Matabeleland South is governed by federal Zimbabwe law. Learn more
- Homosexuality
- ⚢✖ Male illegal, female legal
- Gay Marriage
- ⚭✖ Banned
- Censorship
- ✖ Imprisonment as punishment
- 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
- Unknown
- Adoption
- ✖ Single only
- Intersex Infant Surgery
- ✖ Not banned
- Military
- ✖ Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned
- Donating Blood
- ✔ Legal
- Conversion Therapy
- ✖ Not banned
- Age of Consent
- Female equal, male N/A
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Public Opinion
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Homosexual activity in Matabeleland South is male illegal, female legal.
Same-sex marriage in Matabeleland South is banned.
Current status
Since Mar 19, 2013
Banned
Article 78 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe explicitly prohibits same-sex marriage.
Censorship of LGBT issues in Matabeleland South is imprisonment as punishment.
Current status
Since Dec 1, 1967
Imprisonment as punishment
According to Article 13 of the Censorship and Entertainment Control Law (Law No. 37) (1967), "undesirable" publications - defined as those considered "indecent", "obscene", "offensive" or "harmful to public morals" - are subject to punishment with a fine or imprisonment of up to two years.
More than that, there is the possibility of serious violations of freedom of association in the country due to the approval of a Bill to Amend the Private Voluntary Organizations Act (2023) which has caused concern from various international organizations and UN experts due to the possibility of serious violations of freedom of association in the country with the signing of the Bill by the president.
More than that, there is the possibility of serious violations of freedom of association in the country due to the approval of a Bill to Amend the Private Voluntary Organizations Act (2023) which has caused concern from various international organizations and UN experts due to the possibility of serious violations of freedom of association in the country with the signing of the Bill by the president.
Right to change legal gender in Matabeleland South is illegal.
Current status
Illegal
Gender marker change is not allowed. Section 18(2) of the the Births and Deaths Registration Act 11 of 1986 allows a person to change their forename. Section 18(3) provides for the change of a surname, but the Registrar-General must be satisfied that it is for a “lawful purpose”.
As a result of this, trans Zimbabweans face the risk of arrest for fraud if their gender expression does not match their identity cards.
As a result of this, trans Zimbabweans face the risk of arrest for fraud if their gender expression does not match their identity cards.
Gender-affirming care in Matabeleland South is restricted.
Current status
Restricted
Gender-affirming healthcare is not provided in the Zimbabwean public healthcare system. Most requests are rejected and the few that are accepted are often very expensive.
Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Matabeleland South is not legally recognized.
Current status
Not legally recognized
As there are no protocols around legal gender changes, non-binary self-identification is defacto not recognized in Zimbabwe.
LGBT employment discrimination in Matabeleland South is no protections.
Current status
No protections
The Labour Act does not offer protection against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.
LGBT housing discrimination in Matabeleland South is unknown.
Current status
Unknown
Same-sex adoption in Matabeleland South is single only.
Current status
Single only
Zimbabwe only permits adoption for married couples and single women. Single men can only adopt a prior family member. Same-sex couples are forbidden from adopting.
Intersex infant surgery in Matabeleland South is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
Surgery on intersex infants is legal and widespread in Zimbabwe. Even adult intersex individuals receive surgery under coercion.
Serving openly in military in Matabeleland South is lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned.
Current status
Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned
Not a single country in Africa allows trans military service. Serving in the military as gay is illegal because gay relations are illegal, ergo only lesbians can serve.
Blood donations by MSMs in Matabeleland South is legal.
Current status
Legal
No explicit restrictions for LGBT people according to the National Blood Policy of Zimbabwe and the Standards for Blood Donation, Processing & Clinical Transfusion in Zimbabwe. However, sexual activity between men is illegal.
Conversion therapy in Matabeleland South is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
Conversion therapy is not banned in Zimbabwe and is widespread.
Equal age of consent in Matabeleland South is female equal, male n/a.
Current status
Since Jun 10, 1891
Female equal, male N/A
Age of consent for heterosexual couples and female homosexual couples is 16. Male homosexual couples age of consent is N/A because it is illegal.
Legal Rights
18 / 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 Matabeleland South to help improve its accuracy.
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