LGBT+ Rights Index in Lesotho
Lesotho: LGBT+ Rights Index was 3.83 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
LGBT+ Rights Index in Lesotho, 1991–2025
Source: Velasco (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, lgbt+ rights index in Lesotho stood at 3.83. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
The figure is up 91.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, lgbt+ rights index in Lesotho peaked at 3.83 in 2024 and was at its lowest, -0.5, in 1991.
Lesotho ranks 71st of 194 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
LGBT+ Rights Index in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | -0.5 | — |
| 1992 | -0.5 | -0.0% |
| 1993 | -0.5 | -0.0% |
| 1994 | -0.5 | -0.0% |
| 1995 | -0.5 | -0.0% |
| 1996 | -0.5 | -0.0% |
| 1997 | -0.5 | -0.0% |
| 1998 | -0.5 | -0.0% |
| 1999 | -0.5 | -0.0% |
| 2000 | -0.5 | -0.0% |
| 2001 | -0.5 | -0.0% |
| 2002 | -0.5 | -0.0% |
| 2003 | -0.5 | -0.0% |
| 2004 | -0.5 | -0.0% |
| 2005 | -0.5 | -0.0% |
| 2006 | -0.5 | -0.0% |
| 2007 | -0.5 | -0.0% |
| 2008 | -0.5 | -0.0% |
| 2009 | -0.5 | -0.0% |
| 2010 | -0.5 | -0.0% |
| 2011 | -0.5 | -0.0% |
| 2012 | 2 | -500.0% |
| 2013 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 3.83 | +91.7% |
| 2025 | 3.83 | +0.0% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 3.83 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.0521, 73.6× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 3.83 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is -0.6687. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | -0.5 | -0.5 | -0.5 | 9 |
| 2000s | -0.5 | -0.5 | -0.5 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.5 | -0.5 | 2 | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.61 | 2 | 3.83 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
More social development data for Lesotho
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 478 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 27 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 27 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0002 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 Lesotho?
- Lgbt+ rights index in Lesotho was 3.83 in 2025, according to Velasco (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest lgbt+ rights index recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 3.83 in 2024.
- What is the lowest lgbt+ rights index recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.5 in 1991.
- How does Lesotho rank for lgbt+ rights index?
- Lesotho ranks 71st out of 194 countries with data for 2025.
- Is lgbt+ rights index rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 91.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho 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.