Where Is It Illegal To Be Gay?

Around the world, laws on same-sex relations vary widely, with some countries expanding protections for LGBTQ+ communities while others introduce new bans. In Ghana, parliament has passed a bill criminalising same-sex relations and the promotion of LGBTQ+ rights. If enacted, Ghana would join around 65 UN member states that criminalise same-sex relations, according to data from ILGA World, the International Lesbian Gay Bisexual Trans and Intersex Association. In Africa, homosexuality is criminalised in more than 30 countries, including Tanzania, Nigeria, Cameroon and Kenya. In Asia, same-sex relations are also criminalised in several countries, including Malaysia, Myanmar and Sri Lanka, among others. According to ILGA World, the death penalty is the legal punishment for consensual same-sex sexual acts in seven UN member states, including Brunei, Iran, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia and Yemen, as well as in certain states of Nigeria.