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LGBT rights index (composite policy index)

What this indicator measures

A numerical summary of a country's LGBT laws: measures that extend rights (marriage, protection against discrimination, gender recognition, etc.) are added, and those that limit them (criminalisation, the death penalty, “propaganda” laws, etc.) are subtracted.

How to read this?

The higher the score, the more the country's laws extend LGBT rights; a negative score means that restrictive laws outweigh the others.

Ranking : ranked from highest to lowest

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194countries with data
20.3 ptsmaximum · Malta
1.4 ptsmedian
-4.5 ptsminimum · Uganda
2025data year(s)

In brief

The "LGBT rights index (composite policy index)" ranking covers 194 countries and territories. Lowest value: Uganda (-4.5 pts). Highest value: Malta (20.3 pts). Median: 1.4 pts (data: 2025). The top 10% of countries exceed 14.9 pts, while the bottom 10% stay below -2.5 pts. By continent, the median is highest in South America (13.8 pts) and lowest in Africa (-1 pts).

Median by continent

Lower Higher
  • South America 13.8 pts (12)
  • Europe 11.6 pts (44)
  • North America 2 pts (23)
  • Oceania 1.6 pts (14)
  • Asia 0.5 pts (47)
  • Africa -1 pts (51)

Why this indicator matters

Laws on sexual orientation and gender identity vary widely. A single score makes it possible to compare them at a glance, by adding the rights recognised and subtracting the restrictions.

What makes this indicator vary

The differences are explained by the history of criminal codes, the weight of traditions and religions, court decisions and international commitments. Laws have changed a great deal over a few decades, in both directions.

Reading precautions

The score reflects methodological choices: each measure counts equally. It describes laws, not social attitudes, actual discrimination or enforcement. It says nothing about particular regional situations.

