The small island nation of Malta was ranked as the country in Europe which has the most LGBTQ-friendly laws and policies in 2024 by Rainbow Europe. The country has made great progress in recent years in passing laws which protect the rights of its LGBTQ citizens and residents, such as outlawing so-called "conversion therapy", banning genital mutilation for intersex people, promoting anti-discrimination practices in the workplace, allowing transgender people to more easily change their gender legally, and legalizing same-sex marriage.
EU states lead the way on LGBTQ rights
Other leading countries in Europe for LGBTQ rights include Belgium, Denmark, and Spain, with the countries which performed well being concentrated in southern, western, and northern Europe. Many of the top performing countries are members of the European Union, which has specific provisions about protecting minority rights as a prelude to membership, however, it is notable that several member states in central-eastern and south-eastern Europe perform particularly poorly, notably Poland, Romania, and Bulgaria.
The poor state of LGBTQ rights in eastern Europe
Unfortunately, there are still some countries in Europe where LGBTQ rights are not respected or legally enshrined at all, mostly concentrated among non-EU members in eastern Europe. Azerbaijan, Turkey, Armenia, Russia, and Belarus make up the five worst performing states, with the homophobic stances of their governments intensifying in recent years.
Rainbow Europe score measuring the legal, political and human rights situation of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex (LGBTI) people in Europe in 2024, by country
(out of 100)
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ILGA (Rainbow Europe). (May 11, 2024). Rainbow Europe score measuring the legal, political and human rights situation of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex (LGBTI) people in Europe in 2024, by country (out of 100) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved November 12, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1383651/lgbtq-europe-legal-political-human-rights-standards-europe/
ILGA (Rainbow Europe). "Rainbow Europe score measuring the legal, political and human rights situation of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex (LGBTI) people in Europe in 2024, by country (out of 100)." Chart. May 11, 2024. Statista. Accessed November 12, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1383651/lgbtq-europe-legal-political-human-rights-standards-europe/
ILGA (Rainbow Europe). (2024). Rainbow Europe score measuring the legal, political and human rights situation of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex (LGBTI) people in Europe in 2024, by country (out of 100). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: November 12, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1383651/lgbtq-europe-legal-political-human-rights-standards-europe/
ILGA (Rainbow Europe). "Rainbow Europe Score Measuring The Legal, Political and Human Rights Situation of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex (Lgbti) People in Europe in 2024, by Country (out of 100)." Statista, Statista Inc., 11 May 2024, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1383651/lgbtq-europe-legal-political-human-rights-standards-europe/
ILGA (Rainbow Europe), Rainbow Europe score measuring the legal, political and human rights situation of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex (LGBTI) people in Europe in 2024, by country (out of 100) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1383651/lgbtq-europe-legal-political-human-rights-standards-europe/ (last visited November 12, 2024)
Rainbow Europe score measuring the legal, political and human rights situation of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex (LGBTI) people in Europe in 2024, by country (out of 100) [Graph], ILGA (Rainbow Europe), May 11, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1383651/lgbtq-europe-legal-political-human-rights-standards-europe/