Badulla is governed by federal Sri Lanka law. Learn more
- Homosexuality
- ⚢✖ Illegal (imprisonment as punishment)
- Gay Marriage
- ⚭✖ Unrecognized
- Censorship
- ✔ No censorship
- Changing Gender
- ✖ Legal, but requires medical diagnosis
- Gender-Affirming Care
- Unknown
- Non-Binary Gender Recognition
- ✖ Not legally recognized
- Discrimination
- ✖ Illegal in some contexts
- Employment Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Housing Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Adoption
- ✖ Illegal
- Intersex Infant Surgery
- Unknown
- Military
- Unknown
- Donating Blood
- ✖ Banned (indefinite deferral)
- Conversion Therapy
- ✖ Not banned
- Age of Consent
- N/A
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Public Opinion
Badulla is lacking public opinion data.
Help expand our understanding of the public's view on LGBTQ+ issues in Badulla by sharing a link to a survey from a reputable organization.
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Homosexual activity in Badulla is illegal (imprisonment as punishment).
Current status
Since Jan 1, 1885
Illegal (imprisonment as punishment)
Homosexuality is criminalized in Sri Lanka under Section 365 of the 1883 Penal Code inherited from British colonial rule. "Voluntary carnal intercourse against the order of nature" by both men and women is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Human Rights Watch and Equal Ground have found evidence of these laws continuing to be enforced by police as of 2020.
Sri Lanka is an independent nation, as such, India's 2018 Supreme Court decision to decriminalize same-sex relationships and make a similar law unenforceable does not apply.
Human Rights Watch and Equal Ground have found evidence of these laws continuing to be enforced by police as of 2020.
Sri Lanka is an independent nation, as such, India's 2018 Supreme Court decision to decriminalize same-sex relationships and make a similar law unenforceable does not apply.
Same-sex marriage in Badulla is unrecognized.
Current status
Unrecognized
Same-sex marriage is not recognized or banned in Sri Lanka.
Censorship of LGBT issues in Badulla is no censorship.
Current status
No censorship
In Sri Lanka, there are no laws restricting the discussion or promotion of LGBTQ+ topics.
Right to change legal gender in Badulla is legal, but requires medical diagnosis.
Current status
Since Jun 16, 2016
Legal, but requires medical diagnosis
Surgery is not required to legally change your gender in Sri Lanka. However, expert testimony/diagnoses is required.
Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Badulla is not legally recognized.
Current status
Not legally recognized
Sri Lanka does not legally recognize a third gender.
LGBT discrimination in Badulla is illegal in some contexts.
Current status
Since 2022
Illegal in some contexts
There is limited protection based on sexual orientation. The Personal Data Protection Act, No. 9 of 2022, states:
"'special categories of personal data' means, the personal data revealing racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, the processing of genetic data, biometric data for the purpose of uniquely identifying a natural person, data concerning health or data concerning a natural person’s sex life or sexual orientation, personal data relating to offences, criminal proceedings and convictions, or personal data relating to a child."
"'special categories of personal data' means, the personal data revealing racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, the processing of genetic data, biometric data for the purpose of uniquely identifying a natural person, data concerning health or data concerning a natural person’s sex life or sexual orientation, personal data relating to offences, criminal proceedings and convictions, or personal data relating to a child."
LGBT employment discrimination in Badulla is no protections.
Current status
No protections
No protections available.
LGBT housing discrimination in Badulla is no protections.
Current status
No protections
No protections available.
Same-sex adoption in Badulla is illegal.
Current status
Illegal
In Sri Lanka, single people are not able to adopt children, and same-sex couples are not found eligible to adopt.
Intersex infant surgery in Badulla is unknown.
Current status
Unknown
Serving openly in military in Badulla is unknown.
Current status
Unknown
Blood donations by MSMs in Badulla is banned (indefinite deferral).
Current status
Banned (indefinite deferral)
On Sri Lanka’s National Blood Transfusion Website, under the donor donation criteria, it says that donaters must be free from “risk behaviors.” On the site, the risk behaviors are listed and homosexuals are included.
Conversion therapy in Badulla is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
Conversion therapy is not banned.
Equal age of consent in Badulla is n/a.
Current status
N/A
Same-sex sexual activity is illegal, so no legal age of consent exists for it.
Legal Rights
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This region's Equality Index is based on legal rights alone. Please submit survey results that show the public opinion of LGBTQ+ issues in Badulla to help improve its accuracy.
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Badulla LGBT Organizations
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Common queries:
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