Gao is governed by federal Mali law. Learn more
- Homosexuality
- ⚢✔ Legal
- Gay Marriage
- ⚭✖ Banned
- Censorship
- ✖ Imprisonment as punishment
- Changing Gender
- ✖ Illegal
- Gender-Affirming Care
- ✖ Legal, but restricted for minors
- Non-Binary Gender Recognition
- ✖ Not legally recognized
- Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Employment Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Housing Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Adoption
- ✖ Illegal
- Intersex Infant Surgery
- ✖ Not banned
- Military
- ✖ Don't Ask, Don't Tell
- Donating Blood
- ✔ Legal
- Conversion Therapy
- ✖ Not banned
- Age of Consent
- ✔ Equal
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Public Opinion
Gao is lacking public opinion data.
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Homosexual activity in Gao is legal.
Current status
Legal under federal Mali law
In Mali's current Penal Code, there is no mention of homosexuality or homosexual sex. However, the country's population has shown strong opposition to the LGBTQ. As of November 2024, the National Assembly has unanimously voted (132 for, 1 against) for the criminalization of homosexuality, although it is currently not in force.
Censorship of LGBT issues in Gao is imprisonment as punishment.
Current status
Since Aug 5, 2004
Imprisonment as punishment
Article 4 of the Law on Associations (2004) forbids the registration of associations with objectives deemed "contrary to law and morality." In November 2021, authorities detained multiple women following a complaint from a mother alleging her daughter's involvement in an "online network" of lesbians.
Researchers have found that searches for LGBT related subjects on the Malian internet are curated to provide anti-LGBT results. The country has an authoritarian government and appears to control the flow of information online.
Researchers have found that searches for LGBT related subjects on the Malian internet are curated to provide anti-LGBT results. The country has an authoritarian government and appears to control the flow of information online.
Right to change legal gender in Gao is illegal.
Current status
Illegal
There is no legal framework for transgender people who would like to change their gender.
Gender-affirming care in Gao is legal, but restricted for minors.
Current status
Since Jan 1, 2019
Legal, but restricted for minors
In 2019, Mali passed a law allowing medical gender transitions for adults. However, there is no specific reference to minors in this legislation. Therefore, it is unclear whether gender medical transitions are legal or not for minors in Mali.
Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Gao is not legally recognized.
Current status
Not legally recognized
Similar to there being no legal framework for transgender people who would like to change their gender, there is also no framework for non-binary or intersex individuals who would like to legally identify as such.
LGBT discrimination in Gao is no protections.
Current status
No protections
In Mali, there are no laws prohibiting discrimination against LGBTQ people. People are often subject to discrimination and beatings. In 2018, a transgender woman was viciously beaten with an iron bar and a whip, and her attackers yelled things like “Damnation!” and “Look at this son of the damned!”
LGBT employment discrimination in Gao is no protections.
Current status
No protections
There are no laws in Mali that prohibit discrimination in the workforce towards the LGBTQ. As such, discrimination towards LGBTQ people during work hours happens quite frequently.
LGBT housing discrimination in Gao is no protections.
Current status
No protections
There are no laws in Mali that prohibit discrimination in housing towards the LGBTQ. Because of this, LGBTQ people often face discrimination when trying to buy or rent property and housing.
Same-sex adoption in Gao is illegal.
Current status
Since Dec 2, 2011
Illegal
Included in Article 522 of Mali’s people and family code is a ban on adoption by gay people. This part of the article when translated to English reads: “ Under no circumstances is a homosexual allowed to adopt a child under any regime whatsoever.”
Intersex infant surgery in Gao is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
There is no ban on surgeries performed on intersex infants in Mali.
Serving openly in military in Gao is don't ask, don't tell.
Current status
Don't Ask, Don't Tell
Although there are no specific laws on LGBTQ people serving in the military, due to the countries population being strongly against it, and people commonly being attacked simply for being apart of the LGBTQ, Mali's military policy regarding LGBTQ individuals might be similar to a "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy the United States previously had.
Blood donations by MSMs in Gao is legal.
Current status
Legal
There is currently no ban on gay blood donors in Mali.
Conversion therapy in Gao is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
In Mali, there is no ban on conversion therapy, and they are very common in the heavily Muslim nation. According to research done by GPAHE, when users searched for conversion therapy on Google in West African Countries, the results were controlled by authorities. As such, the results often showed religious texts saying that homosexuality is wrong and anti-lgbt websites.
Equal age of consent in Gao is equal.
Current status
Equal
The age of consent in Mali is set at 15 years old for heterosexual sex and homosexual sex.
Legal Rights
33 / 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 Gao to help improve its accuracy.
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Gao LGBT Organizations
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