Sierra Leone

The British colonial era Offenses Against the Person Act (1861) remains in force in Sierra Leone, punishing men found guilty of “buggery” with sentences ranging from 10 years to life imprisonment. The law is rarely enforced, but it contributes to discrimination against LGBTIQ people in the country. There have been several reports of arbitrary arrests of people for allegedly engaging in homosexual conduct, dressing in attire associated with a different gender, “promoting gay activities in the community,” or holding an “LGBT event.” In February 2026, two women appeared before the Waterloo Magistrate Court on charges that they had participated in a marriage ceremony. The Inter-Religious Council of Sierra Leone condemned the alleged marriage and called for the authorities to take action. 

In terms of legal protections, the Employment Act (2013) prohibits discrimination based on “sexuality.” However, there are no other explicit legal protections for LGBTIQ people from discrimination and violence. Trans people cannot change their legal gender markers in Sierra Leone. Intersex infants and children are not protected from nonconsensual medical interventions. LGBTIQ organizations exist in the country, and activists advocate for LGBTIQ human rights inclusion, but Outright’s research indicates that there are significant barriers for them to openly register as such.

According to a 2023 U.S. State Department report, activists reported that bias-motivated rape of lesbian, bisexual, and queer women is prevalent and that LGBTIQ people face widespread discrimination, family rejection, and eviction. The 2021-2023 Afrobarometer survey ranked Sierra Leone among the worst countries in terms of acceptance of sexual diversity, with 94 percent of respondents in the country claiming that they would dislike having “homosexuals” as neighbors. A 2022 survey showed that only seven percent of respondents in Sierra Leone believed that the country was a good place for lesbian and gay people to live.