Location Header: | Niger |
Legal Status: | Legal,[1] age of consent not equalised |
Gender Identity Expression: | No |
Recognition Of Relationships: | No |
Adoption: | No[2] |
Military: | No |
Discrimination Protections: | None |
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Niger face legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents. Although same-sex sexual activity is legal,[1] the Nigerien LGBT community faces stigmatization among the broader population.
Same-sex sexual activity is legal in Niger, but the age of consent is not equal for same-sex and opposite-sex sexual activity.[1] The age of consent is set at 13 years for heterosexuals and 21 years for homosexuals.
Niger does not legally recognize same-sex unions.[1]
There is no legal protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
The U.S. Department of State's 2010 Human Rights Report found that "there were no known organizations of lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender persons and no reports of violence against individuals based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. However, gay persons experienced societal discrimination."[3]