LGBTQ rights in Rwanda

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people in Rwanda face legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBTQ residents. While neither homosexuality nor homosexual acts are illegal in the country, homosexuality is considered a taboo topic, and there is no significant public discussion of this issue in any region of the country and LGBTQ people still face stigmatization among the broader population. No anti-discrimination laws are afforded to LGBTQ citizens, and same-sex marriages are not recognized by the state, as the Constitution of Rwanda provides that "[o]nly civil monogamous marriage between a man and a woman is recognized". LGBTQ Rwandans have reported being harassed, blackmailed, and even arrested by the police under various laws dealing with public order and morality.

Rwanda is a signatory of the United Nations joint statement condemning violence against LGBTQ people and is one of only a few countries in Africa to have sponsored the declaration, and in this respect stands in sharp contrast with neighbouring Uganda, Tanzania and Burundi.