Rainbow Map

These are the main findings for the 2024 edition of the rainbow map

While authoritarian leaders across Europe continue to use the scapegoating of LGBTI people to divide and mobilise their electorates, others are conversely showing robust political will to honour commitments to advancing and protecting the human rights of LGBTI people. Read more in our press release.

“THE EFFORTS AT DIVISION AND DISTRACTION FROM CONSOLIDATED AUTHORITARIAN REGIMES ARE FURTHER LEAKING INTO OTHER EUROPEAN COUNTRIES AT A TIME WHERE ELECTIONS COULD PUSH EUROPE INTO THE HANDS OF LEADERS WHO WISH TO SHAPE A RADICAL RIGHT, ANTI-DEMOCRATIC EUROPEAN UNION. ”

Chaber, Executive Director, ILGA-Europe

Malta has sat on top of the ranking for the last 9 years. With 83 points, Iceland jumped to second place with a rise of three places as a result of the new legislation banning conversion practices and ensuring the trans-specific healthcare is based on depathologisation. Belgium also banned conversion practices and now comes third place on the ranking with a score of 78.

The three countries at the other end of the Rainbow Map scale are Russia (2%), Azerbaijan (2%), and Turkey (5%). Russia lost 7 points and dropped 3 places because of the federal legislation banning legal gender recognition and trans-specific healthcare.

Poland still sits at the end of the EU ranking with 18% points, followed by Romania (19%) and Bulgaria (23%).

10

Conversion practices are only banned in 10 countries.

6

6 is the number of countries where LGBTI people do not have any protection from discrimination.

Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Denmark, Iceland, Montenegro and Spain are the only countries that have full coverage of SOGIESC in their anti-discrimination legislations.

Hate crime and hate speech on the grounds of sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics are prohibited in Belgium, Denmark, Iceland, Malta and some regions in Spain and the UK. 

21

Marriage equality for same-sex couples is only available in 21 countries.

18

18 is the number of countries without any legal protection of same-sex partnerships.

6

Trans parenthood is fully recognised only in 6 countries. 

Only Germany, Greece, Iceland, Malta, Portugal and Spain prohibit unnecessary surgical or medical interventions on intersex children.

10

10 countries still don’t have any legal or administrative procedure for legal gender recognition.

In addition, Bulgaria, Hungary and Russia have laws that make legal gender recognition completely impossible.

11

Only in 11 countries, trans people can have legal gender recognition based on self-determination.  

11

Freedom of assembly and association for LGBTI communities are restricted or under attack in at least 13 countries. 

27

Sexual orientation and gender identity are qualification criteria for seeking asylum in 27 countries. Intersex asylum seekers are protected in the law only in 6 countries.