LGBT+ rights and issues in the Caribbean

Eleven Caribbean states maintainmaintenir laws which criminalise consensual sexual relations between adults of the same sex in private (PDF): Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. While many of the lawsBien que de nombreuses lois originate from the colonial era, they have yet to be repealedabrogées.

Legal frameworksCadres juridiques and change

In many casesDans de nombreux cas, strong societal pullsde fortes pressions sociétales againstcontre repealing such legislation are linked tosont liées aux religious beliefscroyances. Challenging such traditional social views is not easy Il n’est pas facile de remettre en question ces points de vue sociaux traditionnels, but attemptsles tentatives to reform legislation have increasedse sont multipliées in recent years.

For example, Barbados has beguna commencé to talk more openlyplus ouvertement about the need for change, although it has placed limits bien qu'elle ait imposé des limites on how far it is prepared to do so. In 2020 the Government said it would recognise a form of civil union for same sex couples, but would not go as far as to permit same sex marriage.

And in a landmark rulingun décision historique in 2018, Trinidad and Tobago (not included in this paper) determined that sections of its Sexual Offences Act which criminalised consensualconsensuel, qui repose sur un consensus same-sex activityrelation homosexuelle betweenentre adults were unconstitutional.

In 2019 in Dominica, a legal challenge against laws which une contestation juridique des lois qui ban same sex sexual activity and punish same sex relations was launched.a été lancée The case is still ongoing. est toujours en cours.

Social discrimination

While some progress has been made, there are still significant barriers to full LGBT+ equality. à la pleine égalité LGBT+ Even in places where these laws are not consistently enforced, they contribute to an acceptance of societal discrimination.

In March 2018, Human Rights Watch Human Rights Watch (site officiel) published a report, titledintitulé  I had to leave to be me (PDF),  highlighting soulignant, mettant en évidence the extent of discrimination against LGBT+ people living in the Eastern Caribbean. les Caraïbes orientales
Porto Rico, Anguilla, Saint-Martin/Maarten, Saint-Barthélemy, Antigua-et-Barbuda, Saint-Kitts-et-Nevis, Montserrat, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Dominique, Sainte-Lucie, Saint-Vincent-et-les-Grenadines, Grenade, Trinité-et-Tobago et Barbade. Interviewees described harassmentharcèlement by family members and fears of isolation, violence and homelessness itinérance, situation de personne en difficulté, qui se retrouve sans logement, sans chez-soi..

In 2019, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights has cited concerns that participation in advocacy against discriminatory legislation has exposed activists to death threats, intimidation and violent attacks.

A 2014 report on LGBT+ experiences in the Commonwealth Communauté des nations (Plus d'infos) also stated negative statements by church and political leaders reinforced negative attitudes towards LGBT+ persons (PDF).

As a result, many LGBT+ people remain wary of being open about their LGBT+ status.

What can the UK Government do?

All of the Caribbean states in this paper are middle income countries and are not eligible to receive Official Development Assistance (ODA) from the UK. ODA is aid intended to promote the economic welfarele bien-être économique and development of mostly low-income countries pays à faible revenu . HoweverCependant, as Commonwealth member states and former British colonies, the UK is in a position to engage constructively with them on LGBT+ inclusion.

Successive governments have said that the promotion and protection of the human rights of LGBT+ people internationally is a priority.

The UK Government had planned to host the international conference, Safe to Be Me, in June 2022 to bring together countries, businesses and international civil society organisations to address global LGBT+ inclusion.

However, following the Government’s decision to introduce a ban on conversion therapy for gay or bisexual people but not for transgender people in the 2022 Queen’s Speechle discours de la reine , many UK charities withdrew from attending. The Government subsequently announceda par la suite annoncé it would cancelqu'il annulerait the June 2022 conference.

This briefing compte rendu, rapport ou note d'information describes the status of LGBT+ rights in seven Caribbean states. It also looks atIl examine également societal forms les formes sociétales of discrimination. These include in employment practice en matière d'emploi, access to healthcaresoins médicaux and involvementengagement, participation in civic life.

Where relevant S'il y a lieu, le cas échéant, si nécessaire... , each country profile sets outexpose, détaille UK Government actions to promotepromouvoir LGBT+ rights. Further reading Des documents supplémentaires is also included for some countries depending on availabilitydisponibilité of material.

Terminology

We have used the acronymsigle LGBT+ in this briefing paper (except where we are quoting nous citons someone else’s words). This refers to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. The ‘+’ symbol is used to include people whosedont identities do not fit typical binary notions of male and female, or who decide to identify themselveseux-mêmes using other categories to describe their gendergenre identity or their sexuality. In the countries we focus onsur lesquels nous nous concentrons , the legislation is largely around same sex sexual activity rather than gender identity.

This paper should be read as correct at the time of publication.

Further reading

Human Rights Watch, Discriminatory laws against LGBT people in the Eastern Caribbean, 2019

Human Rights Watch, Paradise Lost: The Plight of LGBT People in the Eastern Caribbean, 21 March 2018

J-Flag J-Flag, pour Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All-Sexuals and Gays, est une organisation pour la défense des droits LGBT en Jamaïque et al, Human rights violations against LGBT people in Jamaica: A shadow report, 2016