
Country Overview
Singapore
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?
Actions Related to SOGI at the UN:
2016: Opposed IE SOGI
2019:
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Singapore has made progress on LGBTIQ issues over the last decade; however, there are still barriers to full LGBTIQ equality. During a speech at the annual National Day Rally, Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced that Section 377A of Singapore’s penal code would be repealed. The law enacted in 1938 criminalizes sex between consenting men. Following the Prime Minister’s promise, in November 2022, Singapore’s Parliament passed the repeal alongside Article 156. This amendment to the Constitution gave Parliament the power to define, regulate, protect, and promote the institution of marriage. The goal of this provision is to protect the definition of marriage—that is between a man and a woman—from legal challenges on laws and government policies. However, the changes do not enshrine the definition of marriage in the Constitution. This means that the Parliament, through ordinary legislation, can create a system of civil unions, including same-sex civil unions with a simple majority.
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 on the continent.
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 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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