Country Overview
Jamaica
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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Jamaica’s 1864 Offences Against the Person Act criminalizes consensual sexual conduct between men. This is achieved via the offense of “gross indecency,” which applies to any form of sexual conduct between men, and the “abominable crime of buggery,” which applies to anyone engaging in anal sex but which in practice is targeted at gay and bisexual men and transgender women. In February 2021, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights issued a decision finding that Jamaica’s laws that criminalize consensual same-sex conduct violate the American Convention on Human Rights and must be repealed; however, Jamaica has not complied with the decision. LGBTIQ people have been subjected to violent attacks, discrimination, and harassment. Notwithstanding this, LGBTIQ visibility and activism have grown significantly over the years and there is growing public support for the protection of the human rights of LGBTIQ persons.
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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Our work in Asia promotes acceptance of sexual and gender diversity at all levels of society.
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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.
Global
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Human Rights Research
Since 1990, we have partnered with activists from all over the world to produce hundreds of groundbreaking reports.
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