblade.com/2023/05…
Report error  ·  Log

Blood donations by MSMs in Eswatini

?

Blood donations by MSMs in Eswatini is legal.

Current status
Legal
All of South Africa.
Details
Report error  ·  Log

Conversion therapy in Eswatini

?

Conversion therapy in Eswatini is not banned.

Current status
Not banned
Conversion therapy is not banned.
Details
Sources:
thedailybeast.com/the-lgbt-…
database.ilga.org/eswatini-lgbti
Report error  ·  Log

Equal age of consent in Eswatini

?

Equal age of consent in Eswatini is female equal, male n/a.

Current status
Since Feb 22, 1907
Female equal, male N/A
The age of consent in Eswatini is 18 for heterosexual sex. However, sodomy is illegal in Eswatini so the age of consent is irrelevant for males. Regarding lesbian sex, due to there being no laws criminalizing it, the age of consent is also 18.
Details
Sources:
ageofconsent.net/world/swaziland
genderlinks.org.za/wp-conte…
Report error  ·  Log

LGBT Rights by District

View the LGBT laws in each individual district of Eswatini.

    Equality Index ?
    27 / 100
    Legal Rights
    21 / 100
    Public Opinion
    32 / 100

    Equality Rank

    View All
    #206
    Interest Rank based on Equaldex traffic ?

    Top Contributors

    Eswatini LGBT Organizations

    Suggest an organization

    Share Region

    LGBT Eswatini Flag
    LGBT Eswatini Flag

    Compare Eswatini

    49
    Botswana Flag

    Compare with
    Botswana

    39
    Lesotho Flag

    Compare with
    Lesotho

    53
    Namibia Flag

    Compare with
    Namibia

    71
    South Africa Flag

    Compare with
    South Africa

    Alternative names: kaNgwane (local name)

    LGBT Rights in Southern Africa

    49
    Botswana Flag

    LGBT Rights in
    Botswana

    39
    Lesotho Flag

    LGBT Rights in
    Lesotho

    53
    Namibia Flag

    LGBT Rights in
    Namibia

    71
    South Africa Flag

    LGBT Rights in
    South Africa