LGBT+ Rights Index by country
The LGBT+ Policy Index measures a country’s LGBT+ policy landscape by capturing the implementation of 18 different LGBT+ policies. Policies included in the index are limited to those adopted across at least three countries or are explicitly advocated for by transnational activists.
Countries reporting
188
Highest
11
Netherlands
Lowest
-3.73
Nigeria
Median
2.07
Years covered
29
1991–2019
Data points
5,568
What the numbers show
LGBT+ Rights Index is currently reported for 188 countries. The highest value is 11 in Netherlands; the lowest is -3.73 in Nigeria.
The median across all reporting countries is 2.07, and the mean is 2.39.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 3.
Over the past decade 74 countries rose and 29 fell. The largest increase was in Chile (up 5,399.3%), and the largest decrease in South Sudan (down 699.1%).
LGBT+ Rights Index: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Netherlands | 11 | 2019 | up 0.2% | rising |
| 2 | Sweden | 11 | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 4 | United Kingdom | 10.98 | 2019 | up 10.0% | volatile |
| 5 | South Africa | 10.94 | 2019 | up 10.1% | volatile |
| 6 | Norway | 10.88 | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 6 | Uruguay | 10.88 | 2019 | up 38.1% | volatile |
| 8 | Finland | 10.84 | 2019 | up 58.5% | volatile |
| 9 | New Zealand | 10.8 | 2019 | up 38.5% | rising |
| 10 | Spain | 10.34 | 2019 | up 14.8% | rising |
| 11 | Belgium | 10 | 2019 | up 0.6% | rising |
| 12 | Portugal | 9.98 | 2019 | up 41.1% | volatile |
| 13 | Denmark | 9.92 | 2019 | up 40.3% | rising |
| 14 | Colombia | 9.88 | 2019 | up 50.1% | rising |
| 15 | France | 9.83 | 2019 | up 25.5% | rising |
| 16 | Germany | 9.68 | 2019 | up 43.6% | rising |
| 17 | Australia | 9.57 | 2019 | up 75.9% | volatile |
| 18 | Canada | 9.18 | 2019 | up 19.1% | rising |
| 19 | Austria | 8.92 | 2019 | up 81.3% | volatile |
| 20 | Ecuador | 8.88 | 2019 | up 27.7% | volatile |
| 21 | Brazil | 8.65 | 2019 | up 64.7% | volatile |
| 23 | Bolivia | 8 | 2019 | up 286.1% | volatile |
| 25 | Argentina | 7.76 | 2019 | up 130.3% | volatile |
| 26 | United States | 7.08 | 2019 | up 215.5% | volatile |
| 27 | Croatia | 6.96 | 2019 | up 3.7% | volatile |
| 28 | Peru | 6.92 | 2019 | up 69.9% | volatile |
| 29 | Israel | 6.83 | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 30 | Slovenia | 6.82 | 2019 | up 3.6% | rising |
| 31 | Estonia | 6.8 | 2019 | down 1.7% | rising |
| 31 | Greece | 6.8 | 2019 | up 131.3% | volatile |
| 33 | Czechia | 6.46 | 2019 | up 15.5% | rising |
| 34 | Mexico | 6.13 | 2019 | up 74.3% | rising |
| 35 | Albania | 6.07 | 2019 | up 97.7% | volatile |
| 35 | Andorra | 6.07 | 2019 | up 49.1% | rising |
| 35 | Thailand | 6.07 | 2019 | up 19.7% | volatile |
| 38 | Switzerland | 5.95 | 2019 | up 20.2% | rising |
| 39 | Iceland | 5.92 | 2019 | up 92.7% | volatile |
| 40 | Hungary | 5.84 | 2019 | up 20.7% | volatile |
| 41 | Serbia | 5.69 | 2019 | up 237.1% | volatile |
| 42 | Taiwan | 5.43 | 2019 | up 33.3% | rising |
| 43 | Italy | 5.38 | 2019 | up 8.1% | rising |
| 44 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 5.29 | 2019 | up 59.2% | volatile |
| 45 | Romania | 4.96 | 2019 | unchanged | volatile |
| 46 | Bulgaria | 4.94 | 2019 | unchanged | volatile |
| 46 | Nepal | 4.94 | 2019 | up 60.8% | volatile |
| 48 | Montenegro | 4.92 | 2019 | up 156.3% | rising |
| 49 | Lithuania | 4.15 | 2019 | down 18.2% | volatile |
| 50 | Fiji | 4.07 | 2019 | up 32.6% | volatile |
| 50 | Mongolia | 4.07 | 2019 | up 96.5% | rising |
| 52 | Georgia | 3.96 | 2019 | up 91.1% | volatile |
| 52 | Poland | 3.96 | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 54 | Chile | 3.95 | 2019 | up 5,399.3% | volatile |
| 54 | Cyprus | 3.95 | 2019 | up 90.8% | volatile |
| 56 | Japan | 3.94 | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 56 | Slovakia | 3.94 | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 58 | Angola | 3.55 | 2019 | up 1,158.7% | volatile |
| 59 | Cape Verde | 3.07 | 2019 | unchanged | volatile |
| 59 | Costa Rica | 3.07 | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 59 | Honduras | 3.07 | 2019 | up 4,173.8% | volatile |
| 59 | Monaco | 3.07 | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 59 | Nicaragua | 3.07 | 2019 | down 24.6% | volatile |
| 59 | Philippines | 3.07 | 2019 | up 186.6% | volatile |
