Homosexuality violates the law of 70 countries

On the whole, acceptance for LGBTQ people around the world is growing, but it is also a long way to go, says the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (Ilga), in a report, State-sanctioned homophobia, which was published in March 2019.

- In nine countries' constitutions explicit protection against discrimination against sexual orientation. This shows how much change is really happening around the world, in all regions, says Lucas Ramón Mendos, author of the report, in a press release.

Sweden is one of these nine countries that are ranked in the top.

However, sex between two men is illegal in 70 of the 193 UN countries. In 44 of these, it is also literally illegal for women to have sexual relations with other women, this year's report shows.

- If you take a look at the map, you will also see how many states that deny our rights and how much more work still needs to be done, says Lucas Ramón Mendos.

Legislation that protects gay and bisexual persons from discrimination and violence has been expanded in recent years, says Ilga. Kenya is one of the countries that may be decriminalizing homosexuality this year.

At the same time, things are going slower than hoped for. In step with the progress in several places, a so-called backlash, a setback, also occurs. In Chad, for example, they went in the opposite direction and in 2017 introduced a law that criminalizes same-sex sex. The sentence can be up to 20 years in prison.

And in Iran, Yemen, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and Sudan, homosexuality can lead to death. That risk is also present in Afghanistan, the United Arab Emirates, Mauritania, Pakistan and Qatar - but it is not usually used.

Then there are countries that maintain the stigma around homosexuality in different ways. In Egypt, a hostess was sentenced to a year in prison for interviewing an anonymous, gay man. And in Indonesia, the state recently stopped an Instagram account that posted cartoons about a gay, Muslim man.