Country Overview
Rwanda
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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Same-sex intimacy is not criminalized in Rwanda. However, many LGBTIQ people are forced to live in hiding due to widespread rejection, discrimination, and abuse. Rainbow Migration reported in 2022 that the country is “now a source country for people seeking asylum in the UK based on their sexual orientation,” fleeing situations of arbitrary arrests, detention, and other forms of ill-treatment. Although LGBTIQ organizations cannot register openly, activists are pushing for increased recognition and protection from abuse. In 2021, Rwandan activists held a public Pride event.
*Outright research indicates that the bodily autonomy of intersex people is not respected and protected in this 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.
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 Southwest Asia 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.
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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.
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Human Rights Research
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