According to the most recent data from the ILGA World Database, 65 UN member states still criminalize consensual same-sex sexual acts.
Furthermore, in 2025 the total number increased for the first time in almost a decade, a particularly alarming sign in an international context marked by the rise of reactionary rhetoric and anti-LGBTQ policies.
The organization also warns that the death penalty remains a legally prescribed punishment for consensual same-sex sexual acts in 7 UN member states, while in another 5 countries there is no full legal certainty.
The global comparison leads to a clear conclusion: rights do not advance linearly. In some territories, laws promoting equality, legal recognition of gender identity, or marriage equality are being passed, while in others, criminalization, censorship, or institutional persecution are being reinforced.
ILGA World's new maps allow you to see the situation in each country and compare it with the rest of the world, offering a key tool for understanding how laws affect the daily lives of LGBTQ people.
Check ILGA World's maps here.
