Last updated: 7 May 2024

Types of criminalisation

  • Criminalises LGBT people
  • Criminalises sexual activity between males
Summary

Same-sex sexual activity is prohibited under the Penal Code, which criminalises acts of ‘buggery’ and ‘gross indecency’. These provisions carry a maximum penalty of fourteen years’ imprisonment. Only men are criminalised under this law.

The law was inherited from the British during the colonial period, in which the English criminal law was imposed upon Tuvalu. Tuvalu retained the provision upon independence and continues to criminalise same-sex sexual activity today.

There is no evidence of the law being enforced, and it appears to be largely obsolete in practice. Nevertheless, the mere existence of this provision is itself a violation of human rights and underpins further acts of discrimination (see further). There have been few reports of discrimination and violence being committed against LGBT people in Tuvalu, though this is likely attributable to the remoteness of the country and societal stigma which inhibits the availability of information.

Sexual Offence Law Assessment

We’ve also assessed Tuvalu’s sexual offence laws against international human rights standards. Not only does Tuvalu criminalise same-sex sexual activity, it also fails to properly protect other vulnerable groups, such as women, children, and people with disability, from sexual offences.

Find out more
Enforcement

2023

During Tuvalu’s fourth Universal Periodic Review, Amnesty International reported that despite there being no evidence of the government enforcing the criminalising provisions, they need to be repealed to ensure the safety of LGBT people.

2022

The US Department of State Country Report on Human Rights Practices, found that there were no reports that the government enforced the laws criminalising consensual sexual activity between men. This finding has been consistent in previous reports.

Discrimination and Violence

2023

In light of Tuvalu’s Constitutional amendments, Amnesty International reported that the lack of protection against non-discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity remains challenging for the country’s LGBT community.

During Tuvalu’s fourth Universal Periodic Review, the UN Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights expressed concern about the lack of any specific legal framework protecting LGBT people, and indicated that societal prejudices towards them remained. The United Nations country team recommended that Tuvalu amend or repeal laws that discriminated on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity and adopt policy and legal measures to combat such discrimination.

2022

The US Department of State Country Report on Human Rights Practices noted that there were no reports of violence on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity during the year, but that social stigma or intimidation may inhibit reporting. This finding has been consistent in previous reports.

References

Local Organisations

Related Countries

Samoa

Samoa criminalises same-sex sexual activity between men. Sentences include a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment.

Tonga

Tonga criminalises same-sex sexual activity between men and between women. Sentences include a maximum penalty of ten years’ imprisonment.

Solomon Islands

The Solomon Islands criminalises same-sex sexual activity between men and between women. Sentences include a maximum penalty of fourteen years’ imprisonment.

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