Country Overview
Malawi
At a glance
Same-sex Relations for Men Legal Throughout the Country?
Same-sex Relations for Women Legal Throughout the Country?
Legal Gender Recognition Possible?
LGBTI Orgs Able to Register?
View more for this country:
Malawi criminalizes same-sex relations under a penal code that uses the language of, “carnal knowledge against the order of nature” and “gross indecency.” There is a maximum penalty of fourteen years’ imprisonment with corporal punishment. Both men and women are criminalized under the law. In addition to potentially being punished by laws that criminalize same-sex activity, trans people may also face prosecution under a law criminalizing “idle and disorderly persons” with a maximum penalty of six months imprisonment and a fine. Malawi has made international headlines with the arrests of same-sex couples, including in 2010 when a gay couple was sentenced to 14 years in 2012 after being convicted on sodomy and indecency charges.
Global Impact
Sub-Saharan Africa
Outright supports LGBTIQ organizations in Sub-Saharan Africa and works with mainstream human rights organizations to respect human rights and influence positive changes in laws, policies, attitudes and beliefs that cause discrimination against LGBTIQ people.
United Nations
Our work at the United Nations centers around advocating for the advancement of the rights of LGBTIQ people.
View this regionAsia
Our work in Asia promotes acceptance of sexual and gender diversity at all levels of society.
View this regionMiddle East and North Africa
In the Middle East and North Africa, we partner with local groups in various countries as part of our international solidarity work. We also work with our local partners on different topics through capacity building, advocacy, research and holistic security.
Europe and Central Asia
Outright International partners with activists to fight for an end to human rights violations based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression in Europe and Central Asia, where most of our work involves emergency responses to harassment, discrimination, violence, and most recently, Russia’s brutal and expanded invasion of Ukraine.
Americas
Our work in the Americas continues to build on the fundamental and positive transformation of human rights protections in recent years. We partner with groups in the Caribbean that focus on ending gender-based violence and eradicating discrimination against trans people.
Pacific
Our work in the Pacific aims to increase the visibility of activists, respond to human rights emergencies, and actively bridge local, regional, and international activism to achieve equality and justice.
Global
View this region
Human Rights Research
Since 1990, we have partnered with activists from all over the world to produce hundreds of groundbreaking reports.
Read Our Reports