| 59 | El Salvador | 3.07 | 2019 | up 48.3% | rising |
| 59 | Seychelles | 3.07 | 2019 | up 274.8% | volatile |
| 59 | East Timor | 3.07 | 2019 | unchanged | volatile |
| 69 | Russia | 3.02 | 2019 | down 23.4% | volatile |
| 70 | Moldova | 2.98 | 2019 | up 50.5% | volatile |
| 71 | Mozambique | 2.96 | 2019 | up 90.7% | volatile |
| 72 | Cuba | 2.94 | 2019 | up 51.6% | rising |
| 72 | South Korea | 2.94 | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 74 | Latvia | 2.92 | 2019 | up 40.9% | rising |
| 75 | Azerbaijan | 2.07 | 2019 | unchanged | volatile |
| 75 | Central African Republic | 2.07 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 75 | Djibouti | 2.07 | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 75 | Micronesia (country) | 2.07 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 75 | Guinea-Bissau | 2.07 | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 75 | Equatorial Guinea | 2.07 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 75 | Guatemala | 2.07 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 75 | Haiti | 2.07 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 75 | India | 2.07 | 2019 | up 263.9% | volatile |
| 75 | Jordan | 2.07 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 75 | Kazakhstan | 2.07 | 2019 | unchanged | volatile |
| 75 | Laos | 2.07 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 75 | Lesotho | 2.07 | 2019 | up 826.2% | volatile |
| 75 | Marshall Islands | 2.07 | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 75 | North Macedonia | 2.07 | 2019 | unchanged | volatile |
| 75 | Mali | 2.07 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 75 | Nauru | 2.07 | 2019 | up 1,248.0% | volatile |
| 75 | North Korea | 2.07 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 75 | Sao Tome and Principe | 2.07 | 2019 | up 152.8% | rising |
| 75 | Suriname | 2.07 | 2019 | up 2,782.5% | volatile |
| 75 | Tajikistan | 2.07 | 2019 | unchanged | volatile |
| 75 | Ukraine | 2.07 | 2019 | up 93.3% | flat |
| 75 | Venezuela | 2.07 | 2019 | up 93.3% | rising |
| 75 | Vietnam | 2.07 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 75 | Vanuatu | 2.07 | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 100 | Armenia | 1.96 | 2019 | down 33.8% | volatile |
| 100 | Kyrgyzstan | 1.96 | 2019 | down 33.3% | volatile |
| 102 | China | 1.94 | 2019 | unchanged | volatile |
| 102 | Panama | 1.94 | 2019 | unchanged | volatile |
| 104 | Samoa | 1.71 | 2019 | up 2,285.6% | volatile |
| 105 | Botswana | 1.46 | 2019 | up 218.8% | volatile |
| 106 | Burkina Faso | 1.07 | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 106 | Bahamas | 1.07 | 2019 | unchanged | volatile |
| 106 | Belize | 1.07 | 2019 | up 693.9% | volatile |
| 106 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 1.07 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 106 | Dominican Republic | 1.07 | 2019 | down 48.3% | falling |
| 106 | Cambodia | 1.07 | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 106 | Saint Lucia | 1.07 | 2019 | unchanged | volatile |
| 106 | Palau | 1.07 | 2019 | up 693.9% | volatile |
| 106 | San Marino | 1.07 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 106 | Turkey | 1.07 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 116 | Mauritius | 0.7147 | 2019 | unchanged | volatile |
| 116 | Tuvalu | 0.7147 | 2019 | up 350.5% | volatile |
| 118 | Kiribati | 0.6099 | 2019 | up 256.3% | volatile |
| 119 | Eswatini | 0.6024 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 120 | Namibia | 0.5822 | 2019 | unchanged | volatile |
| 121 | Malawi | 0.4594 | 2019 | up 242.0% | volatile |
| 122 | Egypt | 0.0912 | 2019 | down 91.5% | falling |
| 123 | Benin | 0.0719 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 123 | Bahrain | 0.0719 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 123 | Cote d'Ivoire | 0.0719 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 123 | Congo | 0.0719 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 123 | Gabon | 0.0719 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 123 | Iraq | 0.0719 | 2019 | unchanged | volatile |
| 123 | Madagascar | 0.0719 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 123 | Chad | 0.0719 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 131 | Belarus | -0.0102 | 2019 | down 114.2% | volatile |
