ILGA 2026 update: what changed for LGBTQ+ volunteers this year

What just shipped

We transcribed ILGA World's annual Sexual Orientation Laws Map for all 28 destinations on our site into a structured data file at `src/data/lgbtqLegalStatus.ts`, then snapshotted that as the year-1 baseline. The new tracker page lives at /changes/lgbtq-rights.

This is year 1 — there's no historical diff to show yet. When ILGA publishes the next annual report, we'll transcribe again into a fresh snapshot and the tracker page will auto-render the changes per country.

Why a tracker matters

Legal status moves slowly until it moves fast. Botswana decriminalised in 2019. India's Section 377 went down in 2018. Romania still doesn't recognise same-sex partnerships in 2026. A volunteer planning a year ahead needs to know not just where things stand, but where they've moved recently — because direction-of-travel often predicts how locals talk about LGBTQ+ visitors and how easily a host program can support someone in their team.

How to use the structured data

On every [/destinations/[id]/safety/lgbtq](/destinations/cambodia/safety/lgbtq) page you'll now see a Legal Context block above our existing prose. The block lists:

Every claim is sourced from ILGA's annual report and cross-checked against Wikipedia's "LGBT rights in {country}" article. Where a fact couldn't be confidently sourced, the field is `null` — we don't fill blanks with educated guesses.

What it doesn't tell you

The legal-status block is a starting point, not a safety verdict. Decriminalisation in 2010 doesn't tell you how a 60-year-old shopkeeper will react if you show up holding hands with your partner in 2026. Marriage equality in a capital city doesn't tell you what happens 200 km outside it.

Use the structured data alongside the existing destination prose, the LGBTQ+ Volunteering Abroad global guide, and direct questions for your host program. Ask the questions in writing.

What to do when things change before your trip

If ILGA's next report shifts your destination's status while you're planning, the tracker will surface it. We'll also flag the move in our weekly digest. Until then, the best protocol is the same as it has been:

Editorial note

We're not ILGA. We summarise their published facts with attribution and link back. If a discrepancy appears between our data and ILGA's, ILGA wins. Report any mismatch via /contact and we'll re-verify.