The Australian Volunteers Program strives to provide a safe, supportive and equitable environment for LGBTQIA+ volunteers, approved accompanying dependents, partner organisations and all program staff. The Australian Volunteers Program has supported queer volunteers in all program countries and has ongoing connections with community organisations in many countries and regions in which the program operates.
This guide introduces a snapshot of the local context for queer and gender diverse people. LGBTQIA+ program participants must be aware of the country context before undertaking an assignment. If you are an LGBTQIA+ volunteer, you will need to:
- do your own research and understand what the local law says you can and can't do when in-country
- follow the local laws, even if you disagree with them
- be aware of the legal protections for LGBTQIA+ people in your destinations
- consider if you’re comfortable living and working in a place where you may not be able to live as openly as you can in some parts of Australia.
Language
Terminology may differ across urban and rural contexts, provinces or ethnic and cultural groups. Information sourced online can be outdated or inaccurate. For current and accurate information, please confirm with an appropriate civil society organisation (CSO) or ask your in-country team.
In one study, respondents stated that the terms 'transgender' and 'men who have sex with men' were inadequate in representing their gender identities. Most in the study said they were 'both male and female'.
Sexual and gender diversity is seen in the communities of the binabinaine — which refers to men who have sex with men, gay and bisexual men, and transgender women — and the binabinamwane, which describes women who have sex with women, lesbian and bisexual women, and transgender men. These terms are culturally specific identities that are central to the local organisation, BIMBA.
Legal and policy context
Same-sex sexual acts are criminalised in Kiribati with a maximum imprisonment term of 14 years. Men who commit acts of 'gross indecency' with another man in public or in private have a maximum imprisonment term of five years. However, there have been no known enforcements of these laws.
Kiribati rejected recommendations to decriminalise same-sex acts in 2010 in its first cycle of the Universal Periodic Review, and 'noted' recommendations for decriminalisation and protections for LGBTQIA+ people in anti-discrimination legislation. These were not adopted.
There is a Human Rights Officer who officially supports and recognises the plight of MSM and transgender women.
The local NGO Boutokaan Inaomataia ao Mauriia Binabinaine Association (BIMBA) was established in 2016 by gay men, bisexual men and transgender women for the protection of their human rights and health against stigma and discrimination that are based on sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and sex characteristics.
In October 2024, the candidates for President in Kiribati published their manifestos, as required by law. The President committed to 'increase education, dialogue, and support for women and men to prevent and eliminate violence and discrimination against women, children and LGBTQ individuals'. Kiribati law states that the successful candidate will be held accountable to the commitments made during the electoral process to the Electoral Office, but there’s been no public announcement on this promise as of August 2025.
Discrimination
Some legal protections exist for LGBTQIA+ people in Kiribati. Workplace discrimination and termination of employment based on sexual orientation is prohibited. These protections relate to a person’s sexual orientation and not their gender identity or intersex status. There are no broad protections or constitutional protections for LGBTQIA+ people, and there are no laws that protect against hate crimes or incitement to hatred based on someone’s sexual and gender identities.
Discrimination usually surrounds sexual orientation over gender identity. BIMBA is working with binabinaine to eradicate discrimination and stigma, providing advocacy trainings, services and a way of connecting with the community. BIMBA has documented several suspicious deaths of LGBTQIA+ people since 2020, including three murders.
Cultural and societal attitudes
Traditional gender roles are a prevalent and integral part of Kiribatian society. Homosexuality is stigmatised, and many local communities regard homosexuality as immoral. However, MSM have found that when they are financially independent and have family members relying on their income, their sexuality or gender identity is likely to be 'tacitly accepted'.
Many MSM feel they are accepted by their families but are cautious about bringing their partner home for fear it would be 'too confronting'. Despite some feelings of acceptance, many MSM feel it’s nearly impossible to have a long-term male partner because of family and community disapproval. Some MSM and transgender women can be open about their identities and are embraced by family and continue to live with them. In other cases, LGBTQIA+ children are forced to leave home.
Health and wellbeing
Transgender women and MSM report having regular health check-ups as part of their employment contracts. For unemployed MSM and transwomen, contact with health services is limited and more difficult to access.
The Asia Pacific Trans Health Blueprint training package was created and disseminated to governments in 2018, to provide a resource for healthcare professionals, policymakers and community advocates on the specific health and wellbeing needs of trans communities. There is no information available on how the package is being used in Kiribati.
LGBTQIA+ themes are not covered in the school curriculum. In some cases, where family members find out about their child’s diverse gender or sexual identities, they will be forced by the family to drop out of school. BIMBA is conducting awareness programs in schools to help support LGBTQIA+ youth and change societal attitudes surrounding homosexuality.
Since 2018, the Ministry of Health and Medical Services has established a partnership with BIMBA to enhance the organisation’s visibility and contribute to HIV- related issues in Kiribati.
Kiribati is a low-HIV-prevalence country. The National Strategic Plan for HIV and STI (2020-2025) explicitly identifies MSM and transgender people as a key population and outlines strategies to address their needs. The plan's priority interventions include increasing HIV and STI testing among key populations, promoting condom use, and considering the introduction of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). A crucial component of this national strategy is the partnership with and support for community leadership to reduce stigma and discrimination. The plan heavily relies on BIMBA to conduct peer education, distribute information, and refer community members to health services.
Research and contributions provided by Kris Prasad.
The Pride Guides were developed in 2022 and updated in 2025 by consultants and experts based in countries in which the program operates.
