The Human Dignity Trust

06/10/2026

On Friday, Senior Lawyer Anushka Gunawardena joined a panel discussion on 'Current Challenges to LGBTQ+ Rights and the Role of the Media.'

Hosted by Greenberg Traurig in cooperation with the LGBTQI+ Committee of the International Bar Association (IBA), the engaging discussion examined the pressing challenges facing LGBTQ+ rights today and explored the pivotal role of the media in shaping public discourse and narratives around these issues.

05/10/2026

Three years ago, the Supreme Court of struck down a law that criminalised same-s*x intimacy between men, declaring it unconstitutional.

The challenge was brought by Abdool Ridwan (Ryan) Firaas Ah Seek, with support from the Human Dignity Trust, against Section 250 of the Mauritian Criminal Code - a provision dating back to 1838. This law criminalised ‘sodomy,’ carrying a maximum sentence of five years’ imprisonment.

For a detailed overview of the case and the Court’s judgment, read our three-page case digest:

In October 2023, Mauritius’ Supreme Court declared a law that criminalised same-s*x intimacy between men unconstitutional. The case, brought by Abdool Ridwan (Ryan) Firaas Ah Seek with the support of…

01/10/2026

In February, the West African nation of Niger enacted a law criminalising consensual same-s*x intimacy for the first time in its history.

As part of its Universal Periodic Review (Fourth Cycle) before the UN Human Rights Council in May, received 6 recommendations to take measures to protect and respect the rights of its LGBT+ population, half of which specifically called for the decriminalisation of same-s*x relations. Niger noted these recommendations, justifying its decision not to accept them by reference to 'the need to take into consideration the cultural, social and religious sensitivities of [Nigerien] society'.

For more on how Niger criminalises + people, visit our country profile:

Niger criminalises same-s*x s*xual activity, ‘LGBTQIA+ practices’, same-s*x marriage, involvement in organisations ‘for homos*xuals or LGBTQIA+’, and changes to ‘s*x assigned at birth’.

24/09/2026

Recent updates in :

👉 Last month, the police raided a private party of gay men in Freetown reportedly arresting dozens. https://hcntimes.com/sierra-leone-anti-lgbt-police-raid-last-night-at-a-private-party-in-freetown/

👉 Arrest warrants on charges of 'homos*xuality (gay) and LGBTI [or LGBTQ] social activity' were issued against a prominent activist couple, who have fled the country. https://76crimes.com/2026/09/11/sierra-leone-activists-flee/

🔗 For more information on the criminalisation of + people in Sierra Leone, visit our country profile https://humandignitytrust.org/country-profile/sierra-leone/

Sierra Leone criminalises same-s*x s*xual activity between men. Sentences include a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

23/09/2026

This , we celebrate and show solidarity with *xual people everywhere.

But visibility also means recognising the barriers that remain. 66 countries still criminalise private, consensual same-s*x s*xual activity – laws that undermine dignity, safety and equality for bis*xual people and the wider + community.

LGBT people are criminalised in 66 jurisdictions worldwide. Find out where with our map.

22/09/2026

As with any successful organisation, our staff are our greatest asset, and we are very fortunate to be able to attract some of the best talent in law, communications and charity operations. We’re in an exciting period of growth and transition, and we're excited to share a few changes to our team as we enter this next phase of our work.

👉 Check out our latest newsletter where we welcome new team members and share our latest people news.

16/09/2026

Across the , outdated s*xual offence laws discriminate against or fail to protect + people, women, children and people living with disabilities.

Want to see how your country is doing?

Explore our award-winning online s*xual offences compliance tool, recently expanded to cover even more countries:

Explore where the reform of outdated and discriminatory s*xual offence laws around the Commonwealth is needed using our digital tool.

14/09/2026

We’ve been spotlighted in The National Pro Bono Centre's newsletter this month!

Read about our mission, how pro bono support helps us deliver our work and the biggest challenge we’re facing right now.

11/09/2026

Missed our summer newsletter?

Catch up here to find out what we’ve been up to, the latest decriminalisation news from around the world and some exciting updates from us.

Give it a read 👇
https://mailchi.mp/humandignitytrust.org/summer2026

10/09/2026

We’ve expanded our award-winning online s*xual offences tool to cover an additional 14 jurisdictions. The tool assesses the extent to which s*xual offence laws across Commonwealth jurisdictions comply with human rights standards, using 17 indicators to evaluate the legal framework in each jurisdiction.

Explore the tool today https://www.humandignitytrust.org/reform/