| 132 | Singapore | -0.2055 | 2019 | down 126.7% | volatile |
| 133 | Ghana | -0.2307 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 134 | Togo | -0.2712 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 135 | Grenada | -0.2853 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 136 | Brunei | -0.3258 | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 136 | Tonga | -0.3258 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 138 | Bhutan | -0.3355 | 2019 | unchanged | volatile |
| 138 | Liberia | -0.3355 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 138 | Somalia | -0.3355 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 138 | Turkmenistan | -0.3355 | 2019 | up 10.2% | volatile |
| 142 | Antigua and Barbuda | -0.3901 | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 142 | Dominica | -0.3901 | 2019 | unchanged | volatile |
| 142 | Eritrea | -0.3901 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 142 | Ethiopia | -0.3901 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 142 | Sri Lanka | -0.3901 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 142 | Papua New Guinea | -0.3901 | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 142 | Solomon Islands | -0.3901 | 2019 | unchanged | volatile |
| 149 | Guyana | -0.3944 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 149 | Sierra Leone | -0.3944 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 151 | Kenya | -0.3976 | 2019 | down 166.0% | volatile |
| 152 | Guinea | -0.4142 | 2019 | down 10.2% | falling |
| 153 | Comoros | -0.4306 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 153 | Myanmar | -0.4306 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 153 | Senegal | -0.4306 | 2019 | up 8.2% | falling |
| 153 | South Sudan | -0.4306 | 2019 | down 699.1% | volatile |
| 157 | Barbados | -0.4992 | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 157 | Gambia | -0.4992 | 2019 | down 28.0% | falling |
| 159 | Pakistan | -0.5379 | 2019 | down 223.1% | volatile |
| 160 | Bangladesh | -0.5397 | 2019 | up 65.8% | rising |
| 161 | Zambia | -0.6317 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 162 | Niger | -0.9281 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 162 | Rwanda | -0.9281 | 2019 | unchanged | volatile |
| 164 | Uzbekistan | -1.23 | 2019 | up 3.0% | falling |
| 165 | Kuwait | -1.26 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 166 | Indonesia | -1.29 | 2019 | down 306.6% | rising |
| 167 | Jamaica | -1.29 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 168 | Tunisia | -1.3 | 2019 | down 3.0% | volatile |
| 169 | Oman | -1.31 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 169 | Syria | -1.31 | 2019 | up 2.8% | flat |
| 171 | Morocco | -1.35 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 172 | Burundi | -1.38 | 2019 | unchanged | volatile |
| 173 | Libya | -1.4 | 2019 | down 2.8% | flat |
| 174 | Cameroon | -1.41 | 2019 | down 227.7% | volatile |
| 175 | Maldives | -1.43 | 2019 | down 400.7% | volatile |
| 176 | Trinidad and Tobago | -1.5 | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 176 | Tanzania | -1.5 | 2019 | up 2.5% | falling |
| 178 | Mauritania | -1.63 | 2019 | down 2.4% | flat |
| 179 | Paraguay | -1.9 | 2019 | down 105.0% | falling |
| 180 | Afghanistan | -2.21 | 2019 | up 6.7% | falling |
| 181 | Qatar | -2.34 | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 182 | Lebanon | -2.35 | 2019 | down 1.7% | flat |
| 183 | Algeria | -2.36 | 2019 | down 71.3% | falling |
| 184 | Zimbabwe | -2.36 | 2019 | down 78.3% | falling |
| 185 | Sudan | -2.43 | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 186 | Malaysia | -2.46 | 2019 | down 65.6% | falling |
| 187 | Uganda | -2.5 | 2019 | down 2.9% | falling |
| 188 | Iran | -2.5 | 2019 | down 52.1% | volatile |
| 189 | United Arab Emirates | -2.53 | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 190 | Yemen | -2.57 | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 191 | Saudi Arabia | -3.48 | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 192 | Nigeria | -3.73 | 2019 | down 115.8% | falling |
About this data
The LGBT+ Policy Index measures a country’s LGBT+ policy landscape by capturing the implementation of 18 different LGBT+ policies. Policies included in the index are limited to those adopted across at least three countries or are explicitly advocated for by transnational activists.