Country Overview
Sri Lanka
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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Sri Lanka criminalizes consensual same-sex sexual activity under Sections 365 and 365A of the Penal Code, which prohibit "carnal knowledge against the order of nature" and "gross indecency." These colonial-era provisions impose penalties of up to ten years of imprisonment and fines, applying to men and women. While prosecutions under these laws have been limited, reports indicate that LGBTIQ individuals frequently experience harassment, violence, and discrimination, including extortion, arbitrary arrests, and denial of essential services. No comprehensive anti-discrimination protections are in place. Authorities have been using forced anal and vaginal examinations to seek evidence of same-sex relations, practices widely condemned as a form of torture.
Recent legal developments signal a potential shift. In May 2023, Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court ruled that a proposed amendment decriminalizing consensual same-sex relations was constitutional, allowing it to proceed to parliamentary debate. This decision was a critical step toward repealing archaic provisions that violate international human rights standards. Additionally, in 2022, the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) determined that criminalizing same-sex intimacy between women constitutes a breach of fundamental rights.
In May 2024, a Gender Equality bill containing inclusive language on gender identity went through its first reading in Parliament, but it has not progressed. Advocacy efforts persist to ensure full legal and social recognition, emphasizing the need for legislative reform and broader societal acceptance.
LGBTIQ organizations can freely register and have been organizing Pride events throughout the country, including the 2022 Pride march in Colombo, which was the first-ever large-scale LGBTIQ event to be held without diplomatic or Global North philanthropic support in Sri Lanka.
*Outright research indicates that the bodily autonomy of intersex people is not respected and protected in this country.
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