LGBT+ Rights Index in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: LGBT+ Rights Index was -0.1 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
LGBT+ Rights Index in Sri Lanka, 1991–2025
Source: Velasco (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for lgbt+ rights index in Sri Lanka is -0.1, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
The figure is up 87.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, lgbt+ rights index in Sri Lanka peaked at -0.1 in 2016 and was at its lowest, -0.7875, in 1995.
That places Sri Lanka 126th out of 194 countries with data for 2025, putting it 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 Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | -0.6625 | — |
| 1992 | -0.6625 | -0.0% |
| 1993 | -0.6625 | -0.0% |
| 1994 | -0.6625 | -0.0% |
| 1995 | -0.7875 | +18.9% |
| 1996 | -0.7875 | -0.0% |
| 1997 | -0.7875 | -0.0% |
| 1998 | -0.7875 | -0.0% |
| 1999 | -0.7875 | -0.0% |
| 2000 | -0.7875 | -0.0% |
| 2001 | -0.7875 | -0.0% |
| 2002 | -0.7875 | -0.0% |
| 2003 | -0.7875 | -0.0% |
| 2004 | -0.7875 | -0.0% |
| 2005 | -0.7875 | -0.0% |
| 2006 | -0.7875 | -0.0% |
| 2007 | -0.7875 | -0.0% |
| 2008 | -0.7875 | -0.0% |
| 2009 | -0.7875 | -0.0% |
| 2010 | -0.7875 | -0.0% |
| 2011 | -0.7875 | -0.0% |
| 2012 | -0.7875 | -0.0% |
| 2013 | -0.7875 | -0.0% |
| 2014 | -0.7875 | -0.0% |
| 2015 | -0.7875 | -0.0% |
| 2016 | -0.1 | -87.3% |
| 2017 | -0.1 | -0.0% |
| 2018 | -0.1 | -0.0% |
| 2019 | -0.1 | -0.0% |
| 2020 | -0.1 | -0.0% |
| 2021 | -0.1 | -0.0% |
| 2022 | -0.1 | -0.0% |
| 2023 | -0.1 | -0.0% |
| 2024 | -0.1 | -0.0% |
| 2025 | -0.1 | -0.0% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's -0.1 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 2. (58 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's -0.1 is below the median for South Asia, which is 0.45. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | -0.7319 | -0.7875 | -0.6625 | 9 |
| 2000s | -0.7875 | -0.7875 | -0.7875 | 10 |
| 2010s | -0.5125 | -0.7875 | -0.1 | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.1 | -0.1 | -0.1 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
- 123 Cote d'Ivoire 0.25 compare
- 124 Chad 0.1792 compare
- 125 Democratic Republic of Congo 0.0333 compare
- 127 Kyrgyzstan -0.1458 compare
- 128 Congo -0.3625 compare
- 128 North Korea -0.3625 compare
More social development data for Sri Lanka
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 213 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 148,369 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 3 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 3 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0068 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 148,369 (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 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is lgbt+ rights index in Sri Lanka?
- Lgbt+ rights index in Sri Lanka was -0.1 in 2025, according to Velasco (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest lgbt+ rights index recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was -0.1 in 2016.
- What is the lowest lgbt+ rights index recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.7875 in 1995.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for lgbt+ rights index?
- Sri Lanka ranks 126th out of 194 countries with data for 2025.
- Is lgbt+ rights index rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 87.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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.