LGBT employment discrimination

LGBTQ+ people are protected from employment discrimination in 61 countries.

DATE

LGBT employment discrimination

Prohibition of discrimination based on sexual orientation and/or gender identity in employment, including hiring, promotion, termination, harassment, etc.

Summary

61
Protected
61 regions (31%)
Protected
29
Some protections
29 regions (15%)
Some protections
102
No protections
102 regions (52%)
No protections
6
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
6 regions (3%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
Europe
68%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Protected
34 regions (68%)
Some protections
8 regions (16%)
No protections
8 regions (16%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
regions (0%)
Oceania
36%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Protected
5 regions (36%)
Some protections
3 regions (21%)
No protections
6 regions (43%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
regions (0%)
South America
67%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Protected
8 regions (67%)
Some protections
1 regions (8%)
No protections
2 regions (17%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
1 regions (8%)
North America
30%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Protected
7 regions (30%)
Some protections
5 regions (22%)
No protections
10 regions (44%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
1 regions (4%)
Africa
6%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Protected
3 regions (6%)
Some protections
8 regions (15%)
No protections
43 regions (80%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
regions (0%)
Asia
9%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Protected
4 regions (9%)
Some protections
4 regions (9%)
No protections
33 regions (75%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
3 regions (7%)

Timeline of lgbt employment discrimination

Number of countries to ban lgbtq+ employment discrimination over the past 46 years.

Recent Changes

2026

2025

2024

2023

LGBT employment discrimination by Country

Sexual orientation and gender identity

LGBT employment discrimination is sexual orientation and gender identity in 61 regions.

  1. Asia (4)
  2. China 2026
  3. Israel 2015
  4. Mongolia 2022
  5. Taiwan 2007
  6. Europe (34)
  7. Albania 2010
  8. Andorra 2019
  9. Austria 2024
  10. Belgium 2014
  11. Bosnia and Herzegovina 2016
  12. Bulgaria 2015
  13. Croatia 2009
  14. Czechia 2009
  15. Denmark 1996
  16. Estonia 2009
  17. Finland 2004
  18. France 2012
  19. Georgia 2014
  20. Germany 2006
  21. Greece 2016
  22. Iceland 2018
  23. Italy 2023
  24. Kosovo 2015
  25. Luxembourg 2006
  26. Malta 2004
  27. Moldova 2023
  28. Montenegro 2010
  29. Netherlands 2019
  30. North Macedonia 2020
  31. Norway 1981
  32. Poland 2022
  33. Portugal 2015
  34. Serbia 2009
  35. Slovakia 2018
  36. Slovenia 2016
  37. Spain 2022
  38. Sweden 1999
  39. Ukraine 2015
  40. United Kingdom 2010
  41. North America (7)
  42. Antigua and Barbuda 2022
  43. Belize 2024
  44. Canada 2017
  45. Cuba 2019
  46. El Salvador 2010
  47. Honduras 2013
  48. United States 2025
  49. Africa (3)
  50. Lesotho 2024
  51. Liberia 2015
  52. South Africa 1995
  53. Oceania (5)
  54. Australia 2013
  55. Fiji 2015
  56. Marshall Islands 2019
  57. New Zealand 1994
  58. Samoa 2013
  59. South America (8)
  60. Bolivia 2010
  61. Brazil 2019
  62. Chile 2012
  63. Colombia 2018
  64. Ecuador 2008
  65. Peru 2017
  66. Suriname 2022
  67. Uruguay 2004

Sexual orientation only

LGBT employment discrimination is sexual orientation only in 25 regions.

  1. Asia (1)
  2. Timor-Leste 2017
  3. Europe (7)
  4. Cyprus 2004
  5. Hungary 2025
  6. Ireland 1999
  7. Latvia 2006
  8. Lithuania 2000
  9. Romania 2000
  10. San Marino 2019
  11. North America (5)
  12. Barbados 2020
  13. Costa Rica 2016
  14. Haiti 2014
  15. Nicaragua 2008
  16. Saint Lucia 2006
  17. Africa (8)
  18. Angola 2021
  19. Botswana 2010
  20. Cape Verde 2008
  21. Equatorial Guinea 2022
  22. Mauritius 2012
  23. Sao Tome and Principe 2019
  24. Seychelles 2006
  25. Sierra Leone 2023
  26. Oceania (3)
  27. Federated States of Micronesia 2018
  28. Kiribati 2015
  29. Tuvalu 2017
  30. South America (1)
  31. Venezuela 2012

Gender identity only

LGBT employment discrimination is gender identity only in 4 regions.

  1. Asia (3)
  2. India 2020
  3. Pakistan 2018
  4. Thailand 2015
  5. Europe (1)
  6. Switzerland 2019

No protections

LGBT employment discrimination is no protections in 102 regions.

  1. Asia (33)
  2. Afghanistan
  3. Bahrain
  4. Bangladesh
  5. Bhutan
  6. Brunei
  7. Cambodia
  8. Indonesia
  9. Iran
  10. Iraq
  11. Jordan
  12. Kazakhstan
  13. Kuwait
  14. Kyrgyzstan
  15. Laos
  16. Lebanon
  17. Malaysia
  18. Maldives
  19. Myanmar
  20. Nepal
  21. North Korea
  22. Oman
  23. Palestine
  24. Qatar
  25. Saudi Arabia
  26. Singapore
  27. Sri Lanka
  28. Syria
  29. Tajikistan
  30. Turkmenistan
  31. United Arab Emirates
  32. Uzbekistan
  33. Vietnam
  34. Yemen
  35. Europe (8)
  36. Armenia
  37. Azerbaijan 2006
  38. Belarus
  39. Liechtenstein
  40. Monaco
  41. Russia
  42. Turkey 2018
  43. Vatican City
  44. North America (10)
  45. Bahamas
  46. Dominica
  47. Dominican Republic 2021
  48. Grenada
  49. Guatemala
  50. Jamaica
  51. Panama
  52. Saint Kitts and Nevis
  53. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  54. Trinidad and Tobago
  55. Africa (43)
  56. Algeria
  57. Benin
  58. Burkina Faso
  59. Burundi
  60. Cameroon
  61. Central African Republic
  62. Chad
  63. Comoros
  64. Côte d’Ivoire
  65. Democratic Republic of the Congo
  66. Djibouti
  67. Egypt
  68. Eritrea
  69. Eswatini
  70. Ethiopia
  71. Gabon
  72. Gambia
  73. Ghana
  74. Guinea
  75. Guinea-Bissau
  76. Kenya
  77. Libya
  78. Madagascar
  79. Malawi
  80. Mali
  81. Mauritania
  82. Morocco
  83. Mozambique 2024
  84. Namibia 2007
  85. Niger
  86. Nigeria
  87. Republic of the Congo
  88. Rwanda
  89. Senegal
  90. Somalia
  91. South Sudan
  92. Sudan
  93. Tanzania
  94. Togo
  95. Tunisia
  96. Uganda
  97. Zambia
  98. Zimbabwe
  99. Oceania (6)
  100. Nauru
  101. Palau
  102. Papua New Guinea
  103. Solomon Islands
  104. Tonga
  105. Vanuatu
  106. South America (2)
  107. Guyana
  108. Paraguay

Varied, unclear, or unknown laws

Data on lgbt employment discrimination is unclear, not applicable, or missing in 6 regions.

  1. Asia (3)
  2. Japan Varies by Region
  3. Philippines Varies by Region
  4. South Korea Varies by Region
  5. North America (1)
  6. Mexico Varies by Region
  7. South America (1)
  8. Argentina Varies by Region
  9. Antarctica (1)
  10. Antarctica N/A

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