Full ranking

ranked from highest to lowest

RankCountryValueYear
1er🇲🇹 Malta20.3 pts2025
2e🇵🇹 Portugal19.2 pts2025
3e🇩🇪 Germany19 pts2025
4e🇨🇺 Cuba18.4 pts2025
5e🇪🇸 Spain18.2 pts2025
6e🇩🇰 Denmark17.4 pts2025
7e🇨🇦 Canada17.2 pts2025
8e🇨🇴 Colombia17.1 pts2025
9e🇫🇷 France17 pts2025
10e🇨🇱 Chile16.6 pts2025
11e🇺🇾 Uruguay16.4 pts2025
12e🇸🇪 Sweden16.4 pts2025
13e🇧🇷 Brazil16.2 pts2025
14e🇳🇱 Netherlands16.1 pts2025
15e🇧🇪 Belgium15.9 pts2025
16e🇲🇽 Mexico15.7 pts2025
17e🇦🇹 Austria15.3 pts2025
18e🇬🇷 Greece15.2 pts2025
19e🇮🇸 Iceland15.1 pts2025
20e🇬🇧 United Kingdom15 pts2025
21e🇪🇨 Ecuador14.7 pts2025
22e🇳🇴 Norway14.4 pts2025
23e🇭🇷 Croatia14.3 pts2025
24e🇧🇴 Bolivia14.1 pts2025
25e🇫🇮 Finland14.1 pts2025
25e🇿🇦 South Africa14.1 pts2025
27e🇦🇺 Australia13.5 pts2025
28e🇸🇮 Slovenia13.5 pts2025
29e🇦🇷 Argentina13.4 pts2025
30e🇱🇺 Luxembourg13.1 pts2025
31e🇨🇿 Czechia13.1 pts2025
32e🇦🇩 Andorra12.9 pts2025
33e🇮🇱 Israel12.1 pts2025
34e🇨🇭 Switzerland11.7 pts2025
35e🇨🇷 Costa Rica11.7 pts2025
36e🇮🇪 Ireland11.6 pts2025
37e🇷🇸 Serbia11.6 pts2025
38e🇦🇱 Albania11.3 pts2025
39e🇲🇪 Montenegro11.3 pts2025
40e🇺🇸 United States10.7 pts2025
41e🇳🇿 New Zealand10.6 pts2025
42e🇸🇲 San Marino10.6 pts2025
43e🇭🇳 Honduras10.4 pts2025
44e🇪🇪 Estonia10.3 pts2025
45e🇫🇯 Fiji10.3 pts2025
45e🇲🇩 Moldova10.3 pts2025
47e🇲🇰 North Macedonia10.1 pts2025
48e🇨🇾 Cyprus9.9 pts2025
49e🇧🇦 Bosnia & Herzegovina9.8 pts2025
50e🇽🇰 Kosovo9.6 pts2025
51e🇵🇪 Peru8.9 pts2025
52e🇧🇬 Bulgaria8.9 pts2025
53e🇱🇹 Lithuania8.5 pts2025
54e🇸🇰 Slovakia8.3 pts2025
55e🇷🇴 Romania7.8 pts2025
56e🇮🇹 Italy7.8 pts2025
57e🇭🇺 Hungary7.6 pts2025
58e🇲🇳 Mongolia7.3 pts2025
59e🇹🇼 Taiwan7.1 pts2025
60e🇸🇻 El Salvador6.8 pts2025
61e🇱🇮 Liechtenstein6.7 pts2025
62e🇸🇷 Suriname6.7 pts2025
63e🇹🇭 Thailand6.3 pts2025
64e🇮🇳 India5.7 pts2025
65e🇦🇴 Angola5.7 pts2025
65e🇲🇭 Marshall Islands5.7 pts2025
65e🇻🇪 Venezuela5.7 pts2025
68e🇸🇨 Seychelles4.9 pts2025
69e🇱🇻 Latvia4.8 pts2025
70e🇳🇵 Nepal4 pts2025
71e🇲🇨 Monaco3.9 pts2025
72e🇨🇻 Cape Verde3.8 pts2025
72e🇱🇸 Lesotho3.8 pts2025
74e🇺🇦 Ukraine3.7 pts2025
75e🇫🇲 Micronesia3.5 pts2025
76e🇧🇼 Botswana3.4 pts2025
77e🇲🇿 Mozambique3.1 pts2025
78e🇳🇮 Nicaragua2.8 pts2025
79e🇵🇱 Poland2.8 pts2025
80e🇵🇰 Pakistan2.7 pts2025
81e🇰🇷 South Korea2.6 pts2025
82e🇲🇺 Mauritius2.3 pts2025
83e🇧🇯 Benin2.3 pts2025
84e🇦🇲 Armenia2.2 pts2025
84e🇹🇱 Timor-Leste2.2 pts2025
86e🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea2.1 pts2025
87e🇯🇵 Japan2.1 pts2025
88e🇼🇸 Samoa2 pts2025
89e🇦🇬 Antigua & Barbuda2 pts2025
89e🇧🇿 Belize2 pts2025
89e🇩🇲 Dominica2 pts2025
89e🇩🇴 Dominican Republic2 pts2025
89e🇰🇭 Cambodia2 pts2025
89e🇻🇺 Vanuatu2 pts2025
95e🇵🇦 Panama1.9 pts2025
96e🇭🇹 Haiti1.8 pts2025
97e🇹🇯 Tajikistan1.4 pts2025
98e🇧🇧 Barbados1.4 pts2025
99e🇧🇾 Belarus1.3 pts2025
100e🇸🇹 São Tomé & Príncipe1.3 pts2025
101e🇩🇯 Djibouti1.3 pts2025
101e🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau1.3 pts2025
101e🇬🇹 Guatemala1.3 pts2025
101e🇱🇦 Laos1.3 pts2025
101e🇳🇷 Nauru1.3 pts2025
101e🇵🇭 Philippines1.3 pts2025
107e🇦🇿 Azerbaijan1.1 pts2025
108e🇧🇭 Bahrain1 pts2025
109e🇧🇹 Bhutan1 pts2025
109e🇨🇫 Central African Republic1 pts2025
109e🇰🇿 Kazakhstan1 pts2025
109e🇳🇦 Namibia1 pts2025
109e🇵🇼 Palau1 pts2025
109e🇹🇷 Türkiye1 pts2025
109e🇻🇳 Vietnam1 pts2025
116e🇱🇨 St. Lucia1 pts2025
117e🇬🇪 Georgia0.9 pts2025
118e🇷🇼 Rwanda0.8 pts2025
119e🇮🇩 Indonesia0.5 pts2025
120e🇰🇳 St. Kitts & Nevis0.3 pts2025
121e🇸🇿 Eswatini0.3 pts2025
122e🇱🇷 Liberia0.3 pts2025
