In 1994, there were 51 recorded legal changes made affecting LGBT people. In the previous year, there were 33 changes made and 21 in the following year. A total of 349 legal changes were made in the 1990s.
- December 1
- LGBT housing discrimination becomes no protections.
- LGBT employment discrimination becomes no protections.Do to homophobia in the country. Only protections for gender identity and expression.
- LGBT discrimination becomes no protections.No protection provision exist within neither the Penal code nor the Constitution
- September 29
- September 22LGBT housing discrimination becomes no protections.
- Same-sex marriage becomes banned.As homosexuality is illegal, same sex union is also illegal by default.
- Homosexual activity becomes male illegal, female legal.Article 120 states male homosexuality is punishable by 3 years in prison. Female homosexuality is not illegal, but lesbians still face heavy social persecution.
- July 22Equal age of consent becomes unequal.The age of sexual consent was 18 years old for anal intercourse between men and 14 years for other sexual practices.
- Equal age of consent becomes unequal.The age of sexual consent was 18 years old for anal intercourse between two men and 14 years for other sexual practices.
- Same-sex marriage becomes unrecognized.
- Homosexual activity becomes legal.On July 14, 1994, Parliament of Serbia repealed paragraph 3 of article 110 of Criminal Code and thus decriminalized male homosexuality on its entire territory, including the autonomous provinces of Vojvodina and Kosovo & Metohija. Since the self-proclaimed independence of 2008, homosexuality has been legal in the Republic of Kosovo.
- June 11
- May 17Same-sex marriage becomes banned.Article 58 of the 1972 constitution defined marriage as a different-sex union. Article 34 of the Family Code (1994) establishes that people of the same sex cannot marry each other. In 2018, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruled that the American convetion on Human rights mandates the recognition of same-sex marriage, recommending that countries issue decrees until legislation was brought into place. In March 2023, after seven years of delay the court ruled that there is no positive right to same-sex marriage in Panama under the constitution, halting any potential change for the time being through the courts.
- May 13
- April 27Equal age of consent becomes ambiguous.Section 14 of the Sexual Offences Act 23 of 1957, as inserted by the Immorality Amendment Act 2 of 1988, set the age of consent for gay and lesbian sex at 19, as opposed to 16 for straight sex. However, in the case of Geldenhuys v National Director of Public Prosecutions and Others the Constitutional Court found this discrimination to be unconstitutional, and set 16 as the uniform age of consent retroactively to 27 April 1994.
- March 31
- March 1Equal age of consent becomes equal.The age of consent in Belarus is 16 years, as stated in Articles 168 and 169, which read: "Sexual intercourse, sodomy, lesbian intercourse or other sexual acts committed by adults who have reached eighteen years of age, with a person who is obviously not reached sixteen years of age, with no signs of crimes envisaged by Articles 166 and 167 of this Code, shall be punished by restriction of liberty from two to four years, or imprisonment for a term of two to five years. "and" indecent assault, committed by a person under eighteen years of age, in relation to a person who obviously has not attained the age of sixteen, in the absence of evidence of the crimes stipulated in Articles 166, 167 and 168 of this Code, shall be punished by imprisonment for up to six months or imprisonment for a term of one to three years "
- Homosexual activity becomes legal.Only form of homosexuality that is illegal is non-consensual homosexual intercourse
- February 1LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation only.The Human Rights Act 1993 (Māori: Te Ture Tika Tangata 1993) outlaws discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation. Initially, this law temporarily exempted government activities until 1999. In 1998, an amendment bill was introduced making this exemption permanent; this was abandoned following a change of government in 1999. The new Labour Government instead passed another amendment to apply the Act to government activities, and also to create a new ability for the courts to "declare" legislation inconsistent with the Act. There is no explicit protection from discrimination based on gender identity/expression. In 2023, the Human Rights Amendment Bill (2023) was introduced in parliament to include “gender identity”.
- LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation only.The Human Rights Act 1993 (Māori: Te Ture Tika Tangata 1993) outlaws discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation. Initially, this law temporarily exempted government activities until 1999. In 1998, an amendment bill was introduced making this exemption permanent; this was abandoned following a change of government in 1999. The new Labour Government instead passed another amendment to apply the Act to government activities, and also to create a new ability for the courts to "declare" legislation inconsistent with the Act. There is no explicit protection from discrimination based on gender identity/expression. In 2023, the Human Rights Amendment Bill (2023) was introduced in parliament to include “gender identity”.
