Violence and discrimination against LGBTIQ+ people remain widespread worldwide, including in schools where 45 per cent of LGBT youth report being bullied, according to a message from United Nations (UN) human rights chief Volker Türk issued on 18 May 2026. Mr. Türk stated that more than one in three countries still criminalize consensual same-sex conduct, and several maintain the death penalty for it. His remarks were delivered to mark the International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia on Sunday. The High Commissioner for Human Rights warned that the global trend is worsening. He called on governments and technology companies to take action.
Repression trend
Mr. Türk noted that over the past year, Burkina Faso criminalized consensual same-sex relations. Senegal increased prison terms for same-sex sexual acts from five to 10 years. Similar laws are being considered in other countries, including Ghana. These countries also have discriminatory laws that penalize the dissemination of information about LGBTIQ+ issues. Similar legal restrictions are in operation in Belarus and Kazakhstan.
The UN’s top rights official highlighted how Cameroon, Hungary, Indonesia, Morocco, Tunisia, Türkiye and other countries “have arrested and targeted LGBTIQ+ people and activists.” He pointed to divisive rhetoric by some politicians and leaders driving online abuse, especially against transgender people. Mr. Türk referenced a study from NGO Outright International examining the nearly 90 elections held worldwide in 2024. The study found that approximately 85 per cent of countries surveyed contained anti-LGBTIQ+ messages. “Elections have become battlegrounds of hate,” he said.
Despite the negative trend, Mr. Türk noted some progress in the struggle “to live and love freely.” He pointed to St. Lucia, which has decriminalized consensual same-sex relations, and Botswana, which has decriminalized same-sex conduct. In Nepal, a transgender woman was elected as a Member of Parliament for the first time in the country’s history. He also welcomed the 21 April ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union, which found that Hungary’s 2021 ban on content for children about sexual orientation and gender identity violated fundamental rights.
“History has shown that when societies normalize hate and discrimination against LGBTIQ+ people, it lays the groundwork for broader repression,” he said.
“States need to end violence and discrimination against LGBTIQ+ people by repealing biased laws, investigating all violations, and holding perpetrators to account,” Mr. Türk said. He added that “both States and technology companies need to take meaningful action against online hate and abuse.”
The High Commissioner committed to reversing current trends. His statement reiterated the UN’s position against violence, discrimination, and hate targeting LGBTIQ+ communities. The remarks underscore the call for the freedom to live and love freely.