Country Overview
El Salvador
At a glance
Same-sex Relations for Men Legal Throughout the Country?
Same-sex Relations for Women Legal Throughout the Country?
Legal Gender Recognition Possible?
LGBTI Orgs Able to Register?
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El Salvador has instituted more legal protections for LGBTIQ people in recent years, but LGBTIQ people continue to face hardships. Same-sex sexual activity is legal, but there is no legal recognition of same-sex couples, and trans people cannot change their legal gender markers. Public acceptance of LGBTIQ people remains low. LGBTIQ people face high rates of discrimination and violence from both the police and the public. Many LGBTIQ people also face family rejection and barriers to receiving healthcare services. LGBTIQ activists have reportedly received death threats for their activities. Reports suggest that roughly 600 LGBTIQ people have been killed in El Salvador since 1993, and few perpetrators have been convicted.
Global Impact
Sub-Saharan Africa
Outright supports LGBTIQ organizations in Sub-Saharan Africa and works with mainstream human rights organizations to respect human rights and influence positive changes in laws, policies, attitudes and beliefs that cause discrimination against LGBTIQ people.
United Nations
Our work at the United Nations centers around advocating for the advancement of the rights of LGBTIQ people.
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In the Middle East and North Africa, we partner with local groups in various countries as part of our international solidarity work. We also work with our local partners on different topics through capacity building, advocacy, research and holistic security.
Europe and Central Asia
Outright International partners with activists to fight for an end to human rights violations based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression in Europe and Central Asia, where most of our work involves emergency responses to harassment, discrimination, violence, and most recently, Russia’s brutal and expanded invasion of Ukraine.
Americas
Our work in the Americas continues to build on the fundamental and positive transformation of human rights protections in recent years. We partner with groups in the Caribbean that focus on ending gender-based violence and eradicating discrimination against trans people.
Pacific
Our work in the Pacific aims to increase the visibility of activists, respond to human rights emergencies, and actively bridge local, regional, and international activism to achieve equality and justice.
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Human Rights Research
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