LGBT Rights in Eastern Province

Eastern is governed by federal Zambia law. Learn more
    Homosexuality
    ✖ Illegal (imprisonment as punishment)
    Gay Marriage
    ✖ Banned
    Censorship
    ✖ Imprisonment as punishment
    Changing Gender
    Ambiguous
    Gender-Affirming Care
    ✖ Banned
    Non-Binary Gender Recognition
    ✖ Not legally recognized
    Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Employment Discrimination
    ✖ No protections
    Housing Discrimination
    Ambiguous
    Adoption
    ✖ Illegal
    Intersex Infant Surgery
    ✖ Not banned
    Military
    ✖ Don't Ask, Don't Tell
    Donating Blood
    N/A
    Conversion Therapy
    ✖ Not banned
    Age of Consent
    N/A
💬 Join Equaldex's LGBTQ+ Discord to discuss LGBT rights and chat!

Public Opinion

Eastern is missing public opinion data.

Help expand our understanding of the public's view on LGBTQ+ issues in Eastern by sharing a link to a survey from a reputable organization.

Suggest Public Opinion Data

Have you lived in or visited Eastern?

Share your experience of being LGBTQ+ in Eastern.

Take Survey

History

Homosexual activity in Eastern

?

Homosexual activity in Eastern is illegal (imprisonment as punishment).

Current status
Since Sep 10, 2018
Illegal (imprisonment as punishment)
Liable, upon conviction, to imprisonment for a term not less than fifteen years and may be liable to imprisonment for 14-15 years to life. Decriminalization pending.
Report error  ·  Log
Nov 1, 1931–Sep 10, 2018
Male illegal, female legal
7-14 years to life in prison under unnatural/indecent acts. Not enforced.

Same-sex marriage in Eastern

?

Same-sex marriage in Eastern is banned.

Current status
Since Feb 18, 2010
Banned
SSM Pending.
Report error  ·  Log

Censorship of LGBT issues in Eastern

?

Censorship of LGBT issues in Eastern is imprisonment as punishment.

Current status
Since Jan 1, 1930
Imprisonment as punishment
Section 178(g) of the Zambian Penal Code (1930) criminalizes any act of "solicitation for immoral purposes in a public place".

This provision was used as a legal basis to arrest and prosecute Paul Kasonkomona who, in 2013, appeared on a television show arguing that the rights of sexual minorities should be recognized so that the HIV epidemic could be dealt with effectively. He was arrested by the authorities after his statement and was acquitted two years later.

Furthermore, in 2019, the Minister of Religious Affairs ordered the cancellation of a television program for allegedly "promoting homosexuality".
Report error  ·  Log

Right to change legal gender in Eastern

?

Right to change legal gender in Eastern is ambiguous.

Current status
Ambiguous
Section 9(2) of the National Registration Act 19 of 1964 could possibly be used to change a person’s sex description.
Report error  ·  Log

Gender-affirming care in Eastern

?

Gender-affirming care in Eastern is banned.

Current status
Banned
In Zambia, gender-affirming care is prohibited.
Report error  ·  Log

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Eastern

?

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

Current status
Not legally recognized
As there is no protocol to change legal gender in Zambia, non-binary self-identification is defacto not recognized.
Report error  ·  Log

LGBT discrimination in Eastern

?

LGBT discrimination in Eastern is no protections.

Current status
Since Nov 1, 1931
No protections
As homosexuality is illegal, there are no protections for this population.
Report error  ·  Log

LGBT employment discrimination in Eastern

?

LGBT employment discrimination in Eastern is no protections.

Current status
No protections
There are no explicit legal protections in place.
Report error  ·  Log

LGBT housing discrimination in Eastern

?

LGBT housing discrimination in Eastern is ambiguous.

Current status
Since Nov 1, 1931
Ambiguous
Unknown.
Report error  ·  Log

Same-sex adoption in Eastern

?

Same-sex adoption in Eastern is illegal.

Current status
Illegal
Homosexuality is currently illegal.
Sources:
(See sources listed for homosexual activity.)
Report error  ·  Log

Intersex infant surgery in Eastern

?

Intersex infant surgery in Eastern is not banned.

Current status
Not banned
Not criminalized in Zambia.
Report error  ·  Log

Serving openly in military in Eastern

?

Serving openly in military in Eastern is don't ask, don't tell.

Current status
Don't Ask, Don't Tell
Homosexuality is illegal, but long as you don't mention that you are gay you are fine.
Sources:
(See sources listed for homosexual activity.)
Report error  ·  Log

Blood donations by MSMs in Eastern

?

Blood donations by MSMs in Eastern is n/a.

Current status
N/A
Unknown regulations
Report error  ·  Log

Conversion therapy in Eastern

?

Conversion therapy in Eastern is not banned.

Current status
Not banned
Conversion therapy is not banned.
Report error  ·  Log

Equal age of consent in Eastern

?

Equal age of consent in Eastern is n/a.

Current status
Since Sep 28, 2005
N/A
16 for heterosexual males/females. No established age of consent for homosexual males/females, but they can be charged with engaging in consensual activity starting at age 12.
Sources:
Zambian Penal Code (Amendment) Act of 2003. parliament.gov.zm/downloads…
Report error  ·  Log