LGBT rights in Mauritius
LGBT rights in Mauritius  |
|
|---|---|
|
|
| Same-sex sexual activity legal? | Sodomy illegal |
|
Penalty:
|
Up to 5 years imprisonment |
| Discrimination protections | Sexual orientation protected (employment only) |
| Family rights | |
| Recognition of relationships |
Unknown |
| Adoption | Unknown |
LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) rights in Mauritius are legally complicated and vague in the republic. Although the law is silent on the topic of homosexuality and gender identity itself, sodomy is illegal and banned by the laws of the county. The nation was one of the 66 signatories of support for the UN declaration on sexual orientation and gender identity. Although same-sex relationships are not recognized, LGBT people are protected from any kind of discrimination with the constitution guaranteeing the right of individuals to private life.[1]
Contents
Laws about same-sex sexual activity
According to an unofficial translation of Section 250 of the Mauritius Criminal Code of 1838, "Any person who is guilty of the crime of sodomy [...] shall be liable to penal servitude for a term not exceeding 5 years."[2]
Discrimination
The Equal Opportunities Act 2008 prohibits employers from discriminating against persons based on their sexual orientation, with "sexual orientation" being defined to mean "homosexuality (including lesbianism), bisexuality or heterosexuality".[3]
Adoption of children
According to a 2006 report, adoptive parents may be either single or married. LGBT persons are not specifically disqualified.[4]
According to a website of the French government, single and married people are eligible to adopt children. The website does not say whether LGBT people are disqualified.[5]
LGBT rights organisations
In Mauritius, there are two main organisations for the LGBT community: Collectif Arc en Ciel and Pils.[6]
Founded in 2005, Collectif Arc en Ciel ("Rainbow Collective") is the primary organisation for the LGBT community in Mauritius. The party fights homophobia and discrimination based on sexual orientation.[6]
Founded in 1996, Pils is a centre for individuals with HIV/AIDS in the country, and also a place for the prevention and education of people living with HIV/AIDS.[6]
Summary table
| Same-sex sexual activity legal |  However anal sex is illegal punishable with 5 years imprisonment. |
| Equal age of consent | |
| Anti-discrimination laws in employment only | Since 2008 |
| Anti-discrimination laws in the provision of goods and services |  |
| Anti-discrimination laws in all other areas (Incl. indirect discrimination, hate speech) | |
| Same-sex marriages | |
| Recognition of same-sex couples | |
| Step-child adoption by same-sex couples | |
| Joint adoption by same-sex couples | |
| Gays and lesbians allowed to serve openly in the military |  |
| Right to change legal gender | |
| Access to IVF for lesbians | |
| Commercial surrogacy for gay male couples | |
| MSMs allowed to donate blood | |
See also
- LGBT rights in Africa
- Human rights in Africa
- Gay Mauritius News & Reports (GlobalGayz)
- LGBT Mauritius
References
- ↑ [1] Archived 6 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine
- ↑ "State-sponsored Homophobia: A world survey of laws prohibiting same sex activity between consenting adults", International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association, authored by Lucas Paoli Itaborahy and Jingshu Zhu, May 2013, page 51
- ↑ Equal Opportunities Act 2008, International Labor Organization
- ↑ "Intercountry Adoption: Mauritius", Passports USA, April 2006
- ↑ "Fiches pays Adoption: Maurice", France Diplomatie, French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Google translation
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
