LGBT+ Rights Index in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: LGBT+ Rights Index was -2.6 in 2025. ▼ Falling
LGBT+ Rights Index in Ethiopia, 1991–2025
Source: Velasco (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for lgbt+ rights index in Ethiopia is -2.6, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, lgbt+ rights index in Ethiopia peaked at -1.49 in 1991 and was at its lowest, -2.6, in 2017.
That places Ethiopia 179th out of 194 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
LGBT+ Rights Index in Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | -1.49 | — |
| 1992 | -1.49 | -0.0% |
| 1993 | -1.49 | -0.0% |
| 1994 | -1.49 | -0.0% |
| 1995 | -1.74 | +16.8% |
| 1996 | -1.74 | -0.0% |
| 1997 | -1.74 | -0.0% |
| 1998 | -1.74 | -0.0% |
| 1999 | -1.74 | -0.0% |
| 2000 | -1.74 | -0.0% |
| 2001 | -1.74 | -0.0% |
| 2002 | -1.74 | -0.0% |
| 2003 | -1.74 | -0.0% |
| 2004 | -1.74 | -0.0% |
| 2005 | -2.48 | +42.4% |
| 2006 | -2.48 | -0.0% |
| 2007 | -2.48 | -0.0% |
| 2008 | -2.48 | -0.0% |
| 2009 | -2.48 | -0.0% |
| 2010 | -2.48 | -0.0% |
| 2011 | -2.48 | -0.0% |
| 2012 | -2.48 | -0.0% |
| 2013 | -2.48 | -0.0% |
| 2014 | -2.48 | -0.0% |
| 2015 | -2.54 | +2.5% |
| 2016 | -2.54 | -0.0% |
| 2017 | -2.6 | +2.5% |
| 2018 | -2.6 | -0.0% |
| 2019 | -2.6 | -0.0% |
| 2020 | -2.6 | -0.0% |
| 2021 | -2.6 | -0.0% |
| 2022 | -2.6 | -0.0% |
| 2023 | -2.6 | -0.0% |
| 2024 | -2.6 | -0.0% |
| 2025 | -2.6 | -0.0% |
Ethiopia compared with similar countries
- Ethiopia's -2.6 is below the median for low income countries, which is -1.52, 1.7× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Ethiopia's -2.6 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is -0.6687, 3.9× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | -1.63 | -1.74 | -1.49 | 9 |
| 2000s | -2.11 | -2.48 | -1.74 | 10 |
| 2010s | -2.52 | -2.6 | -2.48 | 10 |
| 2020s | -2.6 | -2.6 | -2.6 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
More social development data for Ethiopia
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1.01 million (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 164,215 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 6 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 6 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0012 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 164,215 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0075 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is lgbt+ rights index in Ethiopia?
- Lgbt+ rights index in Ethiopia was -2.6 in 2025, according to Velasco (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest lgbt+ rights index recorded in Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was -1.49 in 1991.
- What is the lowest lgbt+ rights index recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.6 in 2017.
- How does Ethiopia rank for lgbt+ rights index?
- Ethiopia ranks 179th out of 194 countries with data for 2025.
- Is lgbt+ rights index rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ethiopia data come from?
- The figures come from Velasco (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of LGBT+ Rights Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Summary measure of a country's LGBTI-related laws, calculated by subtracting the sum of its regressive policy scores from the sum of its progressive policy scores.