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Ban on conversion therapies

What this indicator measures

Shows whether national law bans “conversion therapies”, practices that claim to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity.

How to read this?

“Banned” means that a national law prohibits these practices.

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194countries with data
2025data year(s)

In brief

Ban on conversion therapies: 194 countries and territories covered. Breakdown: Banned by national law : 22 ; Not banned : 169 ; Varies by region : 3.

Why this indicator matters

Practices that claim to change sexual orientation or gender identity are the subject of legal and medical debates. Comparing how they are regulated shows which countries have banned them by law.

What makes this indicator vary

Bans are recent in the history of law. They depend on the positions of health authorities, social debates and the division of powers between levels of government, hence some regional differences.

Reading precautions

The indicator looks only at national law. Local or professional rules, or partial restrictions, for example for minors only, may exist without being detailed here. Actual enforcement is not measured.

Ban on conversion therapies

Banned by national law (22)

Not banned (169)

Varies by region (3)

Frequently asked questions

Where does the "Ban on conversion therapies" data come from?

It comes from Velasco, LGBTI National Policy Dataset (via Our World in Data). Site last updated: November 8, 2026. Each country is shown with the year of its most recent value.

What are conversion therapies?

These are practices that claim to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity. Several health organisations dispute their effectiveness and safety.

What does “not banned” mean?

It means that no national law prohibits these practices. It does not say whether they are common or whether other local or professional rules regulate them.

Source and update

Source : Velasco, LGBTI National Policy Dataset (via Our World in Data). Site last updated: November 8, 2026.

Indicators in the same category : LGBTQ+ rights