Gender-affirming care

DATE

Gender-affirming care

Gender-affirming care refers to the suite of medical, psychological, and surgical interventions aimed at helping transgender and non-binary individuals align their physical bodies with their gender identity. This form of care is essential for many transgender people and can significantly improve their quality of life and mental health.

Components of gender-affirming care include hormone replacement therapy (HRT), which adjusts the body's hormonal balance to reflect the patient's gender identity. Surgical options might include chest/breast construction or removal, genital reconstruction, and facial feminization or masculinization surgeries, among others. Beyond medical interventions, gender-affirming care also encompasses psychological support to help individuals navigate their transitions and cope with societal challenges they may face.

Despite its importance, access to gender-affirming care varies greatly across the globe. In some regions, it is readily available and covered by public health insurance, while in others, it can be prohibitively expensive or difficult to access due to legal restrictions or lack of medical providers trained in transgender health care. The legal environment in some countries may also impact the availability of these treatments, with some governments imposing restrictions or outright bans on certain aspects of transgender health care.

Summary

50
Legal
50 regions (25%)
Legal
62
Somewhere in between
62 regions (31%)
Somewhere in between
28
Banned
28 regions (14%)
Banned
58
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
58 regions (29%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
Europe
40%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
20 regions (40%)
Somewhere in between
10 regions (20%)
Banned
4 regions (8%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
16 regions (32%)
Oceania
7%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
1 regions (7%)
Somewhere in between
2 regions (14%)
Banned
regions (0%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
11 regions (79%)
South America
67%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
8 regions (67%)
Somewhere in between
3 regions (25%)
Banned
regions (0%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
1 regions (8%)
North America
17%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
4 regions (17%)
Somewhere in between
1 regions (4%)
Banned
1 regions (4%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
17 regions (74%)
Africa
13%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
7 regions (13%)
Somewhere in between
24 regions (44%)
Banned
14 regions (26%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
9 regions (17%)
Asia
23%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
10 regions (23%)
Somewhere in between
22 regions (50%)
Banned
9 regions (21%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
3 regions (7%)

Timeline of gender-affirming care

Number of countries to over the past 61 years.

Recent Changes

2025

2024

2023

Gender-affirming care by Country

Legal

Gender-affirming care is legal in 50 regions.

  1. Asia (10)
  2. Cambodia 2015
  3. India 2019
  4. Israel 1986
  5. Lebanon
  6. Pakistan 2018
  7. Philippines 1992
  8. Taiwan 2014
  9. Thailand 1975
  10. Uzbekistan
  11. Vietnam 2008
  12. Europe (20)
  13. Andorra 2011
  14. Austria 1980
  15. Belgium 1979
  16. Bulgaria
  17. Croatia 1979
  18. Czech Republic 1971
  19. Denmark 2023
  20. Estonia 2022
  21. France 1975
  22. Germany 1945
  23. Greece
  24. Iceland 2019
  25. Malta
  26. Netherlands 1979
  27. Norway 1996
  28. Poland 1996
  29. Portugal 1995
  30. Slovakia 2023
  31. Slovenia
  32. Switzerland
  33. North America (4)
  34. Costa Rica 2017
  35. Cuba 2008
  36. Dominican Republic 1980
  37. Mexico
  38. Africa (7)
  39. Botswana 2017
  40. Eswatini 2016
  41. Guinea-Bissau
  42. Mauritius
  43. Namibia 2015
  44. Republic of the Congo
  45. South Africa
  46. Oceania (1)
  47. New Zealand
  48. South America (8)
  49. Bolivia
  50. Brazil 2020
  51. Chile 2023
  52. Colombia
  53. Ecuador
  54. Paraguay
  55. Peru
  56. Uruguay 2018

Legal, but restricted for minors

Gender-affirming care is legal, but restricted for minors in 9 regions.

  1. Asia (2)
  2. Japan 1997
  3. Singapore 1973
  4. Europe (7)
  5. Finland 2020
  6. Hungary 2020
  7. Ireland
  8. Italy 2023
  9. Serbia 2005
  10. Sweden 2022
  11. Turkey

Legal, but banned for minors

Gender-affirming care is legal, but banned for minors in 5 regions.

