LGBT rights in Burkina Faso

Both male and female gay sex in Burkina Faso have never been banned. The age of sexual consent since 1996 is set at 16 years ^[1] . Article 23 of the 1991 Constitution of the country does not allow same-sex marriage, it defines marriage as a union of a man and a woman ^[2] :

Family is the main unit of society. The state must protect it. Marriage is based on the free consent of a man and a woman. Any discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, ethnicity, caste, social origin or welfare in marriage is not allowed. In the family, all children have equal rights and duties. Parents are required to educate and educate their children. Children are obliged to respect their parents.

According to the US State Department , in Burkina Faso, “only heterosexual couples who have been married or cohabiting for at least five years can adopt a child. Single applicants are almost never allowed to adopt children in the country ” ^[3] . The 2011 State Department’s report on human rights states that “the law does not permit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in the sphere of labor and employment. However, discrimination in society on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity remains a problem. The religious beliefs of the population do not accept homosexuality, therefore LGBT people sometimes become victims of insults and physical violence. As a rule, the authorities do not respond to violence against these individuals. There are no openly operating LGBT organizations in the country ” ^[4] .