Kurdistan Region is governed by federal Iraq law. Learn more
- Homosexuality
- ⚢✖ Illegal (imprisonment as punishment)
- Gay Marriage
- ⚭✖ Unrecognized
- Censorship
- ✖ Imprisonment as punishment
- Changing Gender
- ✖ Illegal
- Gender-Affirming Care
- ✖ Banned
- Non-Binary Gender Recognition
- Unknown
- Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Employment Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Housing Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Adoption
- ✖ Illegal
- Intersex Infant Surgery
- ✖ Not banned
- Military
- ✖ Illegal
- Donating Blood
- Unknown
- Conversion Therapy
- ✖ Not banned
- Age of Consent
- N/A
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Public Opinion
Kurdistan Region is lacking public opinion data.
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Homosexual activity in Kurdistan Region is illegal (imprisonment as punishment).
Current status
Since Apr 27, 2024
Illegal (imprisonment as punishment)
On April 27th, 2024, Iraq's parliament passed a law that criminalizes same-sex relationships with a maximum 15-year prison sentence.
Ambiguous
Iraq's Criminal Code does not explicitly mention homosexuality in its penal code, however certain articles such as article 401 can be used against LGBT community. The article criminalises “immodest acts” in public, and punishable by a period of detention of up to six months and/or a fine.
Same-sex marriage in Kurdistan Region is unrecognized.
Current status
Since Jan 1, 2003
Unrecognized
Same-sex relationships are not recognized in Iraq.
Censorship of LGBT issues in Kurdistan Region is imprisonment as punishment.
Current status
Imprisonment as punishment
Not known in Iraqi Kurdistan but LGBT people could be censored in Iraq under extensive public morality law namely , paragraph 215 , 220, 376, 401,402,403,404 and 408 of the Iraqi Penal code.
In August 2023, Iraq banned all media from using term "homosexuality", saying they must use "sexual deviance." The term "gender" was also banned.
In August 2023, Iraq banned all media from using term "homosexuality", saying they must use "sexual deviance." The term "gender" was also banned.
Right to change legal gender in Kurdistan Region is illegal.
Current status
Since Apr 27, 2024
Illegal
Article 3 of the new bill Iraq’s Parliament passed April 27th, prohibits altering a person's biological sex based on psychological desires, and Article 6 imposes penalties of imprisonment for those attempting or performing such changes.
Gender-affirming care in Kurdistan Region is banned.
Current status
Since Apr 27, 2024
Banned
On April 27th, 2024, the Iraqi Parliament passed the amendment to the Law Against Prostitution and Sexual Deviance. Article 2 of the bill criminalizes "acts of effeminacy," defined as imitating women through actions such as wearing women’s cosmetics or clothes in public, taking hormones to display feminine traits, or any other behavior deemed effeminate by medical and social standards. Offenders could face imprisonment ranging from one to three years or fines between five and ten million dinars. Additionally, Article 3 prohibits altering a person's biological sex based on psychological desires, with Article 6 imposing penalties of imprisonment for those attempting or performing such changes, except in cases of necessary surgical interventions for congenital anomalies.
Legal
In 2008, Iraq adopted the ICD-10 classification, which contains codes for diagnosing transsexualism in adulthood and childhood, which authorize the initiation of medical transition.
Until 2008
Banned
Medical transition is not possible
Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Kurdistan Region is unknown.
Current status
Unknown
LGBT discrimination in Kurdistan Region is no protections.
Current status
No protections
According to the United States' Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2012, "[Iraq] law prohibits discrimination based on race, disability, or social status, but it does not address the problem of sexual orientation or gender identity. Societal discrimination in employment, occupation, and housing based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and unconventional appearance was common."
LGBT employment discrimination in Kurdistan Region is no protections.
Current status
No protections
There are no employment discrimination protection for LGBT people in Iraq.
According to the United States' Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2012, "[Iraq] law prohibits discrimination based on race, disability, or social status, but it does not address the problem of sexual orientation or gender identity. Societal discrimination in employment, occupation, and housing based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and unconventional appearance was common."
According to the United States' Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2012, "[Iraq] law prohibits discrimination based on race, disability, or social status, but it does not address the problem of sexual orientation or gender identity. Societal discrimination in employment, occupation, and housing based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and unconventional appearance was common."
LGBT housing discrimination in Kurdistan Region is no protections.
Current status
No protections
There are no housing discrimination protection for LGBT people in Iraq.
According to the United States' Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2012, "[Iraq] law prohibits discrimination based on race, disability, or social status, but it does not address the problem of sexual orientation or gender identity. Societal discrimination in employment, occupation, and housing based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and unconventional appearance was common."
According to the United States' Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2012, "[Iraq] law prohibits discrimination based on race, disability, or social status, but it does not address the problem of sexual orientation or gender identity. Societal discrimination in employment, occupation, and housing based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and unconventional appearance was common."
Same-sex adoption in Kurdistan Region is illegal.
Current status
Illegal
Adoption by any person goes against Iraqi law. Guardianship is possible by extended family and close friends of the same religion as the child.
Intersex infant surgery in Kurdistan Region is not banned.
Blood donations by MSMs in Kurdistan Region is unknown.
Current status
Unknown
Conversion therapy in Kurdistan Region is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
No protections
Equal age of consent in Kurdistan Region is n/a.
Current status
Since Apr 27, 2024
N/A
On April 27th, 2024, Iraq's parliament passed a law that criminalizes same-sex relationships. So, the age of consent for homosexual sex is N/A.
Until Apr 27, 2024
Ambiguous
While the age of consent for non-married couples in Iraq is 18, the laws regarding homosexuality are ambiguous so the age of consent status is also ambiguous.
Legal Rights
4 / 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 Kurdistan Region to help improve its accuracy.
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Kurdistan Region LGBT Organizations
There are no organizations listed in Kurdistan Region. Suggest one
