Homosexuality: where does India figure on global map

Calcutta News.Net
Thursday 2nd July, 2009 (IANS)

An Indian court overturned an archaic law Thursday and decriminalised homosexuality - a move rights activists hope will go towards legalising gay sex just as 115 countries have done.

A May 2009 report by the International Lesbian, Gay (Bisexual, Trans and Intersex) Association (ILGA) said homosexuality is legal in 115 nations. Discrimination in employment on the basis of sexual orientation is prohibited by law in 48 countries and marriage was open for same-sex couples in seven countries.

On the other hand, 80 countries consider homosexuality illegal. Homosexuality invites death penalty in five countries - Iran, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Yemen.

The report - State-Sponsored Homophobia 2009 - is based on research conducted by Daniel Ottosson, Sodertorn University College, Stockholm, Sweden.

ILGA, founded 1978, is a world wide network of 670 national and local groups dedicated to achieving equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex (LGBTI) people in around 110 countries.

Some countries where homosexuality is legal, according to the report:

Africa: Cote d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Madagascar, Mali, South Africa.

Asia: Bahrain, China, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, North Korea, Philippines , South Korea, Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam.

Europe: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, Britain and Vatican City.

North America: Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba,Mexico, Panama, in some states of the United States.

South America: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela.

Australia and New Zealand.

Some countries where homosexuality is illegal:

Africa: Algeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Libya, Malawi, Morocco, Namibia and Nigeria.

Asia: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, India, Malaysia, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Singapore, Sri Lanka, UAE, Uzbekistan.

North America: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago.

South America: Guyana.

Same-sex marriage is allowed in seven countries - South Africa, Belgium, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Canada, as well as in Connecticut, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts and Vermont of the US.

Joint child adoption by same-sex couples is legal in ten countries which are South Africa, Israel, Andorra, Belgium, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, most Canadian provinces and in some parts of the United States, Capital Territory and Western Australia in Australia and in the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo.

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