Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons in Cape Verde may face legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT

LGBT

LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...

 residents. Both male and female same-sex sexual activity is legal in Cape Verde

Cape Verde

The Republic of Cape Verde is an island country, spanning an archipelago of 10 islands located in the central Atlantic Ocean, 570 kilometres off the coast of Western Africa...

, but same-sex couples and households headed by same-sex couples are not eligible for the same legal protections available to opposite-sex couples.

Laws regarding same-sex sexual acts

Since 2004, same-sex sexual acts are legal in Cape Verde. The age of consent

Ages of consent in Africa

The ages of consent for sexual activity vary by jurisdiction across Africa. The specific activity engaged in or the gender of its participants can also be affected by the law. Below is a discussion of the various laws dealing with this subject...

 is 16, equal with opposite-sex sexual activity.

The previous law called for fines supervision for first time offenders, while repeat offenders would face imprisonment.

Living conditions

The U.S. Department of State's 2010 Human Rights Report found that "legal provisions helped provide protection for homosexual conduct; however, societal discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity continued to be a problem. There were no lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender persons' organizations active in the country."