Human Rights for LGBTI People in European Countries

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people are still officially considered criminals in roughly one third of countries worldwide, and in some locations homosexuality is even punishable by death. Nevertheless, there are some places, such as northern Europe, that are relatively accepting of homosexuality. But even within Europe, sharp differences in the treatment of LGBTI community persist.

Rainbow Europe ranks all 49 European countries on a scale between 0% (gross violations of human rights, discrimination) and 100% (respect of human rights, full equality). Countries are ranked on the basis of laws and policies that have a direct impact on the human rights of LGBTI people in six categories: equality and non-discrimination, family, bias motivated speech/violence, legal gender recognition, freedom of assembly, association and expression, and asylum.

• According to Rainbow Europe, Malta, Belgium, and the UK are among the most respectful of the rights of the LGBTI community.
• Russia and former Soviet republics of Armenia and Azerbaijan demonstrate the highest relative level of discrimination and human rights violations against the same community.