123e🇰🇮 Kiribati0.3 pts2025
124e🇨🇮 Côte d’Ivoire0.3 pts2025
125e🇹🇩 Chad0.2 pts2025
126e🇨🇩 Congo - Kinshasa0 pts2025
127e🇱🇰 Sri Lanka-0.1 pts2025
128e🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan-0.1 pts2025
129e🇨🇬 Congo - Brazzaville-0.4 pts2025
129e🇰🇵 North Korea-0.4 pts2025
131e🇰🇲 Comoros-0.6 pts2025
132e🇰🇪 Kenya-0.6 pts2025
133e🇲🇬 Madagascar-0.6 pts2025
134e🇧🇸 Bahamas-0.6 pts2025
135e🇧🇩 Bangladesh-0.7 pts2025
135e🇺🇿 Uzbekistan-0.7 pts2025
137e🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea-0.7 pts2025
138e🇳🇪 Niger-0.7 pts2025
139e🇹🇻 Tuvalu-0.7 pts2025
140e🇵🇾 Paraguay-0.8 pts2025
141e🇬🇾 Guyana-0.8 pts2025
142e🇬🇦 Gabon-0.8 pts2025
142e🇬🇩 Grenada-0.8 pts2025
142e🇸🇧 Solomon Islands-0.8 pts2025
142e🇻🇨 St. Vincent & Grenadines-0.8 pts2025
146e🇯🇴 Jordan-0.9 pts2025
147e🇩🇿 Algeria-1 pts2025
148e🇸🇬 Singapore-1.1 pts2025
149e🇶🇦 Qatar-1.4 pts2025
150e🇸🇴 Somalia-1.5 pts2025
151e🇸🇱 Sierra Leone-1.5 pts2025
152e🇸🇩 Sudan-1.5 pts2025
153e🇸🇾 Syria-1.5 pts2025
153e🇹🇴 Tonga-1.5 pts2025
155e🇪🇬 Egypt-1.6 pts2025
156e🇨🇲 Cameroon-1.6 pts2025
156e🇪🇷 Eritrea-1.6 pts2025
156e🇲🇦 Morocco-1.6 pts2025
156e🇲🇻 Maldives-1.6 pts2025
156e🇹🇳 Tunisia-1.6 pts2025
161e🇧🇫 Burkina Faso-1.6 pts2025
162e🇯🇲 Jamaica-1.7 pts2025
163e🇹🇲 Turkmenistan-1.7 pts2025
164e🇬🇲 Gambia-1.7 pts2025
165e🇨🇳 China-1.7 pts2025
166e🇬🇳 Guinea-1.7 pts2025
167e🇲🇼 Malawi-1.8 pts2025
168e🇧🇮 Burundi-1.8 pts2025
169e🇹🇹 Trinidad & Tobago-2 pts2025
170e🇴🇲 Oman-2.2 pts2025
171e🇷🇺 Russia-2.2 pts2025
172e🇹🇬 Togo-2.2 pts2025
173e🇱🇾 Libya-2.3 pts2025
174e🇸🇳 Senegal-2.5 pts2025
175e🇿🇼 Zimbabwe-2.5 pts2025
176e🇲🇱 Mali-2.5 pts2025
177e🇬🇭 Ghana-2.6 pts2025
178e🇲🇲 Myanmar (Burma)-2.6 pts2025
179e🇪🇹 Ethiopia-2.6 pts2025
179e🇱🇧 Lebanon-2.6 pts2025
181e🇧🇳 Brunei-2.6 pts2025
182e🇰🇼 Kuwait-2.7 pts2025
183e🇦🇫 Afghanistan-2.8 pts2025
184e🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates-2.9 pts2025
185e🇲🇷 Mauritania-3.2 pts2025
186e🇹🇿 Tanzania-3.2 pts2025
187e🇿🇲 Zambia-3.3 pts2025
188e🇲🇾 Malaysia-3.3 pts2025
189e🇾🇪 Yemen-3.4 pts2025
190e🇳🇬 Nigeria-3.4 pts2025
191e🇮🇷 Iran-4 pts2025
192e🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia-4.3 pts2025
193e🇮🇶 Iraq-4.4 pts2025
194e🇺🇬 Uganda-4.5 pts2025

Frequently asked questions

Which country has the highest value for "LGBT rights index (composite policy index)"?

The highest value is in Malta, at 20.3 pts (2025).

Which country has the lowest value for "LGBT rights index (composite policy index)"?

The lowest value is in Uganda, at -4.5 pts (2025).

What is the world median value of "LGBT rights index (composite policy index)"?

The world median is 1.4 pts, calculated across 194 countries: half of the countries are above it, the other half below.

What is the value of "LGBT rights index (composite policy index)" for France?

France scores 17 pts (2025), ranking 9 out of 194 countries (ranked from highest to lowest).

Where does the "LGBT rights index (composite policy index)" 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.

How is the score calculated?

Points are added for each measure that extends rights (marriage, protection against discrimination, etc.) and points are removed for each restrictive measure (criminalisation, propaganda laws, etc.).

Is a negative score possible?

Yes. If a country's restrictive measures outnumber those that extend rights, the total can fall below zero.

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