- Serving openly in military becomes legal.
- LGBT discrimination becomes illegal in some contexts.The Human Rights Act 1993 (Māori: Te Ture Tika Tangata 1993) outlaws discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation. Initially, this law temporarily exempted government activities until 1999. In 1998, an amendment bill was introduced making this exemption permanent; this was abandoned following a change of government in 1999. The new Labour Government instead passed another amendment to apply the Act to government activities, and also to create a new ability for the courts to "declare" legislation inconsistent with the Act. There is no explicit protection from discrimination based on gender identity/expression. In 2023, the Human Rights Amendment Bill (2023) was introduced in parliament to include “gender identity”.
- January 1Censorship of LGBT issues becomes imprisonment as punishment.under article 7 of law of public associations
- (date unknown)
- Same-sex marriage becomes civil unions (marriage rights).There are two alternatives to traditional marriage for same-sex couples in Israel: 1. Recognition of “Reputed Couples” (common-law partners), which enjoy similar legal rights and duties as legally married couples, per judicial findings in HCJ 1000/92 Bavli v. The Great Rabbinical Court (1994); 2. Registration before the Israeli Population Registration of marriages celebrated abroad, which renders the civil (legal) status of reputed and/or same-sex couples equal to that of legally married couples -per the Israeli High Court ruling in Yossi Ben-Ari and others v. Director of Population Administration, Ministry of Interior (2006). Same-sex marriage is not legal in Israel. However, same-sex marriages celebrated abroad can be registered before the Israeli Population Registry per the Israeli High Court ruling in Yossi Ben-Ari and others v. Director of Population Administration, Ministry of Interior (2006), which renders the civil (legal) status of reputed and/or same-sex couples equal to that of legally married couples. In June 2021, after several Israeli couples received civil marriage licences onine from the US state of Utah without having to physically travel abroad, the Population Registry announced that it would stop recognising unions issued online from Utah. However, several couples (including same-sex couples) married online filed a lawsuit. A court in Lod ruled in their favour, thus validating their marriages. So Civil unions and Foreign same-sex marriage are recognized in Israel.
- Same-sex marriage becomes unrecognized.In the areas administrated by the Palestinian Authority and the Gaza Strip, same-sex marriage is unrecognized.
- Same-sex marriage becomes unregistered cohabitation.Israel does not legally recognize same-sex marriage. In Israel, marriage is mostly regulated by religious institutions. However, in 1994 Israel expanded the Legal status of Unregistered Cohabitation to same sex couples, today it works virtually the same way as marriage with a few exceptions. Israel was the first country in Asia to grant such recognition and this legal status is still available to same sex couples.
- January 1LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.
- LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.Since they passed a Hate crime laws.
- LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.
- LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.
- LGBT housing discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.
- LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.
- LGBT employment discrimination becomes sexual orientation and gender identity.
- LGBT discrimination becomes illegal.one of the few places in the Caribbean with discrimination protections.
- (date unknown)
- Equal age of consent becomes unequal.A bill was signed to reduce the age of consent for men who have sex with men from 21 to 18.
- Same-sex adoption becomes illegal.Same-sex couples are not permitted joint or second parent adoption.
- January 1
LGBT Organizations Founded in 1994
CenterLink
CenterLink exists to support the development of strong, sustainable LGBT community centers and to build a unified center movement.rnrnCenterLink was founded in 1994 as a…Naz Foundation (India) Trust
The Naz Foundation (India) Trust is an organization based in New Delhi, India working on HIV/AIDS and Sexual Health. The organization focuses on reaching out to populations…GayLawNet
GlobalThe #1 directory of LGBTQ attorneys worldwide. This is the oldest network on the internet for LGBTQ attorneys and legal insights.The Rainbow Project
The Rainbow Project is a non-profit organization based in Northern Ireland that promotes the health and wellbeing of the LGBT people and their families in Northern Ireland. The…KaosGL
Kaos GL, with having its headquarters on the capital, Ankara is one of the oldest, if not the oldest LGBTQ+ communities in the country. They have been publishing news and…Humsafar
The Humsafar Trust, India's first Community-Based Organization for LGBTQ+ people, was founded in 1994 and had been working on LGBTQ+ health and rights for more than 25 years. The…