Campaigning for global LGBT equality | Stonewall
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Our international work

Campaigning for global LGBT equality

Discover Stonewall's international work.

What's the situation for LGBT people worldwide?

Although there has undoubtedly been progress in the last century for LGBT people worldwide, there remains a divergence in rights globally. Some countries are becoming increasingly tolerant, others are becoming more repressive.

There has been significant progress since 1990 - over 40 countries have outlawed homophobic hate crimes and 30 out of 195 countries have passed laws allowing equal marriage. But the fight from equality is far from over.

What forms does discrimination take?

  • 70 countries criminalise same-sex relationships.
  • The death penalty for same-sex relationships is either ‘allowed’, or evidence of its existence occurs, in 11 of these countries.
  • In more than half the world, LGBT people may not be protected from discrimination by workplace law.
  • Most governments deny trans people the right to legally change their name and gender from those that were assigned to them at birth.
  • A quarter of the world’s population believes that being LGBT should be a crime.

Taken from ILGA World (2020).

Acceptance without exception worldwide

Since Stonewall started its international programme in 2012, we’ve achieved a great deal. We’ve established ourselves as a leading voice on international LGBT issues with the UK government, empowered LGBT human rights defenders to campaign for change in their countries, and built an exceptional network with campaigners in over 80 countries.

Download our report