LGBTQ rights in Sierra Leone
LGBTQ rights in Sierra Leone | |
|---|---|
| Legal status | Male illegal since 1861 (as Colony of Sierra Leone). Female always legal. |
| Penalty | Life imprisonment. |
| Gender identity | No |
| Military | No |
| Discrimination protections | Sexual orientation protections in employment. |
| Family rights | |
| Recognition of relationships | No |
| Adoption | No |
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Sierra Leone face legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBTQ residents. Male same-sex sexual activity (whether in public or private) is illegal in Sierra Leone and carries a possible penalty of life imprisonment (with hard labor), although this law is seldom enforced.
In 2011, Sierra Leone was one of five African countries to join the United Nations' "Joint Statement on Ending Acts of Violence Related Human Rights Violations Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity", which called for an end to "acts of violence, criminal sanctions and related human rights violations committed against individuals because of their sexual orientation or gender identity".
Since 2023, the Employment Act (2023) bans discrimination based on sexual orientation.