WORLD Policy Analysis Center

Does legislation explicitly prohibit discrimination in terminations on the basis of sexual orientation?

The term “sexual orientation” includes references to ‘sexual preference’ and ‘homosexuality’. For the purposes of this variable, the term “sexual orientation” captures all of these definitions.

Terminations includes explicit legislative prohibitions against discriminatory terminations or dismissals from the workplace, or guarantees of continuance of employment.

No prohibition means that legislation does not take an explicit approach to prohibiting discrimination in terminations on the basis of sexual orientation. This does not mean that legislation denies this guarantee.

General prohibition of discrimination in terminations means that legislation prohibits discrimination in terminations generally— for example, by prohibiting discrimination based on “any status” or stating no worker may be discriminated against. This general prohibition is not specifically extended on the basis of sexual orientation.

Broad prohibition of workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation means that legislation extends a prohibition of discrimination at the workplace on the basis of sexual orientation, but does not explicitly address terminations. These broad prohibitions use language that could extend prohibition of discrimination across any aspect of work.

Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition means that legislation either extends: a) an explicit prohibition of discriminatory terminations on the basis of sexual orientation, or b) extends a broad prohibition of workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation alongside a general prohibition of discriminatory termination to all workers.

Countries

Afghanistan - No prohibition

Algeria - No prohibition

Antigua and Barbuda - No prohibition

Argentina - No prohibition

Bahamas - No prohibition

Bahrain - No prohibition

Bangladesh - No prohibition

Belarus - No prohibition

Belize - No prohibition

Benin - No prohibition

Bhutan - No prohibition

Bolivia - No prohibition

Brunei - No prohibition

Burundi - No prohibition

Cambodia - No prohibition

Cameroon - No prohibition

Central African Republic - No prohibition

Chad - No prohibition

China - No prohibition

Comoros - No prohibition

Republic of the Congo - No prohibition

Democratic Republic of the Congo - No prohibition

Cote d'Ivoire - No prohibition

Djibouti - No prohibition

Dominica - No prohibition

Dominican Republic - No prohibition

Egypt - No prohibition

El Salvador - No prohibition

Eritrea - No prohibition

Ethiopia - No prohibition

The Gambia - No prohibition

Ghana - No prohibition

Greenland - No prohibition

Grenada - No prohibition

Guatemala - No prohibition

Guinea - No prohibition

Guyana - No prohibition

Haiti - No prohibition

India - No prohibition

Indonesia - No prohibition

Iran - No prohibition

Iraq - No prohibition

Jamaica - No prohibition

Japan - No prohibition

Jordan - No prohibition

Kazakhstan - No prohibition

Kenya - No prohibition

Democratic People's Republic of Korea - No prohibition

Republic of Korea - No prohibition

Kuwait - No prohibition

Kyrgyzstan - No prohibition

Laos - No prohibition

Lebanon - No prohibition

Lesotho - No prohibition

Libya - No prohibition

Liechtenstein - No prohibition

Madagascar - No prohibition

Malaysia - No prohibition

Maldives - No prohibition

Mali - No prohibition

Marshall Islands - No prohibition

Mauritania - No prohibition

Micronesia, Federated States of - No prohibition

Monaco - No prohibition

Morocco - No prohibition

Myanmar - No prohibition

Namibia - No prohibition

Nauru - No prohibition

Nepal - No prohibition

Niger - No prohibition

Nigeria - No prohibition

Oman - No prohibition

Pakistan - No prohibition

Palau - No prohibition

Panama - No prohibition

Papua New Guinea - No prohibition

Paraguay - No prohibition

The Philippines - No prohibition

Qatar - No prohibition

Russian Federation - No prohibition

Rwanda - No prohibition

San Marino - No prohibition

Saudi Arabia - No prohibition

Senegal - No prohibition

Singapore - No prohibition

Solomon Islands - No prohibition

Somalia - No prohibition

South Sudan - No prohibition

Sri Lanka - No prohibition

St. Kitts and Nevis - No prohibition

St. Vincent and the Grenadines - No prohibition

Sudan - No prohibition

Tajikistan - No prohibition

Tanzania - No prohibition

Thailand - No prohibition

Timor-Leste - No prohibition

Togo - No prohibition

Tonga - No prohibition

Trinidad and Tobago - No prohibition

Tunisia - No prohibition

Uganda - No prohibition

United Arab Emirates - No prohibition

United States of America - No prohibition

Uruguay - No prohibition

Vanuatu - No prohibition

Vietnam - No prohibition

Yemen - No prohibition

Zambia - No prohibition

Zimbabwe - No prohibition

Armenia - General prohibition of discrimination in terminations

Azerbaijan - General prohibition of discrimination in terminations

Brazil - General prohibition of discrimination in terminations

Burkina Faso - General prohibition of discrimination in terminations

Gabon - General prohibition of discrimination in terminations

Guinea-Bissau - General prohibition of discrimination in terminations

Malawi - General prohibition of discrimination in terminations

Peru - General prohibition of discrimination in terminations

Eswatini - General prohibition of discrimination in terminations

Switzerland - General prohibition of discrimination in terminations

Syria - General prohibition of discrimination in terminations

Türkiye - General prohibition of discrimination in terminations

Turkmenistan - General prohibition of discrimination in terminations

Uzbekistan - General prohibition of discrimination in terminations

Canada - Broad prohibition of workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation

Colombia - Broad prohibition of workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation

Croatia - Broad prohibition of workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation

Cuba - Broad prohibition of workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation

Czech Republic - Broad prohibition of workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation

Equatorial Guinea - Broad prohibition of workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation

Finland - Broad prohibition of workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation

Honduras - Broad prohibition of workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation

Mongolia - Broad prohibition of workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation

Nicaragua - Broad prohibition of workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation

Sao Tome and Principe - Broad prohibition of workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation

Sweden - Broad prohibition of workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation

Venezuela - Broad prohibition of workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation

Albania - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Andorra - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Angola - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Australia - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Austria - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Barbados - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Belgium - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Bosnia and Herzegovina - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Botswana - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Bulgaria - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Cabo Verde - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Chile - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Costa Rica - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Cyprus - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Denmark - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Ecuador - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Estonia - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Fiji - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

France - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Georgia - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Germany - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Greece - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Hungary - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Iceland - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Ireland - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Israel - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Italy - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Kiribati - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Latvia - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Liberia - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Lithuania - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Luxembourg - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

North Macedonia - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Malta - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Mauritius - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Mexico - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Moldova - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Montenegro - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Mozambique - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

The Netherlands - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

New Zealand - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Norway - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Poland - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Portugal - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Romania - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Samoa - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Serbia - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Seychelles - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Sierra Leone - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Slovakia - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Slovenia - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

South Africa - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Spain - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

St. Lucia - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Suriname - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Tuvalu - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

Ukraine - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition

United Kingdom - Yes, sexual orientation-specific prohibition