2002 in LGBT Rights

In 2002, there were 20 recorded legal changes made affecting LGBT people. In the previous year, there were 68 changes made and 103 in the following year. A total of 636 legal changes were made in the 2000s.

  • November 7
    Same-sex adoption becomes legal.
    IVF treatment is available for lesbian couples too.
  • Same-sex adoption becomes legal.
    IVF treatment is available for lesbian couples too.
  • Same-sex adoption becomes legal.
    IVF treatment for Lesbian couples is possible.
  • Same-sex adoption becomes legal.
    As in the UK, IVF treatment is available for lesbian couples too.
  • Same-sex adoption becomes legal.
    IVF treatment is available for lesbian couples too.
  • September 10
    Same-sex adoption becomes legal.
    Legal under the case of Du Toit v Minister of Welfare and Population Development, later made official through the Consolidated Children's Act of 2010
  • September 4
    Same-sex adoption becomes illegal.
    Family Law adopted on July 25, 2002 recognized two categories of adoption: "incomplete adoption" and "full adoption". In the first case, adoptive parents could be both individuals and married partners (Articles 150-155). In the second case, adoptive parents are married partners only (Articles 156-160).
  • September 1
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    According to the laws of Mongolia
  • Homosexual activity becomes legal.
    From 2001,Same sex acts and realtionships are legal in Mongolia
  • August 31
    LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.
    Sexual orientation and gender identity. Most mods are abusing this too
  • July 27
    LGBT discrimination becomes illegal in some contexts.
    Before the adoption of the Anti-Discrimination law in 2009, several laws prohibited discrimination based on sexual orientation: - broadcasting law (2002), article 21; - law on public information (2003), aticle 38; - labour law (2005), article 18; - law on higher education (2005), article 8. Also, the 2006 Constitution prohibits discrimination in general but it does not mention sexual orientation or gender identity.
  • July 11
    Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    The revised Criminal Code equalised the age of consent to 17, after pressure from the EU.
  • June 24
    Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    The age of consent between people with maximum 5 years of difference is 14. Sexual contact between coetaneous is never punishable.
  • June 6
    Same-sex adoption becomes legal.
  • April 17
    Homosexual activity becomes legal.
  • March 1
    Same-sex adoption becomes illegal.
    Same-sex couples or even homosexuals are not allowed to adopt in Kenya. Chapter 141, Section 158 of Kenya's The Children Act states: "An adoption order shall not be made if the applicant or, in the case of joint applicants, both or any of them [...] is a homosexual."
  • February 28
    Same-sex marriage becomes unrecognized.
    There is no definition of marriage in Republika Srpska 1992 Constitution. Article 36: "Marriage and marriage & family relations are regulated by law" The Family Laws of 2002 and 2023 have the same definition of marriage in articles 4: "Marriage is a union of life between husband and wife regulated by law."
  • February 13
    Serving openly in military becomes legal.
    Serving as openly homosexual was never illegal in the military penal code. This provision was strengthened with the anti-discrimination provision proposed in 2010
  • January 15
    LGBT discrimination becomes illegal in some contexts.
    Law 14170 of January 15, 2002. Determines the imposition of penalties for companies who practice discriminatory act against a person because of their sexual orientation.
  • January 6
    Equal age of consent becomes equal.
    The age of consent of 14 years is equal for everyone.