Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons in the Seychelles face legal challenges not experienced by non-

LGBT ' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity. The LGBT term is a ...

residents. Same-sex sexual activity has been legal since 2016, and employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is banned in the

Seychelles Seychelles (, ; ), officially the Republic of Seychelles (french: link=no, République des Seychelles; Creole: ''La Repiblik Sesel''), is an archipelagic state consisting of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean. Its capital and largest city, V ...

, making it one of the few

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

n countries to have such protections for LGBT people. However, LGBT people may nonetheless face stigmatization among the broader population.

Legality of same-sex sexual activity

Until June 2016, Section 151 of the Penal Code banned male same-sex intercourse with up to 14 years' imprisonment. Female same-sex sexual acts were not covered by Section 151 or any other criminal law of the

."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, May 2012
In October 2011, the Seychellois Government agreed to decriminalize same-sex sexual acts "pretty soon, as the Government and civil society want so". On 29 February 2016, the Government decided to introduce a bill to this effect. The

National Assembly In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the repre ...

was expected to consider the measure within a few months. Attorney General Ronny Govinden ruled out a referendum on the issue. The bill was approved on 18 May 2016, in a 14–0 vote. It was signed into law by

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...

James Michel James Alix Michel, GCSK (born August 16, 1944) is a Seychellois politician and the former President of Seychelles from year 2004 to 2016. He previously served as Vice-President under his predecessor, France-Albert René, from 1996 to 2004. Mi ...

on 1 June, and took effect on 7 June 2016.

Recognition of same-sex relationships

The

does not recognize

same-sex marriage Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same Legal sex and gender, sex or gender. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 33 countries, with the most recent being ...

or same-sex

civil unions A civil union (also known as a civil partnership) is a legally recognized arrangement similar to marriage, created primarily as a means to provide recognition in law for same-sex couples. Civil unions grant some or all of the rights of marriage ...

. In June 2015, two men, a British national and a Seychellois national, were married at the British High Commission by Lindsay Skoll, the High Commissioner to the Seychelles.

Discrimination protections

The ''Employment Act, 1995'' (french: Loi de 1995 sur l'emploi) prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. This prohibition was added to the act in 2006. The Act provides as follows:

Section 2. In this act –

* * * *

"harassment" means any such unfriendly act, speech or gesture of one person towards another person that is based on the other person's ... sexual orientation ... as would adversely affect the other person's dignity or make that person feel threatened, humiliated or embarrassed;

Section 46A. (1) Where an employer makes an employment decision against a worker on the grounds of the worker's ... sexual orientation ..., the worker may make a complaint to the Chief Executive stating all the relevant particulars.

Summary table

References

{{Africa topic, LGBT rights in

LGBT in Seychelles Human rights in Seychelles Law of Seychelles

Legality of same-sex sexual activity

Recognition of same-sex relationships

Discrimination protections

Summary table

See also

References