  1. Asia (2)
  2. Kazakhstan 2020
  3. Kyrgyzstan 2005
  4. Europe (2)
  5. Ukraine 2016
  6. United Kingdom 2024
  7. South America (1)
  8. Argentina 2025

Restricted

Gender-affirming care is restricted in 48 regions.

  1. Asia (18)
  2. Bangladesh 1969
  3. Bhutan
  4. China
  5. Indonesia 1973
  6. Iran 1987
  7. Jordan 2018
  8. Laos 2009
  9. Malaysia 1983
  10. Myanmar 1963
  11. Nepal 1988
  12. Palestine
  13. Qatar
  14. South Korea
  15. Sri Lanka
  16. Syria 2011
  17. Tajikistan
  18. Timor-Leste
  19. Turkmenistan
  20. Europe (1)
  21. Bosnia and Herzegovina 2023
  22. North America (1)
  23. Antigua and Barbuda
  24. Africa (24)
  25. Angola 2015
  26. Benin
  27. Burkina Faso
  28. Burundi
  29. Côte d’Ivoire
  30. Democratic Republic of the Congo
  31. Equatorial Guinea
  32. Ethiopia
  33. Ghana 1996
  34. Guinea
  35. Kenya 1986
  36. Lesotho 1994
  37. Liberia
  38. Libya
  39. Malawi
  40. Mali
  41. Niger 1988
  42. Nigeria
  43. Rwanda 1986
  44. South Sudan 1990
  45. Sudan 1990
  46. Tanzania 1994
  47. Tunisia
  48. Zimbabwe
  49. Oceania (2)
  50. Fiji 1999
  51. Vanuatu
  52. South America (2)
  53. Suriname
  54. Venezuela

Banned

Gender-affirming care is banned in 28 regions.

  1. Asia (9)
  2. Afghanistan
  3. Bahrain
  4. Brunei
  5. Iraq 2024
  6. Kuwait 2007
  7. Oman
  8. Saudi Arabia 2014
  9. United Arab Emirates
  10. Yemen
  11. Europe (4)
  12. Albania
  13. Armenia 2006
  14. Georgia 2024
  15. Russia 2023
  16. North America (1)
  17. Haiti
  18. Africa (14)
  19. Algeria
  20. Cameroon
  21. Central African Republic
  22. Chad
  23. Djibouti
  24. Egypt 2003
  25. Eritrea
  26. Madagascar
  27. Mauritania
  28. Morocco
  29. Mozambique
  30. Somalia
  31. Uganda 2023
  32. Zambia

Varied, unclear, or unknown laws

Data on gender-affirming care is unclear, not applicable, or missing in 58 regions.

  1. Asia (3)
  2. Maldives
  3. Mongolia
  4. North Korea
  5. Europe (16)
  6. Azerbaijan Ambiguous
  7. Belarus
  8. Cyprus Varies by Region
  9. Kosovo
  10. Latvia
  11. Liechtenstein Ambiguous
  12. Lithuania
  13. Luxembourg
  14. Moldova
  15. Monaco
  16. Montenegro
  17. North Macedonia
  18. Romania
  19. San Marino
  20. Spain Varies by Region
  21. Vatican City N/A
  22. North America (17)
  23. Bahamas
  24. Barbados
  25. Belize
  26. Canada Varies by Region
  27. Dominica
  28. El Salvador
  29. Grenada
  30. Guatemala
  31. Honduras
  32. Jamaica
  33. Nicaragua
  34. Panama
  35. Saint Kitts and Nevis
  36. Saint Lucia
  37. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  38. Trinidad and Tobago
  39. United States Varies by Region
  40. Africa (9)
  41. Cape Verde
  42. Comoros
  43. Gabon Ambiguous
  44. Gambia
  45. Sao Tome and Principe
  46. Senegal
  47. Seychelles
  48. Sierra Leone
  49. Togo Ambiguous
  50. Oceania (11)
  51. Australia Varies by Region
  52. Federated States of Micronesia
  53. Kiribati
  54. Marshall Islands
  55. Nauru
  56. Palau
  57. Papua New Guinea
  58. Samoa
  59. Solomon Islands
  60. Tonga
  61. Tuvalu
  62. South America (1)
  63. Guyana
  64. Antarctica (1)
  65. Antarctica

Spot an error? Visit the region and select "Accurate?: No" so Equaldex's editors can review it.