
Country Overview
Angola
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: Abstained from Voting IE SOGI
2019: Abstained from Voting IE SOGI
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Angola has made progress on LGBTIQ issues; however, LGBTIQ people still face barriers to full equality. In 2019, the Angolan government adopted a new Penal Code effectively decriminalizing same-sex relations and recognized real or perceived sexual orientation as aggravating circumstances in the commission of hate crimes. Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is also explicitly outlawed. Despite these protections, LGBTIQ identities are stigmatized and LGBTIQ people continue to face discrimination in employment, education, housing, and healthcare. As there is no process for legal gender recognition or legal protections on the basis of gender identity, transgender and gender non-conforming people are particularly vulnerable.
While acceptance and tolerance of LGBTIQ people have increased, there is a predominantly Catholic and protestant minority who views LGBTIQ identities as a sinful choice. LGBTIQ representation in the media tends to be accurate and largely unbiased. Although one LGBTIQ organization, Associação Íris Angola, is now legally registered and is publicly known as an LGBTIQ rights organization, activists state that it is not generally legally permissible for organizations to explicitly register as such in the country.
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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