Botswana

Botswana decriminalized same-sex relations on June 11, 2019 by High Court ruling, upheld on appeal November 29, 2021. Sodomy provisions struck down 2019, statute formally cleaned up Mar 2026. Employment anti-discrimination since 2010, extended to goods and services since 2019; legal gender change permitted since 2017. No marriage or joint adoption. Gaborone, society relatively open for the region; significant share OK with LGBT neighbours (Afrobarometer 2021).

Population 2,4M Capital Gaborone Language English (official); Tswana (national) Currency Botswana Pula (BWP)

LGBTQI+ legal framework · Botswana

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LGBT identity

Legal (since 2019)

High Court decriminalized on June 11, 2019 · ruling upheld on appeal November 29, 2021 · invalidated provisions removed from statute book in March 2026 · equal age of consent (18)

Partnership recognition

Not recognized

No same-sex marriage or civil union · no joint adoption

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Legal protection

Anti-discrimination (employment 2010 · goods/services 2019)

Employment anti-discrimination since 2010 · extended to goods and services since 2019

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Trans rights

Legal gender change (since 2017)

Legal gender change available since 2017

Conversion therapies

No information

No official information on ban or regulation of conversion therapy

Social context · Botswana

Social acceptance

Mixed

Mixed · 50% wouldn't mind (Afrobarometer 2021)

Afrobarometer: minority comfortable with LGBT neighbours · among the more open societies in sub-Saharan Africa · stigma persists

Source →

Anti-LGBT violence

Low

Low · favorable judicial context

Low levels of documented anti-LGBT violence. No systematic reports. Post-2019 legal framework offers protections.

Source →

Indicative data as of 2026-06-02. Check the destination country's official sources before travelling.

Experiences
gay friendly · Botswana

Top-booked tours and activities, with instant booking via Viator.

Affiliate links to selected experiences

Recent
LGBT news · Botswana

Latest changes — new laws, rulings, events relevant to LGBTQI+ travelers.

MAR 01, 2026 · LEGAL

Invalidated provisions removed from statute book

In March 2026 the provisions criminalizing same-sex acts, already invalidated by courts in 2019-2021, are formally removed from the statute book.